ARC files exist as 8 different types. Please find information about each of them below.
Type 1: Norton Backup Archive
The arc file extension is mainly related to ARC. ARC is a lossless data compression and archival format created by System Enhancement Associated (SAE). The format was very popular during the early day...
General Information
| Title | .ARC File Extension |
| Extension | .arc |
| Full Form | Norton Backup Archive |
| File Type | Backup Archive File |
| Developer | Norton (Symantec Corporation) |
| MIME Type | application/octet-stream |
File Function
| Primary Function | Store backups |
| Additional Functions | Data compression, Encryption |
| Features | File archiving, Data recovery |
File Characteristics
| Quality | High compression |
| Supports Layers | N/A |
| Supports Transparency | N/A |
| Editable | No |
Use Cases
| Personal Backup | Yes |
| System Recovery | Yes |
| Data Archiving | Yes |
Security and Practices
| Security Risks | Encrypted, Proprietary |
| Best Practices | Regular backups, Secure storage |
Historical/Version Information
| Initial Release | Unknown |
| Latest Version | Varies by Norton product |
Associated Types
| Similar Extensions | .nbak, .nco, .n360bak |
Software Compatibility
| Software | Usage Policy | OS Compatibility |
|---|---|---|
 Norton Security |
Paid | Windows |
| Norton 360 |
Paid | Windows, Mac |
Type 2: Compressed File Archive
General Information
| Title | ARC File Extension |
| Extension | .arc |
| Full Form | Compressed File Archive |
| File Type | Archive File |
| Developer | SEA (System Enhancement Associates) |
| MIME Type | application/octet-stream |
File Function
| Primary Function | Store files |
| Additional Functions | Compress data |
| Features | Multi-file, Lossless |
File Characteristics
| Quality | Data integrity |
| Supports Layers | N/A |
| Supports Transparency | N/A |
| Editable | No |
Use Cases
| File Storage | Yes |
| Data Transfer | Yes |
| Backup | Yes |
Security and Practices
| Security Risks | File inclusion |
| Best Practices | Scan archives, Update software |
Historical/Version Information
| Initial Release | 1980s |
| Latest Version | Depends on software |
Associated Types
| Similar Extensions | .zip, .rar, .7z |
Software Compatibility
| Software | Usage Policy | OS Compatibility |
|---|---|---|
 FreeArc |
Free | Windows, Linux |
| PeaZip |
Free | Windows, Linux, BSD |
| The Unarchiver |
Free | Mac |
Type 3: African Safari Data File
Here are some suggestions to simplify the text, change sentence length, order sentences and words to improve flow and remove unnecessary parts: An .ARC file extension indicates a container format use...
General Information
| Title | ARC File Extension |
| Extension | .arc |
| Full Form | African Safari Data File |
| File Type | Game Data File |
| Developer | Unspecified |
| MIME Type | application/octet-stream |
File Function
| Primary Function | Store game data |
| Additional Functions | Data archive |
| Features | Compressed, Container |
File Characteristics
| Quality | Binary data |
| Supports Layers | No |
| Supports Transparency | No |
| Editable | With tools |
Use Cases
| Game Development | Yes |
| Data Storage | Yes |
| Modding | Possible |
Security and Practices
| Security Risks | Corruption |
| Best Practices | Regular backups |
Historical/Version Information
| Associated Games | African Safari |
| Format Popularity | Obsolete |
Associated Types
| Similar Extensions | .zip, .rar, .tar |
Software Compatibility
| Software | Usage Policy | OS Compatibility |
|---|---|---|
| Unspecified Game Engine |
N/A | N/A |
| File Unpackers |
Free, Paid | Varies |
Type 4: Nintendo Archive File
General Information
| Title | ARC File Extension |
| Extension | .arc |
| Full Form | Nintendo Archive File |
| File Type | Game Data Archive |
| Developer | Nintendo |
| MIME Type | application/octet-stream |
File Function
| Primary Function | Store game data |
| Additional Functions | Asset bundling, Data compression |
| Features | Hierarchical, Proprietary format |
File Characteristics
| Quality | Game-specific |
| Supports Layers | N/A |
| Supports Transparency | N/A |
| Editable | With tools |
Use Cases
| Video Games | Yes |
| Modding | Yes |
| Data Extraction | Yes |
Security and Practices
| Security Risks | Low risk |
| Best Practices | Backup, Modding ethics |
Historical/Version Information
| Initial Release | Circa 2001 |
| Latest Version | Varies by game |
Associated Types
| Similar Extensions | .bfres, .bfsar |
Software Compatibility
| Software | Usage Policy | OS Compatibility |
|---|---|---|
| Dolphin Emulator |
Free | Windows, Mac, Linux |
| Cemu Emulator |
Free, Donations | Windows |
| Switch Toolbox |
Free | Windows |
Type 5: Symbian OS Backup File
ARC files are backup files created by Norton software to store personal user files and system files. They are used to recover files if accidentally deleted or after system failure. ARC files can be la...
General Information
| Title | ARC File Extension |
| Extension | .arc |
| Full Form | Symbian OS Backup File |
| File Type | Backup File |
| Developer | Symbian Ltd. |
| MIME Type | application/octet-stream |
File Function
| Primary Function | Store backup |
| Additional Functions | Restore data |
| Features | Compressed, Encapsulated |
File Characteristics
| Quality | High compression |
| Supports Layers | N/A |
| Supports Transparency | N/A |
| Editable | No |
Use Cases
| Device Backup | Yes |
| Data Restoration | Yes |
| Data Transfer | Yes |
Security and Practices
| Security Risks | Data leakage |
| Best Practices | Encrypted storage, Secure transfer |
Historical/Version Information
| Initial Release | 2000s |
| Latest Version | Associated with Symbian OS versions |
Associated Types
| Similar Extensions | .sis, .sisx, .nbu |
Software Compatibility
| Software | Usage Policy | OS Compatibility |
|---|---|---|
 Nokia PC Suite |
Free | Windows |
| Symbian Tool |
Free | Windows |
Type 6: Minecraft: Legacy Console Edition Archive
General Information
| Title | ARC File Extension |
| Extension | .arc |
| Full Form | Archive File |
| File Type | Game Data Archive |
| Developer | Mojang Studios |
| MIME Type | application/octet-stream |
File Function
| Primary Function | Store game assets |
| Additional Functions | Data compression, Package resources |
| Features | Binary format, Console-specific |
File Characteristics
| Quality | Game-specific |
| Supports Layers | N/A |
| Supports Transparency | N/A |
| Editable | With tools |
Use Cases
| Game Content | Yes |
| Modding | Yes |
| Resource Archive | Yes |
Security and Practices
| Security Risks | Tampering risk |
| Best Practices | Backup, Modding ethics |
Historical/Version Information
| Initial Release | Console launch |
| Latest Version | Depends on game version |
Associated Types
| Similar Extensions | .pkg, .dat, .bin |
Software Compatibility
| Software | Usage Policy | OS Compatibility |
|---|---|---|
 Minecraft: Legacy Console Edition |
Commercial game | Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Wii U |
| Horizon |
Free, Paid versions | Windows |
| Modio |
Free | Windows |
Type 7: WWE 2K18 and 2K19 Cache File
Most WWE 2K18 and 2K19 players never need to modify Chunk0.arc. However, modders who install mods must delete or clear Chunk0.arc. This clears the cache so mods load correctly. Otherwise, the games cr...
General Information
| Title | ARC File Extension |
| Extension | .arc |
| Full Form | WWE 2K18/2K19 Cache File |
| File Type | Game Cache File |
| Developer | Visual Concepts/Yuke's |
| MIME Type | application/octet-stream |
File Function
| Primary Function | Store game assets |
| Additional Functions | Speed up load times |
| Features | Compressed, Binary format |
File Characteristics
| Quality | Optimized |
| Supports Layers | N/A |
| Supports Transparency | N/A |
| Editable | With tools |
Use Cases
| Gameplay | Yes |
| Modding | Yes |
| Customization | Yes |
Security and Practices
| Security Risks | Altered files risk |
| Best Practices | Backup original files, Use trusted tools |
Historical/Version Information
| Initial Release | WWE 2K18 (2017) |
| Latest Version | WWE 2K19 (2018) |
Associated Types
| Similar Extensions | .pac, .hsp, .render |
Software Compatibility
| Software | Usage Policy | OS Compatibility |
|---|---|---|
 WWE 2K18 |
Paid | Windows, PS4, Xbox One, Switch |
| WWE 2K19 |
Paid | Windows, PS4, Xbox One |
| Modding Tools |
Free, Community-driven | Windows |
Type 8: Internet Archive Web Archive
General Information
| Title | ARC File Extension |
| Extension | .arc |
| Full Form | Web Archive File |
| File Type | Web Archive |
| Developer | Internet Archive |
| MIME Type | application/x-internet-archive |
File Function
| Primary Function | Web content archiving |
| Additional Functions | Data compression |
| Features | Batch saving, Historical snapshots |
File Characteristics
| Quality | Lossless |
| Supports Layers | N/A |
| Supports Transparency | N/A |
| Editable | No |
Use Cases
| Web Archiving | Yes |
| Research | Yes |
| Data Recovery | Yes |
Security and Practices
| Security Risks | File tampering |
| Best Practices | Checksum verification |
Historical/Version Information
| Initial Release | 1996 |
| Latest Version | ARC format variations |
Associated Types
| Similar Extensions | .warc, .gz, .zip |
Software Compatibility
| Software | Usage Policy | OS Compatibility |
|---|---|---|
| Wayback Machine |
Free | Web-based |
| Heritrix |
Free | Windows, Mac, Linux |
| The Unarchiver |
Free | Mac |