RAW to ARW Converter
Convert RAW 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
RAW expected · other image formats also work
How to use RAW to ARW
- 1
Add your RAW 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 raw 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 RAW
The DNG stores the camera preview's pixels uncompressed, so it can be as large as the 20 to 80 MB raw file, or larger, depending on the preview's resolution.
No new artefacts
The preview inside the RAW is a camera JPEG; the DNG stores its 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.
RAW vs ARW
What changes from RAW to ARW
Encoding: the RAW uses uncompressed, lossless JPEG or vendor-specific coding of the sensor data, depending on the maker; 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: 12 to 16 bits per channel in the RAW; ARW allows 12 or 14 bits per channel, and the DNG written here has 8 bits per channel, linearised. The sensor's 12 to 16 bits are not used: the camera's 8-bit preview is converted.
Colour: camera-native RGB from a colour filter mosaic in the RAW; ARW supports camera RGB from a Bayer mosaic, written here as 8-bit sRGB.
Metadata: the RAW can carry EXIF and vendor maker notes, almost always with an embedded JPEG preview; ARW can carry EXIF, Sony maker notes, a thumbnail and a full-size JPEG, but nothing is copied across.
About RAW
Camera RAW files (CR2, CR3, NEF, ARW, DNG, ORF, RW2, RAF and others) hold the unprocessed sensor data from a camera along with an embedded full-size JPEG preview rendered by the camera.
.RAW is an extension rather than one format. Panasonic and Leica compacts wrote TIFF-like .RAW files before Panasonic moved to RW2, and scanners and scientific cameras use .raw for headerless dumps with no width, height or layout recorded, which nothing can read without being told those values.
RAW files usually come from older Panasonic and Leica compacts that saved .RAW, and scanners or scientific cameras that use the extension for pixel dumps.
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 RAW 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 RAW 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
- The camera's embedded JPEG preview is what gets converted, not the sensor data; it matches what the camera showed on its screen.
- A headerless .raw pixel dump has no preview and no size information, so it cannot be converted here.
- The DNG holds the decoded 8-bit pixels, so it adds no dynamic range or detail beyond the RAW.
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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. This converter reads the JPEG preview inside the RAW, not its sensor data, so it cannot make one either. 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 this process the RAW sensor data?
No. Camera RAW files carry a JPEG rendered by the camera when the picture was taken, and that is what gets converted, so the result matches what you saw on the camera screen. For full development (white balance, highlight recovery, lens corrections) use a RAW editor.
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.