X-ray diffraction measurements on the Cr-H system were made using synchrotron radiation at high hydrogen pressures and high temperatures, and the phase diagram was determined up to p(H 2 ) = 5.5 GPa and T 1400 K. Three solid phases were found to exist; a bcc phase (α) of low hydrogen concentrations, x = [H]/[Cr] 0.03 existing at low hydrogen pressures ( 4.4 GPa), and two high-pressure phases, an hcp (ε) phase at lower temperatures and an fcc (γ ) phase at higher temperatures, both having high hydrogen concentrations x ∼ 1. A drastic reduction of the melting point is caused by dissolution of hydrogen. A gradual lattice contraction observed in the fcc phase indicates the formation of superabundant Cr-atom vacancies (vacancy-hydrogen clusters). Thermal desorption measurements after recovery from high p(H 2 ), T treatments revealed several desorption stages including those due to the release from vacancy-hydrogen clusters and from hydrogen-gas bubbles, and allowed determination of relevant trapping energies.