PDF to CBZ

What is a CBZ file?

CBZ stands for comic book ZIP. It is a normal ZIP archive with one image per page, named so the pages sort in reading order. The .cbz extension tells comic readers to show those images as a book. CBR is the same idea using a RAR archive. A CBZ holds nothing but images, so readers can page, zoom and preload it fast. That is why comic and manga apps prefer it to PDF.

How to convert PDF to CBZ here

Each PDF page is rendered with PDF.js at twice its native PDF size, about 144 pixels per inch, on a white background. It is then saved as a JPEG at 90% quality. A US Letter page becomes a 1224 × 1584 pixel image and an A4 page about 1191 × 1684. Pages are named page-001.jpg, page-002.jpg and so on, so every reader shows them in the right order. Resolution and JPEG quality are fixed. There are no settings to change them yet.

Image quality and file size

The fixed render size suits phones, tablets and most e-readers. A high-resolution scan may hold more pixels than the rendered page, so fine detail can look a little softer in the CBZ. Text becomes part of the page image, so you can no longer select or search it. A PDF made of text and vector art can get larger as a CBZ, because every page is stored as a full picture. No ComicInfo.xml metadata is added. Set series and issue details in your reader or library manager.

Apps that open CBZ files

Most comic readers open CBZ files directly. On desktop, try the Calibre viewer, YACReader or CDisplayEx. KOReader runs on many e-readers. Perfect Viewer works on Android and Chunky Comic Reader on iPad. Self-hosted servers such as Komga and Kavita read CBZ too. Since a CBZ is a ZIP, you can also rename a copy to .zip to look at the page images.

PDF to CBZ vs converting in Calibre

Calibre's converter is built for reflowable ebooks. When it reads a PDF, it pulls out the text and images and rebuilds them into flowing pages. That works for novels, but it tends to break comic and manga layouts. This tool keeps every page exactly as laid out by saving it as a picture. You can still use Calibre afterwards, since it treats CBZ as a comic format. Add the finished file to your library to manage and read it.

Your file stays on this device

Convertur reads the file in this browser tab and builds the result there. The file is never sent to a server. Larger browser engines load only when this tool needs them.

Before you start

Input: PDF. Output: CBZ comic. The settings appear before anything runs, so you can check them first. Your original file is never changed.

These formats often follow rules set by one app or device. Test the result where it will be used, and keep the source in case you need to export it again.

Keep the original until you have opened and checked the result. The work happens in this browser tab, so the size you can handle depends on your device's memory, your browser and the file itself.

How to use the PDF to CBZ

1. Drop a PDF into the converter above, or browse to select it.
2. Press Create CBZ. The progress bar shows which page is being rendered.
3. Download the .cbz file when it's ready.
4. Open it in your comic reader, or add it to your Calibre library.