Tips to open DCR file

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

DCR file extension

File Name Kodak RAW Image Format
File Developer Kodak
File Category Data Files

The DCR file is supported on 4 operating systems. Depending on your operating system, you may need different software to handle the DCR files. Below is a summary of the number of programs that support and open the DCR file on each system platform.

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

What is DCR file?

A .DCR file is an image file. It belongs to the RAW file category. RAW files are a special type in which the image is saved as a direct memory dump from the sensor in the camera. No processing, correction, or compression is applied. This allows you to keep the prepared material in the form of a photo as much as possible. The .DCR file and other RAW files are not suitable for viewing by the user, only for processing and generating the target file. A suitable graphics editor is required for processing.

How to open DCR file?

The most common problem when using Kodak RAW Image Format is that a specific DCR is not associated with the program. This causes the file DCR to open by system applications not designed for this purpose, or to display a message that there is no associated program. How to solve such a problem?

The first thing you should do is just "doubleclick" on the DCR 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

The first step is to check if the computer has the Adobe Photoshop program installed. To do this, enter the name Adobe Photoshop into the system search engine. If it is not, installation may solve the problem, as most applications create file associations during installation. Below you will find a list of applications that support DCR files.

Programs to open DCR file

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

Step 2. Create association of Adobe Photoshop with DCR files

However, it may happen that the application itself does not cause the DCR file to open in the Adobe Photoshop application, but you can set it manually. This option is available from the level of Properties of a specific file available in the context menu. Information about the file and the program that the file is associated with are available here. Using the "Change" button we can set the program to handle this type. If there is no software on the list, simply select "Browse" and manually select the directory where the application is installed. Checking the "Always use the selected program ..." box will permanently associate the DCR file with the Adobe Photoshop program.

Step 3. Update Adobe Photoshop to the latest version

The fault may also lie with the Adobe Photoshop program, it is possible that Kodak RAW Image Format requires a newer version of the program. 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 DCR file

Of course, it may happen that despite the above steps, the file still does not work. This could be due to the file itself, the cleanest issues are:

The affected file may be 0 KB or smaller than expected. This is most often caused by a problem while downloading the DCR file. The file should be downloaded again, making sure that the process has finished correctly.
The computer may have fallen victim to a computer virus or hacker. A virus scan using an up-to-date antivirus program should fix the problem. Alternatively, you can use the scanners available online. The scan should cover the entire computer, not only the DCR file that we want to open. As a result of the scan, sometimes it is not possible to recover DCR files, which are deleted if there is a backup of this file, then after restoring it, it must also be scanned.
This can happen especially when the program is dynamically developed and the structure of the DCR files changes over time. 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.
There can be many reasons for the failure. Depending on the type of file, it is necessary to repair it accordingly. Some programs offer the ability to automatically repair DCR file corruption. You can restore the file from a backup or use Kodak help.
When reading, a message appears that the file was encrypted or corrupted. The encrypted file DCR 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 operating systems do not allow file operations in certain locations, eg in system directories or directly on the system drive. These directories are write-protected to them and it's very hard to fix this problem. Copying the DCR file to another location will fix the problem.
This problem only occurs with more complex files. In this case, the DCR file is blocked by the first application to open it. Closing other programs should help. Sometimes you have to wait for the session to the file DCR to close. Antivirus programs or a backup being made may lock the file for a while without the user's knowledge. If the problem persists, restart the machine.