What is a .cbr file?
Comic Book RAR · eBook · Comic reader community · 2000s
A CBR is a comic book file, the same idea as CBZ but the pages are packed in a RAR archive instead of a ZIP. Comic readers open it the same way; the only real difference is the compression used inside.
What is a .cbr file used for?
A CBR holds a comic's pages as image files inside a RAR archive, sorted into reading order. To a comic reader it behaves exactly like a CBZ.
The one practical difference is creation: making a RAR needs WinRAR's paid tools, so people who build their own comics usually choose CBZ, which any ZIP tool can produce.
You can open a CBR in a comic reader, or rename it to .rar and extract the images with a free tool like 7-Zip or The Unarchiver.
How to open a .cbr file
The .cbr format opens in the following apps, grouped by operating system. If one app does not work, try another from the same list.
Windows
- YACReader
- CDisplayEx
- rename to .rar and extract with 7-Zip
macOS
- YACReader
- Simple Comic
- rename to .rar and extract with The Unarchiver
Linux
- YACReader
- MComix
Web
- Some online comic readers
How to convert a .cbr file
You can convert a .cbr file to CBZ, PDF using a conversion tool or the export menu of an app that opens it.
.cbr file signature (magic bytes)
Programs recognise a .cbr file by the bytes at the start of the file, not by its name. These are the signatures for CBR. For a full breakdown, see the CBR file signature page.
| Hex signature | Offset | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 52 61 72 21 1A 07 | 0 | RAR header; a CBR is a RAR of image pages |
See the full magic-numbers reference for every format.
Frequently asked questions
What is a .cbr file?
A CBR is a comic book file, the same idea as CBZ but the pages are packed in a RAR archive instead of a ZIP. Comic readers open it the same way; the only real difference is the compression used inside.
How do I open a CBR file?
Open it in a comic reader like YACReader or CDisplayEx. Or rename it to .rar and extract the images with 7-Zip on Windows or The Unarchiver on Mac.
Which is better, CBR or CBZ?
They read identically. CBZ is generally preferred because it uses ZIP, which is free to create and open everywhere, whereas making a CBR needs paid RAR tools.
Related formats
Sources
Details on this page were checked against authoritative references: