WhatFileType
.cdr

What is a .cdr file?

CorelDRAW Image · Design · Corel · 1989

A .cdr file is a CorelDRAW image, a vector graphics document from Corel's long-running design suite. It is popular for logos, signage and print artwork, especially outside the Adobe ecosystem.

Category
Design
MIME type
application/vnd.corel-draw, application/cdr
Type
Binary
Is a .cdr file safe to open? Safe. A .cdr is a vector design document; it does not execute.

What is a .cdr file used for?

Older CorelDRAW files use a RIFF container (starting with RIFF), while newer versions are ZIP packages. Either way the format is proprietary and best opened in CorelDRAW.

Support elsewhere is patchy: some versions import into Inkscape or Illustrator, but results vary. Exporting to SVG, PDF or AI from CorelDRAW is the reliable way to share.

What opens a .cdr file?

The .cdr format opens in the following apps, grouped by operating system. If one app does not work, try another from the same list.

Windows

  • CorelDRAW
  • Inkscape (some versions)

macOS

  • CorelDRAW
  • Inkscape (some versions)

Linux

  • Inkscape (some versions)
  • LibreOffice Draw (limited)

Open a .cdr file step by step

  1. Confirm the file really is a .cdr. Drop it into the WhatFileType identifier, which reads its signature in your browser without uploading anything.
  2. On Windows, open it with CorelDRAW or Inkscape (some versions).
  3. On Mac, use CorelDRAW or Inkscape (some versions).
  4. On Linux, try Inkscape (some versions) or LibreOffice Draw (limited).
  5. Still stuck? Convert the .cdr to svg, which opens more widely.

Why can't I open my .cdr file?

Almost always because no installed app understands CorelDRAW. Install one of the apps above, or convert the file to a format your existing software already reads. If double-clicking opens the wrong program instead of nothing at all, the file association is set to the wrong app rather than the file being broken.

The other possibility is that the file is not really a .cdr at all. Drop it into the file identifier to check it by its bytes instead of its name. Nothing is uploaded.

How to convert a .cdr file

You can convert a .cdr file to svg, pdf, ai, png using a conversion tool or the export menu of an app that opens it.

What is the .cdr file signature (magic bytes)?

A .cdr file starts with the hex bytes 52 49 46 46, which read as RIFF in ASCII. Programs identify CorelDRAW by those bytes, not by the filename, so a renamed file still gives itself away.

These are the documented signatures for CorelDRAW.

Documented magic-byte signatures for the .cdr format
Hex signatureOffsetASCIINote
52 49 46 460RIFFolder CDR is RIFF; newer versions are ZIP packages

See the full magic-numbers reference for every format.

Frequently asked questions

What is a .cdr file?

A .cdr file is a CorelDRAW image, a vector graphics document from Corel's long-running design suite. It is popular for logos, signage and print artwork, especially outside the Adobe ecosystem.

How do I open a .cdr file without CorelDRAW?

Try Inkscape, which imports some CDR versions, though not all. The reliable route is to have it exported from CorelDRAW to SVG, PDF or AI.

Why won't Inkscape open my .cdr?

CorelDRAW's format changes between versions and is proprietary, so Inkscape supports only some. Ask for an SVG or PDF export instead.

How do I convert CDR to a common format?

In CorelDRAW, export to SVG, PDF or AI. Those open in nearly any vector editor.

Related formats

.svg SVG.ai AI.eps EPS.pdf PDFAll design formats

Sources

Details on this page were checked against authoritative references. How sources are ranked and what is deliberately left out is set out in the methodology.