A CR2 file is a raw image format created by Canon cameras

CR2 stands for Canon Raw 2, and it is the file format your Canon camera saves when you shoot in raw mode instead of JPEG. Raw means the file contains the unprocessed data straight from the camera's sensor — all the light information the camera captured, before any automatic adjustments for color, contrast, or sharpness. A JPEG, by contrast, is already processed and compressed by the camera's internal software.

The main reason photographers choose raw is control. When you open a CR2 file in editing software, you can adjust exposure, white balance, and shadow detail far more dramatically than you could with a JPEG, because you are working with the original sensor data rather than a finished image. The trade-off is file size — a single CR2 file is typically 25 to 40 megabytes, compared to 5 to 10 megabytes for a JPEG from the same shot.

CR2 files are specific to Canon. Other camera makers use different raw formats: Nikon uses NEF, Sony uses ARW, and Fujifilm uses RAF. Your computer will not open a CR2 file with standard photo software — you need specialized raw editing software, which is why many people keep both a CR2 and a JPEG copy of important photos.

Key Takeaways

  • CR2 is Canon's raw image format, containing unprocessed sensor data that gives you more control during editing than a JPEG.
  • Raw files are much larger than JPEGs and require specialized software to open and edit.
  • You can adjust exposure, white balance, and shadow detail much more dramatically in a CR2 file than in a finished JPEG.
  • CR2 files are only created when you set your Canon camera to shoot in raw mode — the default setting creates JPEGs instead.
  • Other camera brands use different raw formats, so a CR2 file will not open in software designed only for Nikon or Sony raw files.

When your camera creates CR2 files

Your Canon camera only creates CR2 files when you manually switch the shooting mode from JPEG to raw. This is a setting you change in the camera menu — it does not happen automatically. Once you switch to raw mode, every photo you take will be saved as a CR2 file instead of a JPEG, and it will stay in raw mode until you change it back.

Some Canon cameras let you shoot both raw and JPEG at the same time, which means each photo gets saved twice — once as a CR2 and once as a JPEG. This uses double the storage space but gives you a finished JPEG to share when ready while keeping the raw file for detailed editing later. You control this setting through your camera's menu system, usually under "Image Quality" or "File Format".

How to open and edit CR2 files on your computer

Standard photo software like Windows Photos or Mac Preview cannot open CR2 files. You need raw editing software, and your options depend on what you want to spend and how much control you need.

Adobe Lightroom is the most common choice for photographers. It opens CR2 files, lets you adjust exposure and color without destroying the original file, and organizes your photos into a library. Lightroom requires a subscription (about $10 per month) but works on both Windows and Mac.

Canon's own software, called Digital Photo Professional, is free and opens CR2 files. It is less intuitive than Lightroom but works well if you only occasionally edit raw files. You can read it from Canon's website for your specific camera model.

Capture One is professional-grade raw editing software that many photographers prefer to Lightroom, though it costs more and has a steeper learning curve. Darktable and RawTherapee are free open-source options that work on Windows, Mac, and Linux, though they require more technical knowledge to use effectively.

If you just want to convert a CR2 file to a JPEG without editing it, you can use free online converters, though uploading personal photos to the internet carries privacy risks. A safer approach is to read free software like IrfanView (Windows) or XnView (Windows and Mac), which can batch-convert CR2 files to JPEG without editing.

CR2 versus JPEG: which one to use

Shoot in CR2 (raw) if you plan to edit your photos significantly, if you are learning photography and want maximum flexibility to correct mistakes, or if you are photographing important events where you cannot reshoot. Raw gives you a second chance to fix exposure or color problems that would be permanent in a JPEG.

Shoot in JPEG if you want smaller files, faster workflow, or if you are confident the camera's automatic settings are correct. JPEG is also the only choice if you need to share photos when ready — a JPEG is ready to send, while a CR2 file requires editing software and time to process.

Many photographers use both: they shoot raw for important work and JPEG for casual snapshots or when storage space is limited. If your camera supports simultaneous raw and JPEG, this is often the best approach — you get the safety of raw editing capability without forcing yourself to process every single photo.

Storage and backup considerations for CR2 files

Because CR2 files are large, they fill up memory cards and hard drives quickly. A 64-gigabyte memory card might hold 1,500 JPEGs but only 400 to 500 CR2 files from the same camera. If you shoot raw regularly, you will need larger memory cards and more storage space on your computer.

CR2 files are also more fragile than JPEGs in one important way: if the file becomes corrupted, you cannot recover the image at all. A slightly damaged JPEG might still open and show most of the photo. A corrupted CR2 file is usually unrecoverable. This means you should back up your CR2 files to at least two separate locations — an external hard drive and cloud storage, for example — before you delete them from your camera.

Many photographers keep their CR2 files archived long-term but delete them after they have edited and exported a final JPEG, since the raw file takes up space and the JPEG is what they actually use. Others keep both permanently in case they want to re-edit a photo years later with better software or skills.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I open a CR2 file on my phone?

Most standard phone photo apps cannot open CR2 files. Some specialized apps like Adobe Lightroom Mobile or Capture One can open raw files on newer iPhones and Android phones, but you need to transfer the CR2 file to your phone first, which is inconvenient. For most people, converting CR2 to JPEG on a computer first is simpler.

What happens if I delete a CR2 file?

It is gone permanently unless you have a backup. CR2 files do not go to a recoverable trash folder the way some computer files do — once deleted from your camera or memory card, recovery is difficult and expensive. Always back up important CR2 files before deleting them from your camera.

Why is my CR2 file so much larger than the JPEG from the same photo?

CR2 files contain all the uncompressed sensor data, while JPEG uses compression to shrink the file. The CR2 also stores additional information about the camera settings, lens, and metadata. This larger size is why raw files give you more editing flexibility — you have more data to work with.

Can I convert a JPEG back to raw if I accidentally shot in JPEG mode?

No. Once the camera processes the image and saves it as JPEG, the original raw data is discarded. You cannot recover it from the JPEG file. This is why photographers who want maximum editing control shoot in raw from the start.

Do I need special software to view CR2 files, or just to edit them?

You need special software to view them at all — standard photo viewers will not display CR2 files. Raw editing software like Lightroom or Canon's Digital Photo Professional both view and edit. If you only want to look at a CR2 file without editing, free viewers like FastStone Image Viewer (Windows) or Geeqie (Mac and Linux) will open them.