File management and archive management modes
The WinRAR shell may be in one of two basic states: file management mode or archive management mode.
In the file management mode, a list of files and folders from the current working folder is displayed. You may select these files and folders in the usual Windows fashion, with a mouse or keyboard, and perform different file operations such as archiving or deleting. Also in this mode it is possible to perform test and extract operations with groups of archives.
In the archive management mode, the list of archived files and folders from the currently opened archive is displayed. You also may select files and folders and perform archive specific operations such as extracting, testing or commenting.
In either mode you may change the current folder (real or archived). Press BS, Ctrl+PgUp or double-click on the folder with ".." name to go to the parent disk or archive folder. The same action will close an archive and return WinRAR to file management mode, if you are viewing the archive root folder. Press Enter, Ctrl+PgDn or double-click on any other folder to enter to it. The same action applied to an archive name will open this archive. Ctrl+\ sets the root disk or archive folder as the current.
To enter WinRAR›s file management mode, start WinRAR by simply double-clicking on the WinRAR icon or run WinRAR from the command line with no parameters.
To enter WinRAR›s archive management mode, start WinRAR in the file management mode, place the cursor on the desired archive and press Enter or use the "Open archive" command of File menu. Or simply double-click on the archive name in Windows shell (Explorer or Desktop) to open it in WinRAR, but for this to take effect, WinRAR must have been associated with archives during installation (it is the default installation option). You also may associate WinRAR with archives after installation using Integration settings dialog. And finally, it is also possible to enter directly to the desired archive from the command line, if the archive name is passed to WinRAR in the command line as a single parameter.