What is the CST file format?
.cst is a story project file associated with Manga Studio. .cst files store the full multi-page story layout - panel arrangements, text balloons, layer references, and links to the individual artwork pages. Each comic page is saved in a separate .CPG file and associated with a chapter. .cst files can also store preview images. Manga Studio allows users to create comic pages using a wide range of drawing and layout tools.
Manga Studio
Manga Studio was developed by Smith Micro Software, with the underlying engine built by Celsys in Japan. It is a comic and manga authoring application that supports both vector and raster graphics, and offers an option to import 3D models. The software was designed for use with a stylus and graphics tablets, which allows for greater precision. Manga Studio has since been replaced by Clip Studio Paint, which uses .clip or .lip project files instead. Many users continued using the Manga Studio name long after the rebranding. Existing .cst story files are a legacy format best opened in Manga Studio itself, or migrated through Clip Studio Paint where supported.
Security & safety
RISK: LOWA Manga Studio .cst is artwork/project data with no scripting capability, so opening one is low-risk. The real difficulties are availability and identity: Manga Studio is legacy (continued as Clip Studio Paint), so keep the software that opens it or migrate the project; and because .cst is so overloaded, don't trust generic 'CST viewer' websites - many are ad/PUP traps. Confirm whether your .cst is a Manga Studio project, an Adobe Director cast, a Canvas settings file or something else, then use that program.
Format details
in a nutshell- Adobe Director Cast file - Macromedia/Adobe Director stored a reusable 'cast' of media (the .cst external cast library) used across movies; opens only in the discontinued Adobe Director. This is the most widely recognised .cst meaning online.
- Canvas Custom Set file - ACD Systems Canvas saves a .cst settings file holding custom keyboard shortcuts / workspace preferences.
- CrazyTalk script - Reallusion CrazyTalk used .cst for a saved talking-animation script in some versions.
Programs that open CST files
Windows2 apps
Manga Studio
Paid Open the .cst story project in Manga Studio (the program that created it). The db-recommended tool; the product is now sold/continued as Clip Studio Paint. 
CLIP STUDIO PAINT
Paid The current successor to Manga Studio (same developer, Celsys). It can import older Manga Studio data in many cases - try opening the .cst, or open it in Manga Studio and re-save. Modern projects use .clip/.lip. 
macOS2 apps
Manga Studio
Paid Manga Studio shipped for macOS too; open the .cst project there. Continued as Clip Studio Paint on current macOS. The db lists Manga Studio on Mac OS.
CLIP STUDIO PAINT
Paid Successor on modern macOS; import older Manga Studio data where supported, then save as .clip. Technical details
deep spec| Format type | Multi-page comic/manga story project (binary) |
| Developer | Smith Micro Software (English release); engine by Celsys, Japan |
| Encoding | Binary (proprietary, undocumented) |
| Byte order | Little-endian |
| Container | Proprietary Manga Studio project container |
| Color support | Bitmap (1-bit screentone), greyscale, and full-color artwork |
| Compression | Vendor-specific; raster and vector page data may be compressed internally |
| Platform | Windows and macOS |
| Companion format | Individual pages stored in separate .cpg files linked by the story project |
| Successor format | .clip / .lip project files used by Clip Studio Paint |
| Internal versioning | Manga Studio 3.x, 4.x, and 5.x series (not publicly exposed) |
| Typical file size | Hundreds of KB to tens of MB depending on page count and artwork complexity |
| MIME type | application/octet-stream (no registered dedicated MIME type) |
| Extension conflicts | .cst is also used by Adobe Director (cast files) and Canvas (custom sets); the extension alone does not identify a Manga Studio file |
| Released | Mid-2000s, with Manga Studio (Smith Micro / Celsys comic-authoring software) |
| Latest version | Manga Studio 5 / EX era; superseded by Clip Studio Paint (which uses .clip/.lip) |
| Specification | www.clipstudio.net |
CST conversions
Community Q&A
asked by usersNo questions yet - be the first to ask about CST files.
