Camera RAW conversion
Convert ARW to HEIC
Updated Jul 2026
ARW is the raw file format Sony cameras save straight from the sensor, unprocessed and large. HEIC is a compressed, everyday photo format. To convert, open the ARW in a converter, choose HEIC as the output, and export. Doing this on your own computer means the raw file and its camera data never get uploaded anywhere.
- Extension
- .arw
- Type
- Camera RAW
- Typically
- Sony cameras
- Metadata
- Carries EXIF
- Extension
- .heic
- Type
- Images
- Typically
- Default iPhone photo format
- Compression
- Lossy
- Transparency
- None
- Metadata
- Carries EXIF
Convert ARW to HEIC on your own computer. Nothing uploads.
How to convert ARW to HEIC
- Open Morphjet and drag in the ARW files straight from your camera or memory card, one at a time or a whole folder.
- Choose HEIC as the output format.
- Convert. The HEIC photos are written next to your originals, and nothing leaves your machine.
ARW vs HEIC: what actually changes
| ARW | HEIC | |
|---|---|---|
| File size | Very large, tens of megabytes per photo | Much smaller, a fraction of the size |
| Quality | Lossless, full sensor data | Lossy, compressed but visually clean |
| Opens everywhere | No, needs Sony's own software or a RAW-capable editor | Mostly, modern Apple devices open it natively, some older apps and PCs need a plugin |
| Editing flexibility | High, adjust exposure and white balance after the fact with no quality loss | Limited, changes are baked into the file like any processed photo |
| Keeps date, camera, and location (EXIF) | Yes | Yes, unless you strip it |
When to convert, and when not to
Convert ARW to HEIC once you're done editing a shot and want a smaller, easy-to-share version of it, or when you're moving photos onto an iPhone or an iCloud library that expects a compressed format.
Keep the ARW original if you might reprocess the shot later, since a raw file holds detail an already-compressed HEIC can't get back.
Why not just use an online converter?
ARW files straight off a Sony camera often carry the camera model, lens, exposure settings, and sometimes GPS location if the camera has GPS built in. Upload that file to an online converter and all of it lands on someone else's server along with the image itself. Converting on your own computer means the raw file, and everything it recorded about the shot, stay put.
Questions
Does converting ARW to HEIC lose quality?
Yes, but only once. The raw file holds more data than any single output can show, and HEIC compresses that down. If you edit the ARW well and export at a reasonable size, the loss is hard to see, but you can't undo it later.
Will the HEIC keep my camera's metadata?
Yes, most converters carry over the date, camera model, and exposure settings by default. If your camera recorded GPS coordinates, those are usually kept too, unless you choose to strip them.
Can I open ARW files without Sony's own software?
Yes. Most modern RAW-capable editors and converters can read ARW, though very old software might not recognize newer camera models.
Can I convert ARW to HEIC without uploading my photos?
Yes. A desktop app like Morphjet reads the raw file and writes the HEIC on your own computer, so the photos never touch the internet.
Morphjet converts ARW, HEIC, and 1,800+ other formats, all on your machine. Launching this July.