OpenEXR (.exr) thumbnails in Windows Explorer
SageThumbs 2K shows OpenEXR images in File Explorer as tone-mapped thumbnails, so a folder of HDR renders or plates shows pictures instead of plain icons.
What you see
- Uncompressed, ZIP, PIZ, RLE and B44 EXR files are decoded in pure Rust.
- DWAA and DWAB compressed files are decoded through the ImageMagick engine every install includes.
- High dynamic range is tone-mapped for an ordinary screen, the same way as Radiance .hdr files.
Limits
- In OneDrive and other synced folders, files stored on the PC get thumbnails as anywhere else. Online-only files are left to the cloud app, since nothing is downloaded just to draw a thumbnail.
More you can do
- The Convert dialog writes EXR as well as reading it.
Extensions this covers
.exr .cxr
See every format SageThumbs 2K supports or browse all format guides.
Get SageThumbs 2K
Install it with winget:
winget install LunarWerxs.SageThumbs2KOr download the installer from GitHub and run it.
Windows 11 and 10, 64-bit, on x64 and Arm. The same page has a portable zip that needs no installing.
Free for personal use
Home, hobby and other non-commercial use is free: every format and every tool. A company, a shop or anyone doing paid work needs a business licence for each PC.
A business licence is US$49 per PC once, with 12 months of updates, or US$2.99 per PC a month. See business licence pricing
Thumbnails not showing?
- Windows caches thumbnails, and a file it failed on once stays failed. In SageThumbs, Settings ▸ Advanced ▸ Rebuild thumbnail cache clears the cache and restarts Explorer.
- Make sure File Explorer's "Always show icons, never thumbnails" option is off, and that the format is ticked in SageThumbs Settings ▸ File types.
- Run
st2k doctorin a terminal. It only reads, checks the whole chain, and prints a fix under anything that is wrong.