Data Recovery

Ultimate Ways : Recover Lost CR2 Raw Photos in Windows PC

Photographers and studio owners who run a business using Canon professional cameras know about the quality that CR2 raw photos generate. Whether they want to color grade an image or need the best quality photos, CR2 is the format that helps them achieve the best results.

However, they can get typical when they accidentally lose CR2 raw photos. Several users have shared how it cost them a lot because they lost the original raw files. Also, since a professional photographer has many images on their system, tracking which images to keep and what to delete is impossible. 

This confusion often leads to the accidental removal of important files. In such situations, a user’s question is how to recover lost CR2 Raw photos. 

If you are also facing the same problem, we might have the ultimate solution for you!

How Do CR2 Raw Photos Get Lost?

CR2 Raw pictures are crucial for professional photographers as when they have to deliver high-quality images to clients, CR2 Raw format is what they depend on. Usually, the format is used by Canon cameras. Professionals using cameras like the Canon 350-D, 1D Mark II, and all the EOS series cameras create CR2 raw photos. 

Now, you might end up losing these high-quality images in several ways. Sometimes, due to the duplicate JPEG photos, you manually delete the original images. Other than that, the following situations can lead to the removal of these files –

  1. Virus Infections
  2. Accidental Removal
  3. Formatting
  4. Power Failure while Copying Files
  5. Disk Drive Issues

Since CR2 Raw Photos are excellent in capturing details that help enhance the picture’s appearance later, it can be a severe loss for a photographer. Hence, irrespective of what has caused the loss, the prime focus of the user is on recovering these lost files.

Ways to Recover Lost CR2 Raw Photos: 100% WORKING

If you have, by chance, deleted the files yourself or have lost them due to any reason listed above, you can recover them. Here are some ways to help you get hold of your lost CR2 Raw files. 

Method 1 – Check Recycle Bin for Recovery

If you have manually deleted the files due to confusion between the JPEG and CR2 files or accidentally removed the CR2 files thinking that they are duplicates. In that case, you can open the Recycle bin on your computer and recover the files. 

Step 1 – Go to the Desktop and click on the Recycle bin to open it. 

Step 2 – Spot the files that are present in the bin. Check if you can find your CR2 files.
Step 3 – Select all the CR2 Raw files and click the Restore option to return the images to their original location.

Please note that this method will only work if you use a simple delete command to remove the files. If you accidentally use the Shift+Delete combination to remove a file, you may not find the CR2 file in the recycle bin. 

Method 2 – Use File History in Windows

Windows is a highly configurable operating system that offers tools that a user can benefit from. One such feature on Windows is the File history. Provided it is ON on your PC, you can navigate to the folder and recover files from the backup. Here’s what you have to do – 

Step 1 – Go to the Start Menu and search for File History. Click on the found result to open the utility feature.

Step 2 – In the opened Window, you can find and restore personal files in the left pane. Click on them.
Step 3 – Use the left arrow to go back in time, as you can choose the date of backup from where you can find the file.

Step 4 – After finding the correct date, navigate to the folder using the browse options and find the files.
Step 5 – Simply recover the files and exit the file history module on the PC.

This method allows you to recover files on your PC. However, this method may not work for you if you have deleted or lost them from an external drive. 

Method 3 – Use the Photos Recovery Tool

Last but certainly not least, you can rely on Photos Recovery application. A software designed to help you recover all the lost images. The tool scans your PC and drives for shreds of removed photos. Once it gets a hold of them, it runs a smartly designed algorithm to finish the process. It will help you quickly recover deleted, formatted, and lost image files. All you have to do is – 

Step 1 – Download, install, and run the application on your PC.

Step 2 – In the application, select the drive from where you have lost the CR2 Raw files.

Step 3 – Click on Start Scan to initiate the process.
Step 4 – Let the Scan finish, and you can see the number of deleted images on your PC and their locations.


Step 5 – Click on the images for a quick preview. After checking the files, Mark them and click on Recover.

The Recover button will start the recovery process, and soon, you can access your lost CR2 Raw Photos. The software is the ultimate way to recover lost image files and can help you recover these images best.

Try these methods, and we assure you that if nothing works, Photos Recovery will! Download the tool today and recover lost CR2 raw photos in no time!

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Dishank Sharma

A creative tech-writer who loves to explore latest tech-trends & convey them to his readers in the simplest way possible. He loves to blend the crispness of technology with a pinch of creativity while curating best practices for the readers. In his free time, he likes to scribble poetry, listen to rap & travel.

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