CR3 File

What are CR3 files and how to open them

Are you having problems opening a CR3 file or just wondering what they contain? We explain what these files are used for and show you software that we know can open or otherwise handle your files.

What is a CR3 file?

CR3 files have multiple uses, and Canon Digital Camera RAW Image is one of them. Read more about the other uses further down the page.

Canon Digital Camera RAW Image

The Canon RAW file format is designed to store unprocessed image data captured by a camera's image sensor. This data contains no alterations and can thus be manipulated with post-processing software such as Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom, providing further editing possibilities for the photographer.

The .cr3 file format is the latest version of Canon's RAW image format, and it was introduced with the Canon EOS R5 and EOS R6 cameras. It replaces the older .cr2 file format, which was used in earlier Canon cameras.

In comparison to .cr2, .cr3 provides support for higher-resolution images, a larger file size, more advanced features such as 12-bit color depth and 12-bit lossless compressed RAW images.

The .cr3 format also has advanced features like HDR and Dual Pixel CMOS AF that the other format does not have.

How to open CR3 files

We have identified two CR3 openers that are compatible with this specific type of CR3 file.

Programs that open Canon Digital Camera RAW Image files

Last updated: February 24, 2023

All known file formats using extension .CR3

While Canon Digital Camera RAW Image is a popular type of CR3-file, we know of 2 different uses of the .CR3 file extension. Different software may use files with the same extension for different types of data.

CoolReader 3 Cache

We know that one CR3 format is CoolReader 3 Cache. We have not yet analyzed in detail what these files contain and what they are used for. We're working on it.

We have not yet verified any programs for Windows that work with this specific file format. If you know one, please use the 'Suggest a program' link below. Thanks!

Help us help others

File.org helps thousands of users every day, and we would love to hear from you if you have additional information about CR3 file formats, example files, or compatible programs. Please use the links below or email us at submit@file.org to discuss further.