JPG to ARW Converter
Convert JPG to ARW in your browser. You download a Linear DNG (.dng), not a .arw: only a Sony camera can create a genuine ARW, and every editor that opens ARW also opens DNG. Nothing is uploaded.
- Processed locally
- No upload, no wait
- No sign-up
- No watermark
Drop images here
or choose files · paste with Ctrl/⌘ V
JPG expected · other image formats also work
How to use JPG to ARW
- 1
Add your JPG files: drop them here, choose them, or paste from the clipboard.
- 2
There is nothing to tune: the DNG is written uncompressed. Resizing and rotating are under More options if you need them.
- 3
Click Convert. Each file is decoded and encoded in a background thread on this device.
- 4
Download the .dng files one at a time or together as a ZIP.
Why use Aback Images for jpg to arw
Where a ARW would go
ARW files are opened by Sony Imaging Edge, Lightroom, Photoshop Camera Raw, Capture One and darktable, and every one of them opens the DNG too.
DNG next to JPG
The DNG is written uncompressed, so expect it to be several times larger than the JPG, which stores lossy DCT coding in 8×8 pixel blocks, with colour usually stored at half resolution.
No new artefacts
JPG is already lossy, since it stores lossy DCT coding in 8×8 pixel blocks, with colour usually stored at half resolution; the DNG keeps the decoded pixels uncompressed, so this step adds no compression damage of its own.
Processed on your device
Your images are decoded, edited and encoded inside this browser tab by Web Workers. Nothing is uploaded to a server.
JPG vs ARW
What changes from JPG to ARW
Encoding: the JPG uses lossy DCT coding in 8×8 pixel blocks, with colour usually stored at half resolution; ARW uses Sony's lossy compressed raw, uncompressed (since the A7R II) or lossless compressed (since the A1), and the download is a Linear DNG: demosaiced 8-bit RGB with the colour matrices raw editors need.
Bit depth: 8 bits per channel in the JPG; ARW allows 12 or 14 bits per channel, and the DNG written here has 8 bits per channel, linearised.
Colour: YCbCr shown as RGB, greyscale, or CMYK from print software in the JPG; ARW supports camera RGB from a Bayer mosaic, written here as 8-bit sRGB.
Metadata: the JPG can carry EXIF (camera, date, GPS), XMP, IPTC and an ICC profile in APP segments; ARW can carry EXIF, Sony maker notes, a thumbnail and a full-size JPEG, but nothing is copied across.
About JPG
JPEG is the universal photo format. It compresses by discarding fine detail the eye is least sensitive to, which makes photos small but blurs sharp edges and text if pushed too far.
A JPEG starts with the bytes FF D8 and is a run of marker segments: APP1 carries EXIF and often a thumbnail, APP2 an ICC profile, DQT the quantization tables that decide the quality, and SOS the compressed scan, which ends at FF D9.
JPG files usually come from cameras, phones, scanners and almost every app that saves photos.
About ARW
ARW is the raw format of Sony Alpha, RX and Cyber-shot cameras. It stores the sensor data (compressed, uncompressed or lossless compressed, depending on the model) with a full-size JPEG preview.
ARW is TIFF-based: the first directory carries EXIF and Sony's JPEG preview and the sensor data sits in a sub-directory. In Sony's classic compressed raw each block of 16 same-colour pixels keeps an 11-bit maximum and minimum plus 7-bit steps for the rest, which can leave artefacts beside high-contrast edges.
ARW files come from Sony Alpha mirrorless and SLT cameras, RX compacts and some Cyber-shot models.
When converting JPG to ARW makes sense
Forms and workflows that ask for ARW usually feed a raw editor, and each of those opens DNG as well, so the DNG can take the ARW's place. Keep the JPG if you only need to view or share the picture.
What ARW offers when it comes straight from the camera: A full-size JPEG preview from the camera; Lossless compressed raw on recent bodies; Wide support across Sony's long Alpha line. Its drawbacks: Sony's classic compressed mode is lossy; Uncompressed files of 60 MB and more on high-resolution bodies; Creative Looks are ignored by most third-party raw editors.
Limitations
- JPEG artefacts already in the file, such as blocking near edges and smeared colour, are kept as pixels: a lossless target preserves them faithfully rather than removing them.
- The DNG holds the decoded 8-bit pixels, so it adds no dynamic range or detail beyond the JPG.
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Frequently asked questions
Why do I get a .dng file instead of a .arw?
A real ARW is written by Sony cameras and holds the sensor's own readings (12 or 14 bits per channel, stored as Sony's lossy compressed raw, uncompressed (since the A7R II) or lossless compressed (since the A1)) along with EXIF, Sony maker notes, a thumbnail and a full-size JPEG. A JPG holds no sensor data, so no software outside the camera can create a genuine ARW. The Linear DNG you get instead is Adobe's open raw format, and every editor that opens ARW files opens it with the same raw controls. It holds decoded pixels, so it adds no quality or dynamic range.
Does converting JPG to ARW lose quality?
DNG is written uncompressed, so the pixels are stored exactly as decoded. Artefacts already in the JPG stay, but nothing new is lost.
Are my images uploaded anywhere?
No. Processing happens inside your browser with WebAssembly and Web Workers. The site only downloads the app code and codecs; your files never leave your device. You can confirm this with the live upload counter on the tool, or in your browser's network panel.
Can I process many files at once?
Yes. Drop a whole selection or folder. Files are processed in parallel on several worker threads, each result can be downloaded on its own, and everything can be saved as one ZIP.
Is it free? Is there a file limit or watermark?
It is free with no account, no watermark and no daily limit. The only limit is your device's memory: very large images (over roughly 100 megapixels) may be refused to keep the tab from crashing.