Content

• Steps
• Advice
• Warning

WikiHow today will show you how to open and run a workable JAR file on a Windows or Mac computer. The JAR (Java Archive - Java archive) file contains data that can be used with Java programs. Most JAR files are simply the media containing the data that other programs need to run Java; therefore, you cannot run these files and nothing happens when you double-click them. Similarly, most possible JAR files are downloaded as an installation file for the purpose of installing an application or program. Therefore, if you have problems opening the file, you should double-check that your JAR file is compatible with the operating system.

Steps

Method 1 of 2: On Windows

1. 

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2. Scroll down and click on the folder Java.
3. Click Check For Updates (Check for updates).
4. Click Update Now (Updated Now) on the card Update (Update).

5. 

   
   
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6. Click System Preferences.
7. Click Java.
8. Click the card Update.
9. Click Update Now.

10. 

    Double-click the JAR file again. If the file still won't open this time, the file you are trying to open is not feasible, and therefore the file cannot "run" in the normal sense. advertisement

Advice

• The Java program works on any platform. If a program is not working then either it is not properly coded, or it is a very intensive program (other system resources or programs).
• A .jar file can be a program or a library. If it is a library, then inside the file there is no class to execute, so it cannot run.

Warning

• Java is more secure than most programming languages, but malware written in Java persists. You should be cautious when running JAR files downloaded online.