What is a CR2 file?
CR2 — Canon RAW
Use the format CR2
A concrete example
Share a CR2 photo in JPEG format without sending the working file.
Useful checks
Compare the white balance and exposure. Keep the CR2 for future retouching.
Choose a conversion
Keep the original and open the result in the software or on the device that will need to use it.
Your questions about this format
How to convert a HEIC photo from iPhone for free?
Choose your HEIC file in Images, then JPEG to share it widely or PNG if your usage requires it. Proceed to preparation, check the output, and start the conversion. Download and open the result. HEIC remains free; size limits and daily quota apply.
JPEG, PNG or WEBP: how to choose?
For a photo to send, start with JPEG. For a logo with transparency or sharp text, prefer PNG. For a web publication, WEBP can be interesting: compare the size and the rendering before publication. Converting a JPEG to PNG does not restore details lost earlier.
Why does my transparent background become opaque?
JPEG does not preserve transparency. Choose PNG or WEBP when the background must remain transparent and the proposed conversion allows it. If the background is already flattened in the original file, changing the format will not remove it.
Will my Photoshop layers or my vector drawing be preserved?
A JPEG or PNG output is a flattened image. It does not retain PSD layers or the editable objects of an SVG or an Illustrator file. Keep your working file and use the exported copy for sharing. Specialized creation formats are indicated by NoLimit.
What is it?
CR2 is Canon's RAW format: the raw sensor data, captured exactly as recorded, without the processing the camera normally applies to produce a JPEG.
Technically, a CR2 file builds on the TIFF structure, within which Canon embeds its own data alongside a preview thumbnail — it's this thumbnail that your file browser displays.
History & origin
Canon introduced CR2 in 2004 with the EOS-1D Mark II, replacing the older CRW format. It went on to power the entire DSLR lineup for nearly fifteen years.
Since 2018, with the arrival of the EOS R mirrorless cameras, Canon has shifted to the more compact CR3. CR2 files nonetheless remain widespread across countless photo libraries.
Why it is useful
The full latitude of RAW: highlight recovery, after-the-fact white balance correction, 14-bit depth.
It's fully supported by every serious editing application, including open-source ones.
Limits & drawbacks
Large, proprietary, and unreadable as-is by most consumer applications and websites.
It's a working format, not one meant for sharing: no one wants to receive a CR2 by email.
Practical tips
Process your CR2 files, then export to JPEG for sharing and TIFF for printing. Keep the originals: they hold everything the JPEG discarded.
If you just need to pull a viewable image out of a CR2, converting to JPEG or PNG will do — but you'll lose the ability to fine-tune it further.
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Convert a CR2