Jarfix

Setup installers for Windows applications are usually wrapped in an EXE file. However, some applications are dedicated to modifying other types, and file formats are abundant, even for a single type of file. The one in question here is JAR, which can easily get associated with another type of program, thus making it impossible for users to launch JAR applications by just double-clicking these files. Luckily, Jarfix comes to save the day.

JAR files are nothing more than special executable files created by Java, which come bundled with a variety of classes and functions to make the dedicated program work. Also, Java Runtime Environment must be installed on the computer in order to run Java apps.

The problem is that some archiving utilities assume that you use JAR files to compress files into archives and, after installing these archiving utilities, they get automatically associated with JAR files, thus overwriting Java.

In such cases, it becomes difficult for users to open JAR files with Java, unless they know how to fiddle with the Windows settings to manually change the filetype association. Users might even think that the JAR program in question is not functional just because it seemingly cannot be opened with Java.

As mentioned above, you can rely on Jarfix to solve this issue. A neat advantage that can be noticed right from the start is that you don’t have to go through any kind of trouble with an installer because this application can be run right after download. As such, you can also carry it around on an USB flash drive to restore the JAR filetype association on other computers that deal with this issue.

The task is finished instantly and you don’t even need to restart your computer for JAR files to revert to their default form. However, you must have administrative permissions. A small prompt appears to inform you that the operation is successful, also pointing out the location of the Java Runtime Environment program on your computer.

As suggested in the prompt, things might not work as intended the first time, but this only depends on the application that’s taking control of the JAR file. In case the problem persists, you can run Jarfix again.

Other solutions also exist but are not quite recommended for inexperienced individuals. A simple alternative is to completely remove Java Runtime Environment and reinstall it to overwrite the faulty filetype association made by the archiving tool or other software.

Jarfix is a nifty little repair tool that gets the job done quickly and flawlessly in most cases. It performed well under several situations and we managed to restore functionality for malfunctioning JAR files. It’s portable, doesn’t require any kind of accommodation, and can save a considerable amount of time if you really need to use a JAR program.