You copy photos off a Canon camera and every file ends in .cr3. Windows shows a blank icon, Photoshop says it cannot read the file, and your phone will not preview it. Nothing is broken: you are looking at Canon's RAW format, and most problems come down to software that is too old or missing a free add-on.
What is a CR3 file?
A CR3 file is a Canon RAW image, version 3. Instead of a finished picture, it stores the data the camera's sensor recorded, before white balance, sharpening and picture style are applied. That is why a CR3 photo file is much larger than a JPEG and why editors can recover detail from bright skies and dark shadows.
Canon introduced CR3 in 2018 with the EOS M50, and it has been the standard RAW format on Canon cameras since then, including:
- every EOS R mirrorless body (R, RP, R3, R5, R6, R7, R8, R10, R50, R100, R1 and the Mark II models)
- later EOS M and DSLR models such as the M6 Mark II, M200, 90D, Rebel SL3 and Rebel T8i
- compact cameras such as the PowerShot G7 X Mark III and G5 X Mark II
What is inside the file
A CR3 file is a container built on the same ISO base media format that MP4 video uses. Inside it you will usually find:
- The RAW sensor data, either full RAW or the smaller C-RAW (compressed RAW) if you picked it in the camera menu. Canon quotes C-RAW files as roughly 40% smaller, with very little visible difference.
- A full-size JPEG preview, rendered by the camera with your picture style. This is what you see on the camera's screen.
- Small thumbnails and EXIF metadata: shutter speed, aperture, ISO, lens, date and GPS if enabled.
That embedded preview matters. Even when an app cannot develop the RAW data, it can often show or extract the preview, which looks exactly like the shot on your camera.
CR3 vs CR2: what changed
CR2 was Canon's RAW format from 2004 until the switch to CR3. If you own an older Canon such as a 5D Mark IV, 80D or Rebel T7, your files are CR2. Many Canon owners end up with both in the same library.
| CR2 | CR3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Introduced | 2004 | 2018 |
| File structure | Based on TIFF | Based on ISO base media (MP4 family) |
| Compressed option | Small and medium RAW, lower resolution | C-RAW at full resolution |
| Typical cameras | 5D Mark IV, 80D, Rebel T7, 6D Mark II | EOS R series, 90D, M50, Rebel SL3 |
| Software support | Most editors and viewers | Needs a 2018 or newer editor |
The practical difference is compatibility. CR2 has been around for two decades, so most photo software reads it. Old versions can still miss the last CR2 cameras: Photoshop CS6, for example, cannot open files from the 5D Mark IV or Rebel T7. CR3 needs software released after 2018, which is the main reason people search for how to open CR3 files.
Image quality does not depend on the extension. A CR3 from a new sensor looks better because of the sensor and processing, not because the container is different.
How to open CR3 files
Pick the section for your device. In every case, keep the original CR3 files after you open or export them.
On Windows 10 and 11
Windows does not read CR3 out of the box, but the fix is free:
- Open the Microsoft Store and search for Raw Image Extension.
- Install it. It is published by Microsoft and costs nothing.
- Open File Explorer again. CR3 files now show thumbnails, and the Photos app opens them.
If thumbnails still do not appear, restart Explorer or sign out and back in. For editing, Canon's free Digital Photo Professional 4 reads every Canon CR3 and applies Canon's own colors.
On Mac
Apple Photos, Preview and Finder Quick Look open CR3 files from supported Canon cameras. Apple keeps a public list of supported RAW cameras, and support for a new camera arrives with macOS updates. If a CR3 from a recent body opens as a blank or generic icon, update macOS first.
In Lightroom and Photoshop
Adobe added CR3 support in Lightroom Classic 7.3 and Camera Raw 10.3, both released in April 2018. Photoshop opens CR3 through the Camera Raw plug-in, so the plug-in version is what counts.
- "File not supported" in Lightroom or Photoshop: update to the current version. Each camera is added in a specific Camera Raw release, so a 2023 version will not know a 2025 camera.
- Photoshop CS6 or another old version: it stops at Camera Raw 9.x and will never read CR3. Use the free Adobe DNG Converter to turn CR3 files into DNG, which old versions can open.
- Lightroom mobile: imports CR3 directly on iPhone, iPad and Android.
On iPhone and iPad
The Photos and Files apps open CR3 from cameras on Apple's supported list. Import the files with a card reader or the Files app, then open them in Photos. Lightroom mobile also imports CR3 and lets you edit the RAW data.
On Android
Android has no built-in RAW support for CR3, and the default gallery app usually shows nothing. Your options:
- Lightroom mobile opens and edits CR3 files.
- A browser-based tool works on any phone. You can turn the file into a JPG on the CR3 to JPG converter without installing anything. The files are processed on your phone and are not uploaded.
When you just need a JPG
Opening a CR3 is one thing. Sending it to someone is another, because most people cannot open RAW files at all. For sharing, posting or printing at a lab, export a JPG.
If you do not need to edit, extracting the camera's own JPEG preview is the fastest route, and it keeps your picture style. The CR3 to JPG converter does this in batches in the browser. Older Canon files go through the CR2 to JPG page. For mixed folders from several camera brands, use RAW to JPG.
If you want to fix exposure or white balance first, see our guide to converting RAW to JPG without Lightroom, which covers free RAW editors.
Quick summary
- A CR3 file is Canon's RAW format, used since 2018 on EOS R, newer EOS M and DSLR models and recent PowerShot compacts.
- It holds the sensor data, a full-size JPEG preview and the shooting metadata.
- CR3 replaced CR2. The main difference for you is software support, not image quality.
- To open CR3: install Raw Image Extension on Windows, keep macOS and iOS updated, update Lightroom or Photoshop, and use Lightroom mobile or a browser tool on Android.
- To share CR3 photos, export or extract JPGs and keep the originals as your backup.