ARC to 7Z Converter
Convert ARC to 7Z online for free. Fast, secure, and high-quality conversion with no sign-up or software required.
Maximum file size is 1GB
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Three steps to your converted file
Everything happens in your browser tab - upload, pick a format, download. The heavy lifting runs on our servers.
Upload your file
Drag and drop, click to browse, or paste a URL. Batches take up to 20 files at once - 230+ input formats across video, audio, image, document, and archive types.
Choose an output format
Pick from over a hundred output formats. Filter by category or search by name - every option is open to everyone, no account needed.
Convert & download
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What is an ARC file?
The ARC file format is a legacy lossless data compression and archival container developed by System Enhancement Associates (SEA). Designed by Thom Henderson in 1985, it aggregates multiple files into a single binary structure using varying compression methods, most notably Lempel-Ziv-Welch (LZW) and Huffman coding. It served as the de facto standard for the Bulletin Board System (BBS) environment during the 1980s before being largely superseded by the PKZIP format. The architecture allows for hierarchical storage and metadata retention, though it lacks the encryption standards found in modern containers like 7z or RAR.
How to open an ARC file
Modern operating systems do not provide native kernel-level support for the SEA ARC format. Users require specialized third-party file extraction software to parse the legacy headers. On Windows, WinZip, PeaZip, and IZArc retain backward compatibility for extraction. macOS users can utilize The Unarchiver, while Linux environments often rely on the command-line utility nomarch (an open-source implementation of the ARC extraction algorithm) to access archived contents.
ARC Technical Info
- Full Name
- ARC Archive
- Developed By
- System Enhancement Associates (SEA)
- Initial Release
- 1985
- MIME Type
- application/x-arc
What is a 7z file?
The 7z format is a compressed archive container created by Igor Pavlov in 1999, characterized by an open architecture and high compression ratios utilizing the LZMA and LZMA2 algorithms. It supports file sizes up to 16 exbibytes (2^64 bytes), Unicode file names, and strong AES-256 encryption, with solid compression capabilities to enhance efficiency for similar file sets. Distributed under the GNU LGPL, the format's modular design accommodates various pre-processing filters and encryption methods, establishing it as a primary standard for high-efficiency data archival.
How to open a 7z file
While Windows 11 builds utilizing the libarchive project offer native support, earlier Windows versions require the official open-source 7-Zip utility or alternatives like WinRAR and PeaZip for extraction. macOS users typically rely on third-party software such as The Unarchiver or Keka, whereas Linux distributions handle 7z archives via the p7zip package accessed through the command line or GUI managers like File Roller.
7z Technical Info
- Full Name
- 7z Archive Format
- Developed By
- Igor Pavlov
- Initial Release
- 1999
- MIME Type
- application/x-7z-compressed
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Convert ARC to 7Z in seconds
Every ARC to 7Z conversion runs on our servers, so your device stays fast and the output quality stays intact.
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Developer API
Convert ARC to 7Z via API
Automate ARC to 7Z conversions in three steps: create a job, upload your file, then poll for the result.
# 1. Create job
curl -X POST https://api.runconvert.com/v3/jobs \
-H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"tag": "arc-to-7z",
"tasks": {
"upload-file": {
"operation": "import/upload"
},
"convert": {
"operation": "convert",
"input": "upload-file",
"output_format": "7z"
},
"export-result": {
"operation": "export/url",
"input": "convert"
}
}
}'
# 2. Upload your file (use upload_url from the response)
curl -X PUT "$UPLOAD_URL" --upload-file input.arc
# 3. Poll for result
curl https://api.runconvert.com/v3/jobs/$JOB_ID?include=tasks \
-H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"Replace YOUR_API_KEY with your RunConvert API key. Get your free API key at runconvert.com/api.