What is a CR2 file?
CR2 stands for Canon Raw 2. It was created by Canon and first released in 2004. CR2 is the raw format of Canon's EOS cameras, from the EOS-1D Mark II in 2004 until Canon moved to CR3 around 2018. It is built on TIFF and holds the unprocessed sensor data together with a full-size JPEG preview.
| Type | image |
|---|---|
| Compression | Lossless |
| Colour | raw sensor data, usually 12 or 14 bits per pixel |
| Transparency | No |
| Animation | No |
| In a browser | does not open in browsers; Windows Photos (with the Raw Image Extension), macOS Photos and Preview, Lightroom and darktable open it |
| Common uses | Canon EOS cameras made from 2004 to about 2018 |
| MIME type | image/x-canon-cr2 |
Which format should you convert CR2 to?
- CR2 to JPG for photos that must open everywhere and stay small.
- CR2 to PNG for screenshots, logos and anything with transparency.
- CR2 to PDF to print, or to attach as a document.
CR2 is lossless, so converting it to a lossy format is where the file gets much smaller.
How to open a CR2 file
A CR2 file does not open in a web browser, but most photo apps read it. Here is what works on each device.
| Windows | The Photos app opens it with Microsoft's free Raw Image Extension; Canon Digital Photo Professional, Lightroom and darktable (free) edit it. |
|---|---|
| Mac | Photos and Preview open it; Canon Digital Photo Professional, Lightroom and darktable edit it. |
| iPhone and iPad | The Files app previews it and Photos opens it once imported; Lightroom Mobile edits it. |
| Android | Few Android apps read CR2. Convert it to JPG here to view it anywhere. |
Want the technical details? See what a .cr2 file is, with its MIME type, file signature and a viewer.
CR2 compared with other image formats
How CR2 stacks up against the formats people most often convert it to or from:
| Format | Compression | Transparency | Released | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CR2 | Lossless | No | 2004 | Canon EOS cameras made from 2004 to about 2018 |
| JPG | Lossy | No | 1992 | camera photos, web images and email attachments |
| PNG | Lossless | Yes | 1996 | screenshots, logos, diagrams and anything with transparency |
| WebP | Either | Yes | 2010 | images served by websites to save bandwidth |
| HEIC | Lossy | Yes | 2017 | photos taken on iPhones and iPads since iOS 11 |
How to use the CR2 converter
- Choose the format you want in the Convert to menu.
- Drop your CR2 files on the box, or press Choose CR2 files. Several files can go in at once.
- Adjust the settings if you need to; the defaults suit most people.
- Press Convert and save each file with its Download button. The file is converted on our server and deleted as soon as the result is sent back.
Tips for converting CR2 files without losing quality
CR2 is lossless, so it is a good source for any conversion. Converting it to a lossy format is where the file gets much smaller, and converting it to another lossless format keeps every pixel.
- Keep the raw file. It holds the full sensor data, with far more room for adjusting exposure and colour than any JPG or PNG made from it.
- Choose JPG to share or upload a photo, and PNG or TIFF when the picture will be edited further, since they add no compression loss.
- The conversion is a neutral development with the white balance the camera recorded. For an edited look, develop the file in Lightroom, darktable or RawTherapee instead.
- The server accepts files up to 25 MB, which fits the raw files of most cameras; very high-resolution cameras can go past it.
Convert CR2 files from the command line
LibRaw and ImageMagick do the same on your own computer:
dcraw_emu -w -o 1 -q 3 -T input.cr2
magick input.cr2.tiff -quality 92 output.jpgConverting on your own computer keeps the file entirely local, which is worth it for very large or very sensitive documents. For everything else, the converter on this page does it without installing anything.
CR2 converter FAQ
What is a CR2 file?
CR2 stands for Canon Raw 2, an image format created by Canon in 2004. CR2 is the raw format of Canon's EOS cameras, from the EOS-1D Mark II in 2004 until Canon moved to CR3 around 2018. It is built on TIFF and holds the unprocessed sensor data together with a full-size JPEG preview.
How do I open a CR2 file?
CR2 does not open in browsers; Windows Photos (with the Raw Image Extension), macOS Photos and Preview, Lightroom and darktable open it. If the program you need will not open it, convert it to a more widely supported format above.
What is the most common CR2 conversion?
CR2 to JPG is the conversion people search for most. The CR2 is developed by LibRaw, the open-source camera RAW decoder, on our conversion server: the sensor data is turned into a full-colour picture with the white balance the camera recorded, AHD demosaicing and standard sRGB colour.
Does converting CR2 files here upload them?
Yes. CR2 conversions need LibRaw and ImageMagick, open-source programs that cannot run in a browser, so they run on our conversion server. The file is uploaded, converted, and deleted together with the result as soon as the result has been sent back to you. Nothing is kept.
Is the CR2 converter free?
Yes. There is no sign-up and no watermark. Conversions that use our server accept files up to 25 MB, with a fair-use limit per hour. The site is supported by advertising.
Can I convert CR2 files on iPhone or Android?
Yes. Open this page in Safari on iPhone and iPad, or in Chrome on Android, choose your CR2 files and download the results to your Downloads folder.
Can I convert several CR2 files at once?
Yes. Drop as many as you like; they are converted one after another, each with its own download button.