CR2 Photos Not Opening? Follow to Fix CR2 to Openable Again - Qiling  

CR2 Photos Not Opening, How Do I Fix and Open CR2? Your Guide Is Here

Updated on Dec 17, 2023 | by Kent

CR2 is a raw image format produced by Canon cameras, storing the raw data of each photo taken. When you capture an image with a Canon camera, it saves the data in CR2 format. You can open CR2 photos on a computer using image viewers like IrfanView or Adobe Photoshop, or directly on a Canon camera. However, if your CR2 photos are not opening, you may need to check the file format or use a compatible software to view them.

Follow this page, all your questions will be answered here. 

1. What Is the CR2 File?

CR2, or Canon RAW Version 2, is a high-quality image file format generated by Canon digital cameras, based on the TIFF file specification and used to store uncompressed and large image data.

CR2 files are used by a 3D modeling program called Poser, containing information about human details like joints and bones, and where and how much they bend.

CR2 image

2. Error: CR2 Photos Not Opening, Why Is That? 

Here are the symptoms of the issue in one paragraph:

CR2 photos may not open due to a variety of reasons. The file may be corrupted or damaged, causing the software to fail to read it. Alternatively, the software itself might be outdated or incompatible with the CR2 format, leading to the inability to open the file.

If you're experiencing issues with CR2 photos not opening, don't worry - we've got you covered. To fix this problem, head to the next part and follow the step-by-step fixes one by one, as they'll guide you through the process to resolve the issue and get your CR2 photos up and running smoothly.

3. How Do I Fix CR2 Photos Not Opening Error?

If you're having trouble opening CR2 files on your computer, camera, or PhotoShop, don't worry - just try the following fixes one by one and you'll be able to view your CR2 photos successfully.

Fix 1. Open CR2 with Correct Programs

The inability to open CR2 raw images may be due to using an incorrect application to view the file, as CR2 files require specific software like Adobe Lightroom or Camera Raw to be opened.

There is what to do:

Step 1. Use a CR2 supported image viewer or editor:

To open CR2 or CR3 raw image files, you need to download the latest camera RAW update from Adobe's site, which is a plugin.

Step 2. Export the CR2 Raw images to a computer.

Step 3. Run the photo or image viewer or editing utility to open CR2 files.

Fix 2. Convert CR2 to JPG, JPEG

If the image viewers/editors in Fix 1 don't open the CR2 files, try converting them to JPG instead.

Here are the steps of how to do so:

Step 1. Create a copied version of the target CR2 photos.

Step 2. You can move the copied CR2 image to another location, such as the Desktop, by selecting the image file and dragging it to the desired location. Alternatively, you can right-click on the image file and select "Move to" or "Copy to" followed by the desired location.

Step 3. Convert CR2 to JPG:

To do so, you have two options:

Step 4. 1. Open the converted JPG file using the current image or photos viewer or editor on your computer.

If the methods above didn't work, the CR2 photo might be corrupted. You can try to repair the corrupted CR2 photos using a tool to make them openable.

Fix 3. Repair Corrupted CR2 Photos

To repair corrupted CR2 photos, you'll need to use a professional image repair tool, as simply changing the image file extension or converting photos into another format won't work.

Qiling's Data Recovery Wizard with its Photo Repair feature can recover and repair image files to their original quality, helping to retrieve lost or damaged photos.

Deep Data Recovery

To recover and repair your CR2 photos that are not opening, start by using the Canon Camera Raw Viewer or the Canon EOS Utility software to open the images. If these tools don't work, try using third-party software like Adobe Lightroom or Photoshop to import and convert the CR2 files.

Step 1.Launch Qiling data recovery software, select the desired file types, and click "Next" to initiate the recovery process.

Select file types that you want to recover

Step 2.  Select the hard drive that contains the broken photos files and click "Scan" to begin the recovery process. 

select a location to scan

Step 3.  To find corrupted photos, select the "Pictures" option, which can contain images in formats such as JPEG, JPG, PNG, BMP, and others. Alternatively, you can use the "Search files or folders" feature in the top right corner to search for specific files.

repair and recover photos

Step 4. Double-click on a damaged picture to repair and preview the file. Then, click "Recover" to save the images to a different location.

If your photos weren't opening on your camera's SD card, save the repaired CR2 photos to another safe location, such as your computer, to prevent any further issues.

CR2 Photos Not Opening Error Is Fixable, Follow to Make It Openable Now

This page provides information on CR2 photos, the potential causes of CR2 images not opening, and three reliable fixes to repair CR2 images to a good state.

If your CR2 images are not opening, it's not necessary to know the causes, but rather how to resolve the issue. To fix this problem, you can try the following steps:

For image repair, either an online or desktop application can be used. Deep Data Recovery, with its Image Repair feature, is a recommended tool that can help with this process.

Creating a regular backup or saving a copy of your CR2 photos to an external hard drive can help keep your files secure and ensure they remain playable with high quality. This is especially important for photos that are significant to you.

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