File RollerLinux
vs
IZArcWindows
File Roller as a Linux alternative to IZArc
Updated
Our verdict
File Roller is a solid replacement for IZArc if you are on GNOME and mostly work with ZIP, TAR, and GZIP files. It handles password-protected ZIPs and integrates smoothly with the Nautilus file manager. However, it lacks native RAR support, which is a major gap for many IZArc users. If you frequently handle RAR files or need advanced command-line automation features that IZArc provides, File Roller alone will not suffice. You should pair it with p7zip or PeaZip to cover the missing formats and ensure full parity for your workflow.
- License
- GPL-2.0+
- Price
- Free
- Latest version
- 44.7 (June 22, 2026)
- Rating
- —
What works the same
- Supports creating and extracting ZIP archives
- Handles password-protected ZIP files
- Integrates directly with the desktop file manager
- Free and open-source (GPL-2.0+)
- Supports split archives via underlying tools
What is different
- No native support for RAR format
- Lacks a dedicated, powerful command-line interface for complex automation
- Fewer supported archive formats out-of-the-box compared to IZArc
- Tied to the GNOME desktop environment
Opening your IZArc files
File Roller opens standard ZIP, TAR, GZIP, BZIP2, and XZ files created by IZArc without issues. However, it cannot natively open RAR files. If your IZArc archives are RAR, you must install p7zip or use PeaZip to extract them. Password-protected ZIPs work fine, but ensure the password is correct before attempting extraction.
Switching from IZArc to File Roller, step by step
- Install File Roller via your package manager or Flathub
- Install p7zip to handle RAR files that File Roller cannot open
- Configure Nautilus to use File Roller as the default archive manager
- Test extracting a password-protected ZIP to verify functionality
- Update your shell aliases to use 7z for command-line tasks if needed
Key features of File Roller
- Open and extract common archive formats (zip, tar, gzip, bzip2, xz)
- Create new archives in zip, tar, and compressed tar formats
- Add files to existing archives
- View archive contents without extraction
- Password-protect zip files
- Integrates with GNOME Files (Nautilus)
- Supports drag-and-drop from file manager
- Can use command-line backends like tar, gzip, 7z
How to install File Roller on Linux
flatpak install flathub org.gnome.FileRollersudo apt install file-rollersudo apt install file-rollersudo dnf install file-rollersudo pacman -S file-rollersudo zypper install file-rollerFrequently asked questions
Can File Roller open RAR files?
No, File Roller does not have native RAR support. You need to install p7zip or PeaZip to handle RAR archives.
Is File Roller suitable for server automation?
It is primarily a GUI application. For command-line automation, use the underlying tools like tar, gzip, or 7z directly instead of relying on File Roller.
Does File Roller support split archives?
Yes, it can handle split archives, but this often depends on the specific format and the backend tools available on your system.
3 other alternatives to IZArc
PeaZipPeaZip is a free, open-source archive manager for Linux and other platforms that handles over 200 archive…Open sourceFreeFlatpakPeaZip vs IZArc
ArkArk is KDE's graphical archive manager for creating, extracting and browsing many archive formats.Open sourceFreeFlatpakArk vs IZArc
P7ZIPp7zip is the Linux command‑line port of the 7‑Zip archiver, supporting 7z and many other formats.Open sourceFreeP7ZIP vs IZArc