A BIN file is a binary file that can be anything from a ROM for a game emulator to a data image for a specific program. Unlike normal files like .exe, .doc, or .xls, .bin files do not have an actual program that can be used to access them. However, they are widely used in many platforms.

BIN files can be a Macbinary II encoded file, which is a compressed file commonly used for transferring Mac files through the Internet. It can also be a CDRWin CD Image, which is like an ISO file.

Usually, a .bin file is accompanied by a .cue file. The .cue file serves as the table of contents and instructs the burning or emulating program about how the data is laid out.

A .bin file can also be a Generic Binary File used to store data in a binary format. This is different from a text-based file because it cannot be manually edited. Another common association for .bin files is a Sega Genesis Game ROM where the data from a Sega Genesis cartridge is stored into a single data file and can be played on a PC using a Sega emulator.

A BIN file can also be a Unix Executable File. It is usually a program accessible through the command line by typing “[filename.bin]”.

A .bin file can also be a Binary Video File used to contain raw data from a DVD or any other media storage device. This usually comes with a .cue file to describe the kind of data stored in the .bin file.

BIN files, depending on what kind of file they are associated with, can be accessed by using GUI programs. Like an ISO file, it can be mounted on a virtual drive using disk image emulators like Alcohol 120%, ISO Buster, Nero, and Daemon Tools which can sometimes mount the bin file without a .cue file.

As a disk image, a .bin file can also be copied on a CD/DVD through some programs like Nero, Fireburner, and DVD Decrypter. For .bin Sega game files, the disk image is first mounted on a virtual drive before the Sega console emulator can access the game.