What Is the File Extension BIN/CUE?

BIN/CUEs are used to store copies of CDs on a computer.

File extensions are used by users, applications and operating systems as a basic way to associate file types with the applications that use them. Some file types come in pairs, such as the BIN and CUE file types.

Purpose

BIN and CUE files are used in conjunction to store images of CD-ROMs, which can be used to create new copies of a CD by the computer.

BIN Files

The BIN file stores all the information actually held on a CD.

CUE Files

The CUE file is much smaller and holds information about the track layout of the CD.

Example

For example, an image of a common audio CD will have all the music stored in the BIN file, whereas the CUE will contain all the information needed to tell the CD-Writer how to divide up the music into tracks.

Applications

Most major CD burning applications support BIN/CUE files, including the popular CD burning program Nero.

References

• Webopedia: BIN/CUE
• After Dawn: Burning BIN/CUE with Nero