Camera RAW conversion
Convert CR2 to JPG
Updated Jul 2026
CR2 is the raw file format Canon cameras save straight from the sensor, and JPG is the format that opens everywhere, from web browsers to phones to printers. To convert CR2 to JPG, open the file in a converter and export it as JPG. Doing this on your own computer means the photo never has to leave your machine to be processed.
- Extension
- .cr2
- Type
- Camera RAW
- Typically
- Canon cameras
- Metadata
- Carries EXIF
- Extension
- .jpg
- Type
- Images
- Typically
- The universal photo format
- Compression
- Lossy
- Transparency
- None
- Metadata
- Carries EXIF
Convert CR2 to JPG on your own computer. Nothing uploads.
How to convert CR2 to JPG
- Open Morphjet and drag in the CR2 files you want to convert. You can add a single photo or a whole folder from a shoot at once.
- Choose JPG as the output format, and set a quality level if you want to control the file size.
- Convert. The JPGs are written next to your originals, and nothing is uploaded anywhere.
CR2 vs JPG: what actually changes
| CR2 | JPG | |
|---|---|---|
| Opens everywhere | No, needs a raw viewer or editor | Yes, universal support |
| File size | Large, often 25 to 30 MB | Much smaller, typically a few MB |
| Quality | Lossless, full sensor data | Very good, with a small one-time loss on export |
| Editing headroom | High, exposure and white balance can be adjusted after the fact | Limited, most decisions are already baked in |
| Color depth | 12 or 14-bit per channel | 8-bit per channel |
| Keeps camera metadata (EXIF) | Yes | Yes, unless you strip it |
When to convert, and when not to
Convert CR2 to JPG once you're happy with a photo's exposure and color and just need a version you can share, upload, print, or view on a device that doesn't understand raw files.
Keep the CR2 original if you might want to re-edit the shot later, because a raw file holds far more exposure and color detail than a JPG can, and that detail can't be recovered once it's converted.
Why not just use an online converter?
CR2 files carry the camera's full EXIF data, including the date, camera model, lens, and sometimes GPS coordinates for where the photo was taken. Sending that file to an online converter means a stranger's server processes both the image and that history. Converting on your own computer keeps the photo, and everything attached to it, on your machine the whole time.
Questions
Does converting CR2 to JPG lose quality?
Some. CR2 holds the raw, uncompressed sensor data, so exporting to JPG applies compression and reduces the color depth from 12 or 14-bit down to 8-bit. For normal viewing, sharing, or printing this is barely noticeable, but it's a one-way trip, so keep the CR2 if you might want to re-edit later.
Will the JPG keep my camera's metadata?
Yes. Details like the date, camera model, lens, and exposure settings carry over from the CR2 to the JPG. If the CR2 also has GPS location saved, that comes along too unless you strip it before sharing.
Why can't I just open a CR2 file directly?
CR2 is Canon's raw format, and it stores unprocessed data straight from the sensor rather than a finished image. Most browsers, photo viewers, and phones can't read it without dedicated raw software, which is why converting to JPG is usually the easiest way to view or share a shot.
Can I convert CR2 to JPG without uploading my photos?
Yes. A desktop app like Morphjet converts the file on your own computer, so nothing is sent over the internet. You could disconnect from wifi entirely and it would still work.
Can I convert a whole folder of CR2 files at once?
Yes. Morphjet lets you drag in an entire folder from a shoot and convert every CR2 file to JPG in one pass, instead of doing them one at a time.
Morphjet converts CR2, JPG, and 1,800+ other formats, all on your machine. Launching this July.