How to open a CDR file, or a brief excursion into vector graphics

Last updated Dec 3, 2022

The content of the article

Anyone who has ever dealt with vector graphics has probably heard of such a software package as Corel Draw. The CDR format is the main format of this program. It is in this format that all the results of the application are saved. Subsequently, you can export the finished drawing to one of the popular graphic formats, but for the current work with the drawing, exactly as with a vector graphics element, this format is used. Therefore, it is simply necessary to know how to open a CDR file, and what it is generally intended for.

What is a CDR and who might need it

The CDR file format was developed by Corel specifically for its Corel Draw software package. It is intended for storing vector or raster graphics. Often, both of these types of graphics are combined, allowing you to create really unusual projects. Often logos for companies and interesting solutions for creating advertising banners and booklets are created in CDR format. You will only have to work with this format if you have at least some relation to vector graphics. For example, if you are developing advertising logos or any other design-related projects. Yes, and the best pictures created on a computer are obtained by combining vector and raster graphics. In addition, this application is well suited for creating diagrams, plans and maps, so designers will also find a lot of useful things in vector graphics. Most often, you will not have to deal with the CDR format. But sometimes it still becomes necessary to open this file, and then the question arises of which program to open the CDR file.

How to open CDR format

Let’s say you still need to open this file. It is worth mentioning right away that the CDR file format is very specific and can be opened by a very limited number of programs. This is due to the fact that the format is closed. Actually, below is a list of applications that can work with CDR files.

Corel Draw. The CDR extension is native to this program, so if you have a version of this package installed on your computer, you can easily open and modify any CDR file. But there is some nuance here. The format is constantly evolving and often older versions of the application are partially or completely unable to edit a file created in a newer version of the application.
Corel Paint Shop Pro. Corel’s graphics editor is free to edit CDR files. However, you should not expect a complete set of tools for working with CDR files. Still, this program has somewhat different goals. But viewing or converting is easy.
sK1 and inkscape. These freely available vector graphics editors can open and edit CDR files, but they do not fully support the format.
Older versions of the format can be opened using an application from Adobe called Adobe Illustrator. Files created by fresh versions of Corel Draw are not supported by the program.
Uniconvertor is an application that allows you to convert CDR format to other open formats that are already supported by most vector graphics applications.

As you can see, there are a lot of options for working with this format, so opening the CDR file format will not cause you any particular difficulties. It remains only to add that later you will be able to export images from this format to another modern bitmap graphics format. This is especially useful in the case when the finished project needs to be brought to its logical conclusion, adding several effects to it and slightly correcting it. In this case, you can simply convert the file to any raster format and open it in Adobe Photoshop or any other raster editor.