CR3 Previews Not Working in Finder After macOS 15.4 and 15.4.1 Updates

Yes, I've send Apple a bug report (when I updated to 15.4 when it was released and I noticed the problem).

Can't speak for the CR3 files but for Nikon (NEF) files: all the models I have or had.

I've deleted the Quick Look cache yesterday (in Terminal: qlmanage -r) and today Quick Look works again for the NEF files. Quick Look shows the embedded jpg file it is existing. That's how it worked before.

The preview in the Finder is still a black rectangle instead of the image. When I resize the column with the preview (now black rectangle) in the Finder, the preview image appears (but disappears when I revisit that same file).

The current solution/workaround in Sequoia 15.4.1 for cr2, cr3, nef files etc... if you are on a laptop (or modern Apple) xdr-type display, is to use the photography preset (or any apple display preset where the brightness is locked). Then quicklook works fine.

I had the same issue on my M1 macbook. A previous poster suggested making sure your display setting preset was in photography mode. That did the trick for me. However, Now a Sequoia update to 15.5 seems to have fixed the Finder bug. I'm in Apple XDR Display and my CR3 file in finder can be previewed.

Looks like this problem was fixed in 15.6 — I just checked right know!

Hello,

I hope this response helps you resolve your issue. I am experiencing the same difficulty in QuickLooking my .cr3 files. Currently, I am compelled to manually open each .cr3 file using Lightroom.

The only solution I have discovered is to zoom in slightly while using QuickLook, and the image will be displayed. I trust this information is timely and helpful.

Me too. Based on a suggestion in previous comments, I'm using Bridge to navigate files as a workaround, and it's actually a lot better/quicker than using Finder window, even when you could see the image. The image was so large in the preview window, I couldn't see any file info below it without scrolling down on the little preview, and that took more time. Even when/if they do fix this, I will continue using Bridge. Thanks.

Finally they fixed it with 15.5

My work around for my selection in 1000 - 2500 photo’s daily on a Canon R5 mark II:

The iPad pro M4 (bought this year) is not affected. So I put my express card reader on my iPad and select my photo’s, than put them in my iCloud drive. From my Macbook pro m1 i select them and put them in my photo app, mostly through DXO pure. This works for all photo apps I guess, as they are not affected by the Files preview problem.

Hello,

I hope this response helps you resolve your issue. I am experiencing the same difficulty in QuickLooking my .cr3 files. Currently, I am compelled to manually open each .cr3 file using Lightroom.

The only solution I have discovered is to zoom in slightly while using QuickLook, and the image will be displayed. I trust this information is timely and helpful.

Hello,

I hope this response helps you resolve your issue. I am experiencing the same difficulty in QuickLooking my .cr3 files. Currently, I am compelled to manually open each .cr3 file using Lightroom.

The only solution I have discovered is to zoom in slightly while using QuickLook, and the image will be displayed. I trust this information is timely and helpful.

That did it. Use the Photography display. Mine was set to XDR 1600 for a sunny coffee shop.

FWIW, Sequoia did support 90 Nikon cameras and their NEF files. 15.4 broke support for the RAW files of many cameras. At this point all that can be done is wait for a future update. You can file another bug report from the feedback page.

Feedback - macOS - Apple

Adobe Bridge is my work-around for those with access but there is a way to view in Finder under the following conditions:

The preview pane in the last column of the Finder window does (VERY eventually) display a preview instead of a black box on my machine (specs to follow) IF the user manually rescales the finder window and releases the mouse-click. Upon releasing the mouse button, the preview of the .CR3 displays. Not satisfactory at all, but hopefully a breadcrumb for Apple Support ...

Machine Specs:

Model: Macbook Pro (16-inch, Nov 23)

Chip: M3 Max

Memory: 128 GB

Storage: 8 TB

macOS: 15.4.1

This worked for me:

Finder > View > Show View Options

Then check > Show Item Info

If that doesn't work then the other solutions listed may work better for you but his was a super quick and simple solution.

Yes, slightly zooming in on the black window will result in the image loading (albeit very slowly), but if you zoom back out to see the whole image, the blackness returns. This needs to get fixed.