PhotoRiyaHow to convert HDR files
Add your file
Drag it onto the box above, or tap Choose a file and pick it from your device.
Choose the result
The converted picture appears at once. Switch between PNG, JPG and WebP, and adjust the quality or exposure where they apply, without loading the file again.
Download
Press Download. The file is saved with the original name and the new extension.
About Radiance HDR files
The .hdr format, also called Radiance RGBE, stores each pixel's colour with a shared exponent, so it can hold a huge range of brightness in a small file. It's widely used for HDRI environment maps for 3D rendering, such as sky and studio lighting panoramas.
This page converts those files. It isn't for HDR photos made by merging exposures on a phone: those are usually ordinary JPG or HEIC files.
Turning light values into a picture
A .hdr file holds scene light, not screen colours, so a direct conversion looks dark and the sun clips to white. Use Exposure to brighten or darken the picture, and choose Compress highlights to keep detail in bright areas such as the sun and clouds, or Cut off highlights for a plain clip.
The result is converted to sRGB and saved as JPG, PNG or WebP. A panorama stays a panorama: you get the same equirectangular picture, not a cropped view.
Limits
Pictures over about 30 megapixels are too big for a browser tab, because floating-point data takes a lot of memory. Most environment maps up to 8K fit comfortably on a computer.
Questions people ask
How do I convert an HDR file to JPG?
Drop your .hdr file onto the converter above, adjust the exposure, and press Download JPG.
Why is the JPG darker than I expected?
HDR files store linear light, which has to be brightened for a screen. Raise the Exposure slider or keep Compress highlights selected to see more detail.
Is this for HDR photos from my phone?
No. This converts the Radiance .hdr file format used for 3D environment maps. Phone HDR photos are normal image files that need no conversion.
Can I save the result as a PNG?
Yes. Choose PNG under the picture to avoid any JPG compression.
Is my file uploaded to a server?
No. The conversion runs inside your browser tab, on your own device, and the result is handed straight back to you. Nothing is sent anywhere, so it is safe for client work and private pictures.
What is the largest file I can convert?
Files up to 400 MB and about 120 megapixels. A browser tab has limited memory, so very large pictures work best on a computer rather than a phone.
Is this converter really free?
Yes. There is no limit, no watermark and no account. PhotoRiya is open source under the MIT and Apache 2.0 licenses.
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