A method is proposed for evaluating the concentrations of Cr2+ and Cr3+ in semi‐insulating GaAs: Cr by measuring the optical absorption at 78 K. Low temperature is necessary in order to eliminate the superimposed absorption due to the deep donor EL2 by illumination. As the optical absorption spectra of Cr2+ and Cr3+ overlap in the whole available energy region (0.8 to 1.5 eV), the contents of Cr2+ and Cr3+ are obtained from the absorption coefficients measured at two energies within this region and using the optical absorption cross sections determinated at 78 K by calibration. The method considers also the creation of Cr4+ during EL2 elimination and the optical absorption connected with Cr4+.