This one is the very common problem to most of the photographer’s or the designers working with .cr2 as it does not support the direct preview of raw data with in the Micorsoft Explorer. Sometimes even Adobe Bridge also doesn’t support it. So it becomes very difficult if you have thousands of images stored and want to be very selective as you can’t open each and every image with in photoshop or any other image editing software. Then what to do?

So if you also deal with Canon raw files then the only option left with you to download the camera raw codecs from the location Provided and install it. Make suer you have closed all other application before  installation. Once this codecs installed you can view .cr2 images as you do with JPEG images.

Download Canera Raw Codecs for Windows Explorer

Canon RAW Codec includes support for the following Canon cameras : EOS-1Ds Mark III, EOS-1Ds Mark II, EOS-1Ds, EOS-1D Mark III, EOS-1D Mark II N, EOS-1D Mark II, EOS-1D, EOS 5D Mark II, EOS 5D, EOS 50D, EOS 40D, EOS 30D, EOS 20Da, EOS 20D, EOS 10D, EOS D60, EOS D30, EOS Rebel XSi/EOS Kiss Digital X2/EOS 450D Digital, EOS Digital Rebel XSi, EOS Digital Rebel XS, EOS Kiss Digital X/EOS Digital Rebel XTi/EOS 400D Digital, EOS Rebel T1i, EOS Kiss Digital N/EOS Digital Rebel XT/EOS 350D Digital, and EOS Kiss Digital/EOS Digital Rebel/EOS 300 Digital etc.

The codecs provided works perfect with Windows Vista or Seven but if you have decided to use it with Windows XP SP2 or SP3 then  application software such as Microsoft Windows Live Photo Gallery will be required.