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.arw File Extension

Learn what a .arw file is, how to open Sony RAW photos, how Poly supports them, and which format to use when sharing.

File extension details for .arw

Full Support
File typeSony Alpha RAW photograph
MIME type
image/x-sony-arw
EncodingBinary, TIFF-based camera RAW with Exif, Sony metadata, and embedded previews
Operating systemsWindows, macOS, Linux, iOS, iPadOS
Opens withSony Imaging Edge Desktop, Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Camera Raw, Apple Photos
Poly supportYes. Poly provides rich support for Sony ARW photos.
Indexed by PolyYes. Poly indexes filenames, available camera metadata, color, and visual similarity.
Preview in PolyYes. ARW files open in Poly's image viewer.
Poly agentYes. The Poly agent can understand the visible photograph.

What kind of file is a .arw?

A .arw file is a Sony camera RAW photograph. Alpha and Cyber-shot cameras use ARW to preserve sensor measurements and capture metadata for later development.1 Compared with a camera-finished JPEG, the RAW file gives an editor more room to adjust white balance, exposure, color, noise reduction, and sharpening.

The conventional image/x-sony-arw MIME type is not registered by IANA.2 ARW is TIFF-based and may begin with the little-endian TIFF bytes 49 49 2A 00, but ordinary TIFF and several other RAW formats share that header. Reliable identification also checks Sony camera metadata and whether a RAW decoder supports the camera model.3

Renaming a JPEG, TIFF, or another RAW file to .arw does not convert it. The filename alone cannot prove that the contents are a valid Sony RAW photo.

How do I open a .arw on my computer?

Use software that supports the exact Sony camera and its RAW compression mode:

  • Windows or macOS: Sony Imaging Edge Desktop can view, adjust, and develop ARW files to JPEG or TIFF.4
  • Windows or macOS: Adobe Lightroom and Camera Raw support many Sony models. Adobe lists the minimum compatible version camera by camera.5
  • macOS, iOS, and iPadOS: Apple provides system RAW support for listed Sony cameras, which compatible apps such as Photos can use.6
  • Linux: RAW editors such as darktable may open ARW files, with support varying by camera model.

Web browsers do not natively develop ARW photos. Export a JPEG, WebP, AVIF, or PNG copy for a website.

Poly support for .arw

Poly gives ARW photos thumbnails, an in-app image preview, available camera metadata, visual search, and agent understanding. You can find a capture by filename, metadata, color, or visible content, and the Poly agent can reason about the displayed photograph.

The preview represents the camera-rendered image stored inside the file rather than a new development of the sensor data. Use a dedicated RAW editor for adjustments such as highlight recovery or white balance. Words photographed inside an ARW are not indexed as document text. Review camera, time, location, and serial metadata before sharing an original.

History of .arw

Sony introduced ARW with its first Alpha DSLR generation. The DSLR-A100 was released in 2006, and its manual describes processing ARW data with Sony's Image Data Converter software.7

ARW has evolved with Sony cameras rather than remaining one fixed decoder target. For example, Sony documents ARW 2.3 in the original Alpha 7 and ARW 6.0 in newer models.89 An older editor may open files from one Sony body but need an update for a newer camera or compression option.

Working with .arw and alternatives

Keep the original ARW as the master, then export a version suited to its destination:

FormatBest forTradeoff
JPEGEmail, galleries, and broad compatibilityLossy; much RAW editing latitude is gone
TIFFHigh-quality interchange and further editingLarge rendered file
DNGRAW-oriented workflows in compatible softwareDifferent container; validate camera-specific behavior
PNGLossless sharing of a finished renderingDoes not preserve the original sensor workflow

Sony Imaging Edge can develop RAW images into JPEG and TIFF files.4 Keep the ARW after export because a rendered derivative cannot recreate all of the original sensor measurements.

Footnotes

  1. Sony. Is the RAW Format the Same as with Sony DSLR or Cyber-shot Cameras?. Identifies ARW as Sony's unique RAW format for Alpha and Cyber-shot cameras. ↩
  2. Internet Assigned Numbers Authority. Media Types Registry. The image registry contains no image/x-sony-arw registration. ↩
  3. ExifTool. Supported File Types. Identifies ARW as a TIFF-based Sony RAW format and documents its metadata families. ↩
  4. Sony. Can't Open, View, or Edit RAW Images on My Computer. Recommends Imaging Edge Desktop and documents JPEG and TIFF output. ↩ ↩2
  5. Adobe. Cameras Supported by Camera Raw. Lists supported Sony models and minimum Camera Raw versions. ↩
  6. Apple Support. Digital Camera RAW Formats Supported by Apple Operating Systems. Lists camera-specific Sony RAW support. ↩
  7. Sony. DSLR-A100 User's Guide. Documents editing ARW-format data with Image Data Converter SR. ↩
  8. Sony. ILCE-7 Specifications. Lists Sony ARW 2.3 and 14-bit RAW output. ↩
  9. Sony. ILCE-7RM6 Specifications. Lists Sony ARW 6.0 as the RAW recording format. ↩
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