How to convert cr3 to jpg in bulk without losing quality on a Windows PC?

[Jomhua]

Hi all,

Does the Photos app on Windows 10 support .cr3 image format? All my photos taken on my Canon camera are saved in .CR3 extension. Unfortunately, I can't open the images with neither the Photos or the Paint app on Windows 10. 

Is there any way to convert cr3 to jpg in bulk on Windows 10 or Windows 11? It could be great if the conversion is lossless as I don't want to quality loss after CR3 to JPEG conversion. I am open to all free and paid solutions.

Thanks 

[#2]

No. There is no bulk cr3 to jpg conversion from the Photos app. If I was not wrong, the Photos app can open the CR3 photos on Windows 11 but not on Windows 10. You have to do the conversion one by one with the Photos app on Windows 11.

[#3]

@Larasooi The CR3 image format is a proprietary RAW file format developed by Canon for its digital cameras. It is the successor to the older CR2 format and offers several improvements. RAW formats like CR3 are favored by professional photographers because they capture more image data and offer greater flexibility in post-processing. However, they also require more storage space and specialized software to view and edit.

Currently, all Windows PCs, including Windows 11 and Windows 10, don't support .cr3 image format by default. You have to install the image extension to convert cr3 to jpg on Windows 10 or Windows 11.

[#4]

@Jomhua 

As of recent updates, Windows 10 and Windows 11 have added support for Canon's CR3 image format through the Microsoft Raw Image Extension. This extension allows you to view and edit CR3 files directly in the Windows Photos app and File Explorer.

To use this feature, you can install the Raw Image Extension from the Microsoft Store. Once installed, you should be able to view thumbnails and change CR3 image from JPG without the need for third-party software.

If you don't see CR3 files supported by default, make sure your system is updated and that you have the Raw Image Extension installed.

[#5]

@Jomhua  Converting CR3 files to JPG on a PC offers several practical benefits, especially for users who need to manage and share their photos efficiently. JPG files are significantly smaller in size compared to CR3 RAW files, which makes them easier to store and faster to transfer between devices. This is an important reason why you need to convert cr3 to jpg in bulk for better storage management.

This reduction in file size is particularly advantageous when you need to upload images to the web, share them via email, or save them to cloud storage. JPG files are also universally compatible with almost all image viewing, editing, and printing software, eliminating the need for specialized RAW processing programs that are required for CR3 files.

[#6]

When you are trying to open or convert a .cr3 image to jpeg, Windows 11 or 10 will ask you install the RAW Image Extension from App Store. It is an official plugin developed by Microsoft that allows Windows users to view and interact with RAW image files directly in the operating system's built-in apps, such as File Explorer and the Photos app.

RAW files, including those from various camera manufacturers like Canon, Nikon, and Sony, are high-quality, uncompressed image files that contain more data than standard image formats like JPG. These files are often used by professional photographers for their flexibility in post-processing.

This extension significantly enhances the native capabilities of Windows by making it easier to manage and preview RAW files directly within the operating system. The extension is available for free through the Microsoft Store and supports a wide range of RAW formats, including Canon's CR3, Nikon's NEF, and others.

[#7]

@Jomhua The RAW Image Extension is definitely not a good choice when it comes to convert cr3 images to jpeg without losing quality on a Windows PC. The allover rating is only 2.7 and a lot of users left bad reviews about this free app. You'd better choose another well ranked CR3 to JPG converter software instead. However, it is a totally free app and you can try out first!

[#8]

@Jomhua 

Adobe Lightroom is a very powerful paid tool that is very convenient for processing CR3 format. You can directly import all CR3 files and convert cr3 into JPG in batches. The whole process is very smooth and there will be no obvious loss of quality. The advantage of Lightroom is that it is not just a conversion tool. It also allows you to easily adjust the exposure, contrast and other parameters of the image before conversion.

If you often process a large number of photos, Lightroom is definitely a good choice because it is efficient, full-featured, and user-friendly, and it is worth using in the long run.

[#9]

@Jomhua 

Have you tried FastStone Image Viewer? It's free software, supports CR3 format, and can maintain the original image quality when batch converting CR3 to JPG. Although the interface is a bit old, it still has full functions.

Although FastStone Image Viewer is free and powerful, it also has some shortcomings:

1. Old interface: Its user interface is relatively outdated and not as intuitive and beautiful as modern software.
2. No support for advanced editing: Compared with Adobe Lightroom, it lacks advanced editing functions and cannot make in-depth adjustments and optimizations to images.
3. Limited plug-in support: Although it supports batch conversion, it may require more external plug-ins or not as stable as professional software when processing high-end formats such as CR3.
4. Relatively slow conversion speed: When processing a large number of high-resolution CR3 files, the speed may not be as fast as other paid tools.

[#10]

@Jomhua 

You can use the built-in screenshot tool of Windows 10/11 to achieve your goal! This method is actually quite "rustic", but I have used it several times, especially when you only have a few CR3 files to convert and don't want to download any tools.

Steps for converting cr3 to jpg.

1. First use Microsoft Raw Image Extension or other plug-ins to let the Photos application preview the CR3 file.
2. After opening the file, use the built-in screenshot tool of Windows to capture the entire image.
3. When saving the screenshot, choose the JPG format, so that you get a JPG file.

Although this method is very primitive, it can indeed solve the urgent problem, especially when there are not many files. However, I can only say that it is not very efficient, after all, it is completed step by step, but it works after all, and it does not lose too much quality.

[#11]

Photoshop is a powerful image editing tool that also includes robust features for converting image formats. One of its key strengths is the ability to handle RAW files, including Canon’s CR3 format, and convert them into widely used formats like JPG. This conversion process in Photoshop not only retains the image quality but also allows for extensive editing and adjustments before saving the final image in a different format.

How to convert a CR3 file to JPG in Photoshop:

1. Launch Photoshop and open the CR3 file you want to convert. Photoshop will automatically open the file in Adobe Camera Raw (ACR), which is a plugin specifically designed for processing RAW images.
2. Once satisfied with the adjustments, click "Open Image" to bring the edited image into the main Photoshop workspace.
3. Go to File > Save As.... In the dialog box that appears, choose JPG from the format dropdown menu. You can adjust the quality settings as needed, then click "Save."

[#12]

@Jomhua 

You can download and install Raw Image Extension from the Microsoft App Store, so that the Windows Photos application can open CR3 files directly. Although it does not support direct conversion from cr3 to JPG, it can at least view and edit them.

Source: https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/9nctdw2w1bh8?hl=en-US&gl=US

[#13]

@QuinnRoberts 

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@QuinnRoberts wrote:

When you are trying to open or convert a .cr3 image to jpeg, Windows 11 or 10 will ask you install the RAW Image Extension from App Store. It is an official plugin developed by Microsoft that allows Windows users to view and interact with RAW image files directly in the operating system's built-in apps, such as File Explorer and the Photos app.

RAW files, including those from various camera manufacturers like Canon, Nikon, and Sony, are high-quality, uncompressed image files that contain more data than standard image formats like JPG. These files are often used by professional photographers for their flexibility in post-processing.

This extension significantly enhances the native capabilities of Windows by making it easier to manage and preview RAW files directly within the operating system. The extension is available for free through the Microsoft Store and supports a wide range of RAW formats, including Canon's CR3, Nikon's NEF, and others.

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Although RAW Image Extension allows Windows to preview CR3 files directly, it has some shortcomings in converting CR3 to JPG:

1. Preview only, no conversion: Although you can view CR3 files, you cannot directly convert CR3 to JPG in the system, which is very inconvenient for those who need to convert in batches.
2. Limited editing functions: Even if you can preview, there are almost no adjustment options, and you cannot optimize the image quality before converting CR3 to JPG like professional software.
3. Performance issues: When dealing with large CR3 files, the preview speed may be slow, especially when using older hardware.

Have you tried to preview CR3 files with this plugin, but found that the speed is slow? Or do you prefer to use other software to quickly convert CR3 to JPG?

[#14]

Upload your CR3 file to a cloud service such as OneDrive or Google Photos. After uploading, the system will automatically generate a preview image in a compatible format. When viewing it in the cloud, directly download the generated JPG format image. Although this method is slow, it can convert in batches and does not require the installation of any CR3 to JPG converter tools.

[#15]

@GeraldCollins  Photoshop, while powerful, is not the ideal tool for converting CR3 to JPG in bulk without losing quality.

First, Photoshop is primarily designed for detailed image editing rather than mass file conversion. This means that the process of opening each CR3 file, adjusting settings in Adobe Camera Raw, and saving each image as JPG can be time-consuming and labor-intensive when dealing with a large number of files. 

Second, Photoshop consumes significant system resources, particularly when handling large RAW files like CR3. This can lead to performance issues, especially when trying to convert hundreds or thousands of images at once. Dedicated CR3 to JPG Converter tools, on the other hand, are optimized for speed and efficiency