Extract text from RealAudio or RAR files (RA)
To convert RA files to another format, you need RealPlayer or other Audio software.
To convert other file formats to the "Streaming Audio File" file type, you need software like RealPlayer or a similar tool.
The .RA file extension primarily represents a RealAudio file, a legacy audio format created by RealNetworks for streaming music and voice broadcasts over dial-up internet connections. Alternatively, a .RA file can sometimes function as a RAR compressed archive managed by WinRAR.
This format presents severe compatibility challenges today. As a proprietary and heavily outdated format, RealAudio requires legacy software like RealPlayer to open and is completely unsupported by modern web browsers, smartphones, and standard media players. Users frequently encounter codec errors or missing plugin warnings when attempting playback. Furthermore, if the file is a RAR archive, it cannot be natively opened by Windows or macOS without installing third-party extraction tools, adding unnecessary friction to your workflow.
To eliminate playback and access issues, you should convert these files. For audio, convert your .RA files to MP3 for universal web and mobile playback, or to WAV for further editing in software like Audacity. If your file is a compressed archive, converting it to ZIP ensures native support on any operating system without requiring extra software. Drop your file here to view and convert it securely right in your browser.
Use Convert.Guru to open and convert your RA file.
Users also converted RMS, AWB, RMVB, RZ and MP3 files.
If you want to convert RA file to RZ, RMS, MP3, WAV, AAC, FLAC, OGG, WMA, M4A, AIFF, OPUS or ALAC, you can use RealPlayer or similar software from the "Streaming Audio Storage" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert MIDI, AAC, TTA, AU, WV, DTS, MID, FLAC, MP3, PCM, WAV or APE files to RA, try RealPlayer or another comparable tool in the "Streaming Audio Storage" category.
The history of Convert.Guru began over 25 years ago in California with Tom Simondi’s file-format database. A former contributor to Space Shuttle development and a software pioneer of the 1980s, Simondi established a trusted resource for file type analysis that was even referenced by Microsoft Windows XP. Today, we use modern technology to process and convert thousands of file formats while continually improving our RA converter.