What is a .kra file?
Krita Document · Design · Krita Foundation · 2004
A .kra file is the native document of Krita, the free and open-source painting program loved by digital artists. It preserves layers, masks, vector shapes and animation frames as a ZIP package.
What is a .kra file used for?
Because Krita is free on Windows, Mac and Linux, .kra is an accessible alternative to Photoshop's PSD for painting and illustration. The file is a ZIP, so it starts with the ZIP signature.
Krita opens .kra with full editability. To share a flat image, export to PNG or JPG; Krita can also open and save PSD for interchange.
How to open a .kra file
The .kra format opens in the following apps, grouped by operating system. If one app does not work, try another from the same list. For a step-by-step walkthrough, see how to open a .kra file.
Windows
- Krita
- 7-Zip (to inspect)
macOS
- Krita
Linux
- Krita
How to convert a .kra file
You can convert a .kra file to png, psd, jpg, tiff using a conversion tool or the export menu of an app that opens it.
.kra file signature (magic bytes)
Programs recognise a .kra file by the bytes at the start of the file, not by its name. These are the signatures for Krita. For a full breakdown, see the Krita file signature page.
| Hex signature | Offset | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 50 4B 03 04 | 0 | ZIP package (PK..) |
See the full magic-numbers reference for every format.
Frequently asked questions
What is a .kra file?
A .kra file is the native document of Krita, the free and open-source painting program loved by digital artists. It preserves layers, masks, vector shapes and animation frames as a ZIP package.
How do I open a .kra file?
Use Krita, which is free on Windows, Mac and Linux. To see a flat version, export to PNG; to inspect the package, rename it to .zip.
Can Photoshop open a .kra file?
Not directly. Open the .kra in Krita and export it as PSD, which Photoshop reads with its layers.
What is the difference between KRA and PSD?
KRA is Krita's native painting format; PSD is Photoshop's. Both keep layers, and Krita can read and write PSD for interchange.
Related formats
Sources
Details on this page were checked against authoritative references: