Why won't my EXR display in the browser?

EXR holds high-dynamic-range data that needs tone mapping before a normal screen can show it. No browser does that, so the file downloads and opens in compositing or 3D software.

Are all the render passes preserved?

Yes. The file is served byte for byte, so every channel and layer arrives exactly as exported.

My EXR is over the size limit — what now?

Use DWAA or DWAB compression when exporting, which shrinks EXR files substantially with minimal visible loss, or crop to the region actually needed.

Host an EXR file and share it as a link

Put a high-dynamic-range image online at its own address — the format VFX and 3D rendering runs on.

You can host:

Drop your EXR file here

Any other file works too — up to 25.0 MB, or 100.0 MB for a whole site

Free to use. Your EXR file is live at your-name.99helpers.site in about ten seconds.

What is a .exr file?

OpenEXR was developed at Industrial Light & Magic and released as open source in 2003. It stores high-dynamic-range image data at 16 or 32 bits per channel, and can hold many named channels in one file — beauty, depth, normals, mattes — which is why compositors work in it.

What people use EXR files for

Render passes handed to a compositor
HDR environment maps for lighting 3D scenes
VFX plates and multi-channel exports
High-dynamic-range photography for rendering

What opens a EXR file

Nuke, After Effects and Fusion
Blender, Maya, Houdini and every 3D renderer
Photoshop and Affinity Photo, with limitations
No browser displays EXR

How to host a EXR file

1
Drop your EXR file in
Drag it onto the box at the top of this page, or click to choose it. Files up to 25 MB are supported, and nothing is uploaded until you publish.
2
Pick an address
Type a name and we'll tell you straight away whether it's free. That becomes the link: render-pass.99helpers.site
3
Publish and share
Create a free account — that step exists so the file is yours to update, replace or delete — and the link is live within seconds.

The same three steps work for any file — see how file hosting works on 99helpers.com.

What happens when someone opens the link

The file downloads. Browsers can't render EXR — its HDR data has no meaningful representation on a standard display without tone mapping.

Why host a EXR file instead of emailing it?

Render passes move between artists constantly and are far too large to email. A link delivers the file intact, with every channel preserved, which matters because re-encoding would destroy the data the compositor needs.

Worth knowing before you publish

EXR files are very large; the 25 MB limit here means only small renders or crops fit. DWAA compression inside the EXR helps considerably.
Host a JPEG or PNG preview so people can see the frame without opening Nuke.
Multi-channel EXRs keep all their passes — nothing is flattened by hosting.

EXR hosting questions

Why won't my EXR display in the browser?: EXR holds high-dynamic-range data that needs tone mapping before a normal screen can show it. No browser does that, so the file downloads and opens in compositing or 3D software.
Are all the render passes preserved?: Yes. The file is served byte for byte, so every channel and layer arrives exactly as exported.
My EXR is over the size limit — what now?: Use DWAA or DWAB compression when exporting, which shrinks EXR files substantially with minimal visible loss, or crop to the region actually needed.

Put your EXR file online now

It takes about ten seconds, and you only make an account once the file is ready to go live.

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Hosting guides for related formats

Host a TIFF image Host a PNG image Host a Photoshop file (PSD)Host a ZIP archive Host a JPG photo Host an SGI image Host a Pyramid TIFF

EXR is one of over 211 formats you can host — see free file hosting for any file type for the full list, or read the hosting guides for other file types.