How to Open CBR Files on Mac

Have you downloaded a comic book file on your Mac and it came with the .CBR file extension? Now you may be wondering, how do I open it? Well, unfortunately, macOS does not provide a native application to open CBR files on mac.

So, if you have come across one on your Mac, then you need to install a CBR reader. Luckily, we have got you covered as this blog will walk you through a detailed guide on how to open CBR files on Mac. On top of that, we will also talk about the steps to convert CBR files to PDF so you can open them natively.

Let’s get started!

What Is a CBR File

Growing up all of us loved to read comic books. From Batman to Ironman, every comic book reader had a favorite superhero. Back in the days, we would have piles of comic books all scattered across our rooms. But now the times are changing, and everything has moved online — including comic books.

CBR or Comic Book RAR Archive files are used to contain multiple comic book pages in JPEG, PNG, MBP, and GIF formats. It compresses all of the multiple pages of a comic book, and archives them into one .CBR format so users can read it sequentially.

To open a CBR file on your Mac, you need to install a third-party eBook reader. There are many options available online, so we have decided to talk about two of the most popular ones. You can rely on either one of them to open CBR files on mac.

How to Open CBR Files on Mac using YACReader

One of the best and the most recommended eBook readers is YACReader. It is completely free, and it is available on Mac, Windows, and Linux. As far as your reading needs go, YACReader has got everything covered. 

You can open CBR, CBZ, PDF, RAR, ZIP, TAR, and many other files with YACReader. When it comes to opening comic books with it, you have the option to:

  • View in a single or double page mode.
  • View in a full-screen mode for the ultimate comic book experience.
  • Rotate image, customize background color, add bookmarks.
  • Adjust the page’s brightness, contrast, and gamma using sliders.
  • Remotely read your comics on your iPhone and iPad.
  • Enable Night Mode to eliminate blue light that can strain your eyes.

On top of that, it comes with the YACLibrary — a place to view, organize, and keep track of your entire comic books library. The cherry on top is that you can also search through your collection using the built-in search engine.

One thing that should be kept in mind is that the YACReader app costs $3.99 on the App Store for iPhone and iPad. So, if you are planning to use it to sync your comic books across devices, then you should know that it is only free on Mac.

Related:
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Install and Open CBR Files on Mac With YACReader

Here’s how you can install YACReader on your Mac:

  • Head over to the YACReader website using Safari.
  • Scroll down and click on the official package.
  • Select a location for the .dmg file and download it.
  • Head over to the download location, and double-click on the .dmg setup file.
  • Drag and drop the YACReader icons to the Applications folder.

Follow along to create a new library and add your comic book to it:

  • Launch the YACReader Library app.
  • Click on the + (Add) icon at the top of the left pane.
  • Enter a Library Name.
  • Select your Comic Folder, and click on Create.

That’s it. Now your .CBR files will be added to the library and you can open them with a click.

How to Open CBR Files on Mac using Simple Comic

Similarly, Simple Comic is another free CBR reader that you can use. What makes it different from YACReader is that it is simplistic and light weight, which gives it a very easy to use user-interface. It also supports major file formats including .CBR and .CBZ files. Simple Comic is responsive and fast, and it never stutters when you’re quickly scrolling through pages.

It offers more or less the same features as YACReader, some of them are:

  • View in single, double, or full-screen mode according to your liking.
  • View in thumbnail mode when you want to quickly skip through the pages.
  • Enable auto-save so you can continue reading your comic book right where you left.
  • Mouse and keyboard control gestures for quick access.
  • Take a quick screenshot of a page and have it saved in the JPEG format.

One place where Simple Comic lacks is the library. There is no feature like the YACLibrary where you can organize and manage your comic books. However, it still makes up for it with its simplicity.

Related:
How to Open WPD File on Mac

Install and Open CBR Files With Simple Comic

Unlike YACReader where you had to download a DMG file to install it, you can download and install Simple Comic from the App Store. Once it is installed on your Mac, launch the application and you will notice that there is no main interface in the beginning. Just drag and drop the CBR file onto it and it will open.

Once the file has opened, you can configure the page settings from the toolbar, and you can look over the comic book information on the bottom.

How to Convert CBR Files to PDF on Mac

Even though we highly recommend installing a comic book reader to open CBR files, you can also convert them to PDF files and open them natively on your Mac. This method works, but you will not get the ultimate comic book experience as there will be a huge lack of features that comic book reader’s offer.

Follow along to convert CBR files to PDF on your Mac:

  • Head over to Zamzar’s website on your Mac.
  • Click on the green Choose Files button.
  • Navigate to the CBR file and click on Open.
  • Make sure PDF is selected as the conversion format.
  • Click on Convert Now.
  • Once the file has finished converting, click on the blue Download button.

That’s it. Now the newly converted PDF file will be downloaded.

Umar Farooq
Umar Farooq
Umar Farooq is a digital Evangelist having right commands on writing, also he is a web developer. He has a BS(Computer Science) and now he is Full-Time writer of TechanZone.

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