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You are here: Home / Tech Questions & Answers / Q&A: Why can’t I view RAW images in the Windows Photo Gallery?

Q&A: Why can’t I view RAW images in the Windows Photo Gallery?

Posted on December 31, 2014

raw-logoQuestion from Carrie E.:  I got a Nikon D5200 camera for my birthday a few months ago. It’s my first DSLR and I’m sort of overwhelmed with all its features and capabilities, but I love it!

I’m having a problem that I hope you can help me find a solution for. I’m reading a book on DSLR photography and it explained the advantages of shooting in RAW format. I gave it a try but none of the my RAW photos are showing up in the Windows Photo Gallery. Can you tell me how to fix that? Thanks.

Rick’s answer:  Carrie, capturing images in RAW format indeed has many advantages over shooting JPEG photos, but one of the disadvantages is how Windows refuses to display RAW photos in the Photo Gallery by default.

The good news is you can easily fix this since you’re using a Nikon camera. All you need to do is download the Microsoft Camera Codec Pack from the Microsoft website. When prompted, select this files listed for the Nikon D5200.

If you’re curious about why Windows doesn’t support RAW photos right out of the box, it’s because the camera manufacturers can’t seem to agree on a common file format for RAW photos. Installing the Microsoft Camera Codec Pack “patches” this Codec hole in the Windows system, allowing us to work with RAW files that were saved in all but the most obscure file formats.

I hope this helps Carrie. Good luck!


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