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How to Convert PSD to HDR — Quick & Free

Fast, instant PSD to HDR conversion. No signup required. Just drop your .psd file and get .hdr in seconds.

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Transparency will be lost

PSD supports transparency, but HDR does not. Transparent areas will be filled with a solid color (typically white). If you need transparency, consider converting to PNG or WebP instead.

Layers will be flattened

PSD supports multiple layers, but HDR does not. All layers will be merged into a single flat image. Keep your original PSD file if you need to edit individual layers later.

Some metadata may not survive

Your PSD file may contain EXIF, IPTC, XMP, ICC metadata. HDR has limited or no support for these metadata types. Location data (GPS), camera settings, and color profiles may be stripped during conversion.

CMYK → RGB color conversion

Your PSD file uses CMYK color space (designed for print). HDR uses RGB. Colors will be converted — some print-specific colors (especially deep blues and vivid oranges) may shift slightly. For critical color matching, use a calibrated ICC profile.

About PSD to HDR Conversion

Short answer: yes, you can convert PSD to HDR online for free, and some quality differences may occur depending on the format types. Just upload your .psd file to CocoConvert, pick HDR as the output, and click Convert. The whole process takes seconds.

Now for the details. PSD is Adobe Photoshop's native format, retaining layers, masks, and editing history. HDR (Radiance) is a high-dynamic-range image format used in lighting and rendering. Converting between these two formats lets you convert between formats quickly.

Full Name: PSD uses Adobe Photoshop Document, while HDR uses Radiance HDR Image. Compression: PSD uses Lossless, while HDR uses Lossless. Transparency: PSD uses Yes, while HDR uses No.

Your PSD file is decoded and re-encoded as HDR. PSD supports transparency, but HDR does not. Transparent areas will be filled with a solid color (typically white). If you need transparency, consider converting to PNG or WebP instead.

Common misconception: ""My file's transparent background will carry over to HDR"" — in reality, hdr doesn't support transparency. transparent areas become solid (usually white). save as png or webp if you need transparency.

CocoConvert runs entirely online — no software to install, no account to create. Your files are encrypted during upload (TLS), processed on isolated servers in Germany, and permanently deleted after 24 hours. It works in Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge, and all mobile browsers.

Need to convert more than one file? Free users can do 5 per hour. Pro gets 100 per hour with files up to 5 GB each.

How to Convert PSD to HDR

  1. 1

    1. Upload PSD

    Drop your .psd file onto the page (or tap "Browse" on mobile). Add multiple files for batch conversion.

  2. 2

    2. Select HDR

    Choose .hdr from the output dropdown. Settings are pre-configured for best results.

  3. 3

    3. Convert

    One click. The server handles all the heavy lifting using FFmpeg and Sharp.

  4. 4

    4. Download

    Your .hdr file is ready. Download it directly or get all files as a zip archive.

What Happens When You Convert PSD to HDR

Your PSD image is decoded into raw pixel data, then re-encoded as HDR. No quality loss — pixel data is preserved exactly.

1

Your PSD file is decoded — the compressed/stored pixel data is expanded into raw RGBA (with alpha channel) pixels

2

Transparency is resolved: transparent pixels are composited onto a white background

3

Pixels are re-encoded using Radiance HDR Image's lossless compression

4

Metadata (EXIF, ICC profiles) is transferred where HDR supports it

5

The HDR file is saved and ready for download

PSD vs HDR — Detailed Comparison

Feature.PSD.HDR
Full NameAdobe Photoshop DocumentRadiance HDR Image
CompressionLosslessLossless
TransparencyYesNo
AnimationNoNo
Color Depthup to 32 bits/channel32-bit float (RGBE encoding)
HDR SupportYesYes
Typical File Size50–500 MB5–50 MB
Platform SupportLimitedVery Limited
Browser Supportnonenone
Year Created19901985
Open StandardNoYes

Should You Convert PSD to HDR?

When to Convert

  • When you specifically need a HDR file for your workflow

When NOT to Convert

  • You need to preserve transparent areas — HDR doesn't support transparency
  • You still need to edit individual layers — HDR flattens everything

Consider alternatives:

PNGlossless with transparency supportWebPsmaller files with transparency

Common Mistakes When Converting PSD to HDR

"My file's transparent background will carry over to HDR"

HDR doesn't support transparency. Transparent areas become solid (usually white). Save as PNG or WebP if you need transparency.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is PSD to HDR conversion free?

Yes. CocoConvert offers free PSD to HDR conversion with generous daily limits — 25 minutes of processing time and up to 5 files per hour (250 MB each). Pro plans remove these limits.

How fast is PSD to HDR conversion?

Most files convert in 2–10 seconds depending on size. Large image files may take 30 seconds. Batch jobs process in parallel for maximum speed.

What happens to my files after conversion?

Your uploaded PSD file and the converted HDR file are both automatically deleted from our servers within 24 hours. They are never shared, sold, or analysed.

Does converting PSD to HDR lose quality?

PSD supports transparency, but HDR does not. Transparent areas will be filled with a solid color (typically white). If you need transparency, consider converting to PNG or WebP instead.

Can I convert HDR back to PSD?

Yes, CocoConvert supports HDR to PSD conversion as well. However, if the original conversion involved lossy compression, converting back won't recover the lost data.

Powered by — installed on our conversion workers
ImageMagick 7.1 (locked policy.xml)libheif 1.xlibjxl-tools 0.11.xLibRaw / dcraw_emu 0.21.xSharp 0.34.x (Node)

Versions are pinned in our worker Dockerfile and re-built via CI on every change.