Open Canon CR2 (.cr2) files online

What is a .cr2 file?

A CR2 file is Canon's second-generation RAW format, a TIFF-based container holding the unprocessed sensor data from a Canon DSLR alongside a JPEG preview and full EXIF metadata. Because it stores what the sensor captured before in-camera processing, it keeps far more highlight, shadow and color information than the JPEG the camera also produces.

You'll find .cr2 files coming from Canon DSLRs from roughly 2004 to 2018 — the EOS 5D series through the 5D Mark IV, 6D, 7D, 80D and the Rebel line.

Why won't a .cr2 file open on my computer?

Browsers and most stock image viewers can't display CR2 files natively, and Windows or macOS often need extra codecs — especially for newer bodies. Desktop RAW editors that do open them usually require an install, and Lightroom requires a subscription.

Pholara sidesteps all of that: LibRaw — the same decoder behind many desktop RAW tools — runs as WebAssembly in your browser, so a current Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari is all you need.

Save it as JPEG — or actually edit it

Once your photo is decoded you can download it as a full-resolution JPEG (there's also a dedicated RAW to JPEG converter), or jump straight into the full editor — tone curves, white balance, HSL, lens corrections and more, all free with no account.

Other RAW formats you can open

Canon CR3 (.cr3) · Nikon NEF (.nef) · Sony ARW (.arw) · Adobe DNG (.dng) · Fujifilm RAF (.raf) · Olympus ORF (.orf) · Panasonic RW2 (.rw2)

Pholara opens many more — see every supported format.