How to Make
a CBR File
Complete step-by-step guide to creating CBR (Comic Book RAR) files from your images. Learn the best methods and tools for making professional comic book archives.
What is a CBR File?
CBR (Comic Book RAR) is a compressed archive format specifically designed for digital comics. It's essentially a RAR archive containing image files (JPG, PNG, GIF) with a .cbr extension that comic book reader applications can recognize and display in proper page order.
Method 1: Using WinRAR (Recommended)
Organize Your Images
Create a folder with your comic book images. Name them numerically for proper page order:001.jpg,002.jpg,003.jpg, etc.
Select All Images
Select all your comic book images in the folder. You can use Ctrl+A to select all files or hold Ctrl and click to select specific images.
Create RAR Archive
Right-click on the selected images and choose "Add to archive..." from the WinRAR context menu. In the Archive dialog, set the archive format to "RAR" and choose your compression level.
Rename to .cbr Extension
After creating the RAR archive, rename the file extension from .rarto .cbr. For example:MyComic.rar →MyComic.cbr
Method 2: Using 7-Zip (Free Alternative)
Download and Install 7-Zip
Download 7-Zip from the official website (7-zip.org) and install it. 7-Zip is free and supports creating RAR archives that can be converted to CBR.
Select Your Images
Organize and select your comic book images in numerical order. Make sure they're properly named for correct page sequence.
Create Archive
Right-click and select "7-Zip" → "Add to archive...". In the dialog, choose "zip" format (as 7-Zip doesn't create RAR files directly), then rename the extension to .cbr after creation.
Method 3: Using Online Converters
Use Image to CBZ Converter
Upload your images to an online Images to CBZ converter, then use a CBZ to CBR converter to change the format. This method is convenient but requires two conversion steps.
Best Practices for CBR Creation
- Proper Naming: Use zero-padded numbers (001, 002, 003) to ensure correct page order
- Image Quality: Use high-resolution images (at least 1200px width) for better reading experience
- Compression Level: Use medium compression to balance file size and image quality
- File Formats: JPG for photos/colored pages, PNG for text-heavy or black & white pages
- Testing: Always test your CBR file in a comic reader before sharing
Recommended Tools
WinRAR
Professional archiving tool with excellent RAR compression.
Cons: Paid software
7-Zip
Free, open-source archiving utility with good compression.
Cons: No native RAR creation
Need to Convert Existing Files?
Use our free online converters to create and convert comic book files: