RAW photo (CR2, CR3, NEF, ARW, DNG) won't open or is corrupt
Last reviewed 2026-09-19
Every camera RAW file also stores a normal JPEG preview so the camera's own screen can show the shot. When the file will not open in RAW software, that preview is often still intact even if the sensor data is not.
Messages you might see
- “Cannot open file - the file is not a supported format or is damaged”
- “Unsupported or corrupted RAW file”
Why it happens
- The file was cut off while copying or the card had errors.
- The camera is too new for your software version.
- The file is damaged in its sensor-data section.
Try this first (free, no tool needed)
- Update your RAW software and camera profiles, since "unsupported" is common with new cameras.
- Try a second program (Adobe DNG Converter, RawTherapee, darktable, the camera maker's own software).
- Copy the file again from the card with a different reader and compare its size with neighbouring shots.
If that didn't work
These tools run in your browser. Your file is read and repaired on your own device and is never uploaded.
Corrupted RAW Camera File Repair
Finds every embedded JPEG in the file, picks the largest real one, closes it if it was cut off and restores the camera's rotation flag. This is the camera's preview of the shot, usually smaller than the full photo: the RAW sensor data itself, and its exposure and white-balance latitude, cannot be recovered.
Open Corrupted RAW Camera File RepairCommon questions
How big is the preview?
It varies by camera, from a small thumbnail to close to full size. The tool lists the sizes it found before you download.
Is my file uploaded anywhere?
No. The tool runs as a program inside your own browser, so the file is read and repaired on your device and never sent to a server.