ARW converter
Convert your ARW files to any format.
What is a ARW file?
ARW is Sony's RAW format — every photographic detail the sensor captured, before any in-camera processing, editable but unreadable by most everyday software.
First released in 2005 by Sony, it uses lossless compression and no transparency, which makes it best suited to unprocessed camera sensor data from Sony Alpha and mirrorless cameras.
Drop a ARW file below and we'll show you every conversion available, each one processed locally on your device — nothing is uploaded to a server, so converting is instant and completely private.
Advantages of the ARW format
Maximum editing latitude
ARW stores the sensor's raw measurements rather than a baked-in interpretation, so exposure, white balance and color can be adjusted after the fact with far less quality loss than editing a JPG.
Higher bit depth
Typically 12 or 14 bits per channel versus JPG's 8, capturing far smoother gradients and more recoverable detail in shadows and highlights.
Nothing discarded
Unlike JPG, no in-camera sharpening, noise reduction or compression is baked in — the file is the closest thing to what the sensor actually saw.
Convert ARW to…
Pick a target format — every ARW conversion runs instantly in your browser.
ARW: frequently asked questions
Why can't I just open my ARW file like a normal photo?
ARW stores raw, undebayered sensor data — it needs a RAW processing pipeline (demosaicing, color matrix, white balance) to become a viewable image, which most everyday apps and browsers don't include.
Will I lose quality converting ARW to JPG?
Some — JPG is lossy and limited to 8 bits per channel, while ARW typically holds 12–14 bits of latitude. For sharing and viewing the difference is invisible; for serious editing, keep the original ARW.
Is the conversion private?
Yes — your ARW is decoded and converted entirely inside your browser via a WebAssembly build of LibRaw; nothing is uploaded to a server.
Why is my ARW file so large?
It stores the sensor's full raw measurements at high bit depth with little to no compression, which is exactly what gives it so much editing latitude.