Ark is a file archiver and compressor developed by KDE and included in the KDE Applications software bundle. It supports various common archive and compression formats including zip, 7z, rar, lha and tar (both uncompressed and compressed with e.g. gzip, bzip2, lzip or xz).
What is ark?
ark by KDE e.V. is open-source Windows software in the archivers category. It ranks 42nd by popularity among archivers in this catalogue. The first release dates back to 1997. It is written in C++. Besides Windows, it is available for Unix-like operating system and Linux.
Installation and requirements
The publisher provides EXE (NSIS) installers for 64-bit Windows. The main installer is 110.0 MB. It can be installed for the current user only, without administrator rights. A silent install is possible with the installer’s documented switches.
Updates and version history
The current version is 26.08.2, released on October 17, 2026. The version history goes back to February 28, 2025: 26 releases, all linked to the official files. That is about 16 releases a year. The last update is less than a month old.
Popularity and file types
Wikipedia has an article about it in 15 of our languages. Similar programs include 7-Zip, WinRAR and PeaZip.
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Documented silent install
- Installs without administrator rights
- Frequent updates (about 16 a year)
- Also runs on Unix-like operating system and Linux
- Mature project (since 1997)
Cons
- No native ARM64 build
In short: ark is an open-source archiver tool for 64-bit PCs. It is actively maintained. Administrators can deploy it unattended.
Key features
- Several formats supported: gzip, bzip2, zip, rar, 7z and more
- Preview file contents without extracting files
AppStream · Flathub
Screenshots
Is ark safe to download?
- The file is served by cdn.kde.org, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
4DDC4D8DF8B15C9E2A52758AC0452B350E78DAFEA8BA319E1B4984C1B2FB77D4· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link answered when we last checked it (October 22, 2026)
- The source code is public
- ExeAtlas does not host, wrap or modify installers
Related guide: How to check a file’s SHA256 hash on Windows
Recent versions
All 26 versions ›26 versions over 2 years · about 16 a year
| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26.08.2Latest | October 17, 2026 | 110.0 MB | 64-bit EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 26.08.1 | September 14, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 26.08.0 | September 2, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 26.04.3 | June 26, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 26.04.2 | May 29, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 26.04.1 | May 4, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 26.04.0 | April 8, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 26.03.90 | March 29, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id KDE.Ark -eark-release_26.08-2753-windows-cl-msvc2022-x86_64.exe /SRelated guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Also for other systems
flatpak install flathub org.kde.arkInformation
- Publisher
- KDE e.V.
- Category
- Archivers
- Licence
- GPL-2.0-or-later
- Price
- Free
- Written in
- C++
- Content rating
- All ages
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit
- Installer
- EXE (NSIS)
- Other platforms
- Unix-like operating system, Linux
- Version
- 26.08.2
- Released
- October 17, 2026
- First release
- 1997
- Added to the catalogue
- February 28, 2025
- Versions listed
- 26
- Updates / year
- 15.9
- Website
- apps.kde.org
- winget ID
- KDE.Ark
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
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Frequently asked questions
Is ark free?
Yes. ark is open-source software under the GPL-2.0-or-later licence.
Is ark safe to download?
The download comes from cdn.kde.org, which belongs to the publisher; ExeAtlas does not host or change the file. Compare its SHA256 hash with the one shown here, or open the VirusTotal report for that hash.
How do I install ark with winget?
Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run the winget command shown on this page. winget downloads the official installer and checks its SHA256 hash before running it.
Can ark be installed silently?
Yes. The silent install page lists the exact command for each installer.
Does ark run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
There is no ARM64 build; Windows 11 on Arm can run the 64-bit version through emulation.
Where can I download an older version of ark?
The versions page lists all 26 versions with links to their official installer files, back to February 28, 2025.
Can I use ark without administrator rights?
Yes, there is a per-user installer that does not need administrator rights.
What are alternatives to ark?
7-Zip, WinRAR, PeaZip, NanaZip and UPX. The alternatives page compares them.
