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Can't load RAW files

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Can't load RAW files
NoUserName Offline
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#1
02-14-2026, 07:49 PM
I can not open raw files on gimp anymore, can anyone help me with this? I did install darktable but i do not have any idea how i can use it to make raw's open on gimp

(link to picture from the message i get)
https://imgur.com/a/Rvgsuxu
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sallyanne Offline
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#2
02-14-2026, 10:37 PM
Depends what type of RAW you have. I have Raw Therapee with my gimp and it will not open all RAW's - check the 'extension' and if it is the same one that does not open then it is probably that type of raw that it will not open.
(By the way you do know it opens up in the Raw editor seperately from gimp but goes back to gimp after you close it?)

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NoUserName Offline
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#3
02-15-2026, 07:41 AM
(02-14-2026, 10:37 PM)sallyanne Wrote: Depends what type of RAW you have. I have Raw Therapee with my gimp and it will not open all RAW's - check the 'extension' and if it is the same one that does not open then it is probably that type of raw that it will not open.
(By the way you do know it opens up in the Raw editor seperately from gimp but goes back to gimp after you close it?)

i have cr2 directly from out of my camera, I have absolutely now idea how an extention even work  Huh
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sallyanne Offline
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#4
02-15-2026, 08:43 AM
Image extensions are the names of the files. eg. jpg, gif, png, tiff etc Raw ones have different extensions.

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rich2005 Offline
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#5
02-15-2026, 10:45 AM (This post was last modified: 02-15-2026, 12:12 PM by rich2005. Edit Reason: typo )
(02-14-2026, 07:49 PM)NoUserName Wrote: I can not open raw files on gimp anymore, can anyone help me with this? I did install darktable but i do not have any idea how i can use it to make raw's open on gimp

(link to picture from the message i get)
https://imgur.com/a/Rvgsuxu

The error message (1) means that Gimp does not find the Darktable installation. 
Either an incorrect installation or using incompatible version of Gimp and Darktable (..an old version of Darktable ?)

Look in Edit -> Preferences -> Import & Export (2) and without a Darktable there is only the placeholder.exe reference.

With Darktable installed there is a Darktable entry (3) You do need to select that. I changed the theme to make it easier to see.  There is also Rawtherapee installed and to use that select the rawtherapee.exe entry.

   

Using Win11 / Gimp 3.0.8-2 / Darktable 5.4.1
As far as I can see this does not work. The image is sent from Gimp to Darktable. Closing Darktable to send back to Gimp and there is an "unable to open message"  
You can still use Darktable if you want. Open the image in Darktable, do any editing and export to file as a high bit tif or .xcf.  Open that in Gimp.  Personally, I think the Darktable interface is appalling. (all in the eye of the developer)

Using Win11 / Gimp 3.0.8-2 / Rawtherapee 5.12
Selecting rawtherapee in Edit -> Preferences and Gimp 3 sends the selected  .cr2 image to Rawtherapee. Close and the image is sent back to Gimp as expected.

Edit: from an earlier post with a similar issue: This bug report https://github.com/darktable-org/darktable/issues/19988
Depending on Darktable version used, try an earlier version: version 5.2.1
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