THE FILE FIELD GUIDE

.kra

Krita Document

Creative Projects

KRA is Krita’s editable document format. A preview within the file is not the whole layered document. Retain the KRA source when exporting PNG or another delivery image.

What it is used for: Editable digital painting documents
What the file contains: Binary data

All sections, questions and sources

Content reviewed：2026-10-12 · Editor：Kai

Opening steps

Choose your environment or purpose to see its steps.

Krita: open an editable document

Open a copy of the editable source.

Identify producer/version and prepare a document copy with required companions.
Open the document copy in compatible Krita.
Inspect canvas, layers, masks, color and relevant animation.

Inspect Painting/animation editing information

Inspect editable information as well as appearance.

Inspect layer visibility, filter masks and frame state.
Compare images and text with the reference render.
Save a separate native-format copy and reopen to inspect editing state.

Export for another app, web or print

Retain editing source and rendered output.

Choose a supported export workflow matching still-image or animation delivery.
Select dimensions, color, transparency and text/effect retention settings.
Open the result in another application and inspect appearance/required information.

Menu labels and support vary by app, OS and version. Preserve the original before making changes.

Troubleshooting by symptom

Only preview visible elsewhere: check editable KRA support.
Color shifts: compare color space/profile and the target viewer.
Layers absent after export: distinguish delivery images from working documents.
Only one frame exported: distinguish still output from animation range.
Transparency lost: inspect format and transparent-background export settings.
Color/text changes elsewhere: inspect profiles, fonts and feature compatibility.

KRA → PNG / JPEG / PSD

Save the KRA original and choose a supported export format.
For editable PSD exchange, verify layers, masks and compositing in the receiving app.
Inspect export dimensions, color, transparency, text and cropping against the editable source.

PNG/JPEG omit editable layers; PSD may not preserve all Krita-specific information.

Native saving versus export

KRA is Krita’s editable format; distinguish layer-preserving storage from rendered image/animation output.

Formats differ in retained layers/effects; include native source when further editing is required.

Source for these steps：Krita Foundation · KRA file format / Krita Foundation · File Menu

Post-export comparison

Compare dimensions, thin strokes, text, color and transparency; inspect changes from resizing or conversion.

Record reference render, application version and required fonts and verify compatibility using a copy.

Source for these steps：Krita Foundation · KRA file format / Krita Foundation · File Menu

Related-format differences

Related-format differences
Format	Main role	What to check
KRA	Native editable document	Matching app/version
PNG / JPEG	Rendered image	Keep editable structure separately
PSD/interchange	Application interchange	Inspect effects/text compatibility

Handling and security

Back up originals and avoid modifying internal files for inspection; use supported applications/exporters.

Questions and answers

Is extracting an internal image equivalent?

A preview/composite cannot recreate the layered document.

Does PNG retain editing data?

Keep KRA for further editing.

Is PSD fully compatible?

Verify rendering and feature compatibility in the target app.

Is an embedded preview the full-resolution artwork?

Previews are not equivalent to source artwork; open in Krita and export at the required dimensions.

Can I rename the native file to PNG?

Use actual image export and keep source and delivery separately.

Format facts: name, steward and MIME type

Formal name: Krita document
Steward / specification: Krita Foundation
MIME type: Depends on the producer or server; an extension alone does not establish a MIME type.

Primary and official sources

Project documentationKRA file format
Documents Krita’s editable document format.
Krita Foundation · Link checked：2026-10-12
Software documentationFile Menu
Reference for opening, saving and exporting.
Krita Foundation · Link checked：2026-10-12