Open Sony ARW (.arw) files online

What is a .arw file?

An ARW (Alpha RAW) file is Sony's RAW format, storing the full sensor capture from an α-series camera: 14-bit tonal data, the complete metadata block, and an embedded JPEG preview. It preserves the highlight and shadow detail that Sony's in-camera JPEG engine compresses away.

You'll find .arw files coming from Sony α (Alpha) mirrorless bodies and RX compacts — the α7 III and IV, α7R series, α6000 line, α1 and RX100 series.

Why won't a .arw file open on my computer?

ARW files won't display in a browser or most pre-installed viewers, and support for each new α body arrives in desktop software months after the camera ships — leaving new owners unable to look at their own shots.

Pholara sidesteps all of that: LibRaw — the same decoder behind many desktop RAW tools — runs as WebAssembly in your browser, so a current Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari is all you need.

Save it as JPEG — or actually edit it

Once your photo is decoded you can download it as a full-resolution JPEG (there's also a dedicated RAW to JPEG converter), or jump straight into the full editor — tone curves, white balance, HSL, lens corrections and more, all free with no account.

Other RAW formats you can open

Canon CR2 (.cr2) · Canon CR3 (.cr3) · Nikon NEF (.nef) · Adobe DNG (.dng) · Fujifilm RAF (.raf) · Olympus ORF (.orf) · Panasonic RW2 (.rw2)

Pholara opens many more — see every supported format.