Tips to open CRW file

Can't open the CRW file? You are not the only one. Thousands of users face similar problems every day. Below you will find tips on how to open CRW files as well as a list of programs that support CRW files.

CRW file extension

File Name Canon Raw CIFF Image Format
File Developer Canon
File Category Data Files

The CRW file is supported on 3 operating systems. Depending on your operating system, you may need different software to handle the CRW files. Below is a summary of the number of programs that support and open the CRW file on each system platform.

Operating systems
  • 8
  • 3
  • 1
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

What is CRW file?

The file in the CRW format belongs to the Data Files category. The creator of this file is Canon. Data Files consists of 1326 similar files. Canon Raw CIFF Image Format is most often found on 3 operating systems. Although it can be found with greater or lesser success on any operating system, it will only be useful on Linux, Mac OS, Windows. The main program that supports this format is Adobe Photoshop. This was created by Adobe Systems Incorporated. There are also 17 alternative programs to handle the CRW file. You can use CorelDRAW, ACDSee, Xara Photo & Graphic Designer, Google Picasa in case Adobe Photoshop cannot be used.

How to open CRW file?

The most common problem when using Canon Raw CIFF Image Format is that a specific CRW is not associated with the program. Thus, when you open CRW, the program selection wizard or some other program starts. This problem can be easily remedied.

The first thing you should do is just "doubleclick" on the CRW file icon you want to open. If the operating system has an appropriate application to support it and there is also an association between the file and the program, the file should be opened.

Step 1. Install Adobe Photoshop

An often overlooked issue is to make sure that Adobe Photoshop is installed on the computer. To do this, enter the name Adobe Photoshop into the system search engine. If we do not have this program, it is worth installing it, as it will help you automatically associate the file CRW with Adobe Photoshop. Later in this article you will find a list of programs that can open CRW files.

Programs to open CRW file

Remember to download programs supporting CRW files only from verified and safe sources. We suggest using the websites of software developers.

Step 2. Create association of Adobe Photoshop with CRW files

If, despite the installed application, the CRW file does not start in the Adobe Photoshop application, you must create a file association. This option is available from the level of Properties of a specific file available in the context menu. The displayed window will contain information about the program that supports this type of file. Changes can be made using the "Change" button. It may happen that in the next window there will be no appropriate program - however, this can be corrected with the "Browse" option where you should manually indicate the program location. Checking the "Always use the selected program ..." box will permanently associate the CRW file with the Adobe Photoshop program.

Step 3. Update Adobe Photoshop to the latest version

If, despite the association of the Adobe Photoshop program with the Canon Raw CIFF Image Format file, the file still does not open, check the program version and possibly update it to the newest version. Some applications allow you to update from the program level, and for others you need to download the installer from the Adobe Systems Incorporated page and install.

Step 4. Check for the following problems with the CRW file

If the above steps do not help, you can assume that the file itself is not correct. File problems can be divided into the following:

The CRW file may be unusually small compared to the original file. Usually this applies to CRW files downloaded from the Internet in case the download did not finish properly. The only repair option is to download the file again.
The most common cause here is computer viruses. Perform a virus scan using available and up-to-date anti-virus software. Alternatively, you can use the scanners available online. For the best results, we will scan the entire operating system, not just our CRW file. As a result of the scan, sometimes it is not possible to recover CRW files, which are deleted if there is a backup of this file, then after restoring it, it must also be scanned.
Older version of CRW file may not always be supported by the latest software version. On their websites, developers usually offer free solutions to such problems, e.g. in the form of a conversion program or an older version of the program.
The file may be corrupted in a number of ways. Depending on the type of file, it is necessary to repair it accordingly. Sometimes the program itself has options to repair the most popular CRW file corruption. The easiest way to restore the file is from a backup or by contacting Canon, but this one can be expensive. Not all damage can be reversed.
The program indicates that the file is encrypted or corrupted. The encrypted file CRW except for the special designation, works normally, but only on the device where it was encrypted, before transferring it to another machine, decryption is required.
Some of the system directories are excluded from modification. These directories are write-protected to them and it's very hard to fix this problem. If possible, you can try to move the CRW file to another location.
This problem usually affects more complex files. Some file types can only be opened in one program at a time. Just close unnecessary programs. If the error persists after closing other programs, wait for a while. Antivirus programs or a backup being made may lock the file for a while without the user's knowledge. If this does not work either, restart the device.