EXR file format: what it is and how to use it

OpenEXR is the VFX industry's high-dynamic-range image format: 16/32-bit float pixels, multi-channel layers and lossless compression from Industrial Light & Magic. Learn when to use it and what to choose instead.

View EXR files Convert to EXR

Files stay on your device

  • No uploadsFiles stay on your device
  • Batch processingHandle multiple files at once
  • 100% privateNo sign-up, no tracking

What is a EXR file?

An .exr file is an image in OpenEXR, the format Industrial Light & Magic open-sourced in 2003 for film VFX: 16-bit half-float and 32-bit float pixels holding real scene light, plus arbitrary channels (depth, normals, motion vectors, Cryptomatte IDs) and several lossless compressions. It is the currency of rendering and compositing. Where a PNG's 8-bit stops, EXR begins.

When should you use EXR?

  • VFX and CGI pipelines: multi-channel renders pass between renderer and compositor intact.
  • HDR imagery: true scene-referred light, not display-referred guesses.
  • Grading headroom: relight and re-grade without re-rendering.

When is another format a better fit?

For a single-channel environment map, .hdr is the simpler classic. For flat masters TIFF works; for anything destined to a screen or the web, tone-map down to PNG or JPG, since floats mean nothing to a browser.

The short version: EXR is the professional's HDR, the format renders and composites in. Everything else gets a tone-mapped copy.

How to open a EXR file

On Windows

Double-click the file, or open it with Blender.

On macOS

DaVinci Resolve opens EXR files on macOS.

In your browser

Open EXR files right in a browser tab or with the dexrr viewer. No install, no upload.

Also opens in

  • Blender
  • DaVinci Resolve
  • Adobe Photoshop
  • Affinity Photo

View or convert EXR files

A quick preview or a new format. No install, no upload.

View EXR files Preview and inspect EXR files Convert to EXR Turn files into EXR EXR to HDR Radiance HDR (RGBE) EXR to PFM Portable Float Map EXR to TIFF Tagged Image File Format

EXR technical details

Full name
OpenEXR
Extensions
.exr
MIME type
image/x-exr
Magic bytes
76 2F 31 01
Compression
Lossless
Developer
Industrial Light & Magic
Specification
openexr.com

EXR questions, answered

How do I open an .exr file?

Blender, Nuke, DaVinci Resolve, Photoshop, Affinity Photo and HDR viewers read it. dexrr displays and converts exr files in your browser.

Can I convert EXR files online?

Yes, dexrr converts exr locally in your browser: EXR to PNG or EXR to JPG with tone mapping, or EXR to HDR for environment maps.

Is EXR better than HDR (.hdr)?

For production, yes, with more channels, better compression and color fidelity. For a simple 360° environment map, .hdr is lighter and universally read by 3D tools.

Why does my EXR look blown out or too dark?

It stores scene-referred light, so you must tone-map to display range. A viewer without proper display transform guesses wrong.

Is the EXR format outdated?

No, it is the maintained Academy-standard for VFX, still the default output of every professional renderer.