Camera RAW conversion
Convert ARW to HEIF
Updated Jul 2026
ARW is the raw file format Sony Alpha cameras save, and HEIF is the compact format Apple devices use for photos. To convert ARW to HEIF, open the file in a converter and export it as HEIF once you're happy with the shot. Doing this on your own computer means the raw file, and everything it recorded about the shot, stays off other people's servers.
- Extension
- .arw
- Type
- Camera RAW
- Typically
- Sony cameras
- Metadata
- Carries EXIF
- Extension
- .heif
- Type
- Images
- Typically
- Apple devices
- Compression
- Lossy
- Transparency
- None
- Metadata
- Carries EXIF
Convert ARW to HEIF on your own computer. Nothing uploads.
How to convert ARW to HEIF
- Open Morphjet and drag in the ARW file, or a whole folder of them, from your card or drive.
- Choose HEIF as the output format.
- Convert. The HEIF files are written next to your originals, and nothing leaves your machine.
ARW vs HEIF: what actually changes
| ARW | HEIF | |
|---|---|---|
| Opens everywhere | No, needs camera-maker software or a raw-capable editor | Yes on Apple devices, spotty elsewhere without conversion |
| File size | Large, often 25 to 60 MB per shot | Much smaller, a fraction of the raw size |
| Quality | Lossless, full sensor data untouched | Lossy, compressed on export |
| Editing latitude | Full, exposure and white balance can be reworked | Limited, those decisions are baked in |
| Keeps camera and shot metadata (EXIF) | Yes | Yes, unless you strip it |
When to convert, and when not to
Convert ARW to HEIF once you've finished editing a shot and want a compact, good-quality file to view on an Apple device, share, or archive without the raw file's footprint.
Keep the ARW original if you still plan to adjust exposure, white balance, or recover shadow and highlight detail, since HEIF locks in those choices and can't get the raw sensor data back.
Why not just use an online converter?
An ARW file carries EXIF data recorded by the camera, including the shooting settings, timestamp, and sometimes GPS location if the camera or a paired phone logged it. Send that file to an online converter and all of that travels to a server you don't control. Converting on your own computer means the shot, and what it recorded about where and how it was taken, never leaves your machine.
Questions
Does converting ARW to HEIF lose quality?
Yes, some. ARW is lossless and holds the camera's full sensor data, while HEIF compresses the image on export. For viewing, sharing, or printing the difference is hard to see, but it's a real, permanent trade you can't reverse.
Can I still edit exposure and white balance after converting to HEIF?
Not the way you can with the raw file. Once it's HEIF, those adjustments are baked into the image rather than stored as separate, changeable data, so it's worth finishing your edits before converting.
Will the HEIF keep my camera's metadata?
Yes, the timestamp, camera settings, and any GPS data from the ARW carry over to the HEIF unless you strip it during conversion.
Can I convert ARW to HEIF without uploading it anywhere?
Yes. A desktop app like Morphjet converts the file on your own computer, so it never has to travel over the internet, even with a large batch straight off a memory card.
Why convert Sony raw files to HEIF instead of JPG?
HEIF holds comparable quality in a smaller file than JPG, which matters if you're saving a lot of finished shots for an Apple device or want to save on storage space.
Morphjet converts ARW, HEIF, and 1,800+ other formats, all on your machine. Launching this July.