About Apple ProRAW
On iPhone 12 Pro and later Pro models with iOS 14.3 or later, you can take photos in Apple ProRAW. ProRAW gives you greater creative control when editing photos.
Apple ProRAW combines the information of a standard RAW format along with iPhone image processing, which gives you more flexibility when editing the exposure, colour and white balance in your photo. With iOS 14.3 or later and an iPhone 12 Pro or later Pro models, your phone can capture images in ProRAW format using any of its cameras, including when also using the Smart HDR, Deep Fusion or Night mode features.* You can edit ProRAW photos in the Photos app and other third-party photo apps.
* You can't use ProRAW with Live Photos, in Portrait mode or when shooting video.
Turn on ProRAW
To take photos with ProRAW, go to Settings > Camera > Formats, then turn on Apple ProRAW & Resolution Control under Photo Capture. To take a ProRAW photo, tap RAW
in the Camera app, then take your shot.
If you turn off RAW in the Camera app, the format of the photo defaults to the format you set under Camera Capture in Settings > Camera > Formats: either High Efficiency (HEIF format) or Most Compatible (JPEG).
Choose a resolution for your ProRAW images
On iPhone 14 Pro and later Pro models, you can capture Apple ProRAW images at two resolutions: 12 megapixels or 48 megapixels. 48MP images retain more detail in your image file. This lets you zoom in and have more creative control when cropping. 12MP images result in a smaller file size.
In the Settings app, tap Camera.
Tap Formats.
Turn on Apple ProRAW to reveal the resolution options.
Tap ProRAW & Resolution Control and select either 12 MP or 48 MP.
The file size of a ProRAW image at 12MP resolution is approximately 25 MB, and the file size at 48MP is approximately 75 MB. Only photos that you take with the main camera at 1x can be saved at 48MP. Ultra Wide, Telephoto, Night mode, flash and macro photos can only be saved at 12MP.
About HEIF Max and ProRAW Max formats
On iPhone 14 Pro and later Pro models with iOS 17, you can choose your format and resolution directly in the Camera app:
Open the Camera app.
Tap and hold the resolution setting at the top of the screen.
Choose the format you want to use.
If you choose HEIF Max or RAW Max, you get up to 48 MP. The resolution changes if you use zoom or switch to Night mode or Flash when you take a picture.
RAW 12 offers up to 12 MP and standard HEIF offers up to 24 MP.
Set your default resolution and format in Settings
On iPhone 14 and later models with iOS 17, you can choose your format and resolution in the Camera app, but RAW Max is only available on iPhone Pro models.
Manage ProRAW files
ProRAW files are 10 to 12 times larger than HEIF or JPEG files, and ProRAW files are even larger if you select 48MP as your resolution. If you store the files on your device, you may run out of space more quickly than you'd expect. And if you use iCloud Photos to store your photos, you might need to upgrade your iCloud storage plan
Use ProRAW with Photos and other apps
ProRAW uses the industry standard digital negative (DNG) file format, so you can open ProRAW files with apps that are compatible with DNG files. For the best experience, however, use apps that are compatible with ProRAW files, such as the Photos app on your iPhone with iOS 14.3 or later or on a Mac with macOS Big Sur 11.1 or later.
You can share the original unedited ProRAW photo, which has the .dng file extension. And if you edit the photo in the Photos app, you can also share the edited version, which has the .jpg file extension when shared.
Edit a ProRAW file with another app
You can open a ProRAW photo in an app that doesn’t support ProRAW, but it may look different than expected when opened. If the ProRAW photo doesn't look as expected, try using the app's feature for enhancing the photo automatically.
Share ProRAW photos
Here are the best ways to share your ProRAW photos:
Use iCloud Photos
To transfer the original ProRAW file from your iPhone to another iPhone, iPad or your Mac, use AirDrop. If you edit the photo in the Photos app and then share it, you'll share a JPG file. To share the original ProRAW file from the Photos app on your iPhone, tap Share, tap Duplicate, tap Edit, tap Revert and then share the photo using AirDrop.
To share an edited ProRAW photo with someone else, edit the photo in the Photos app on your iPhone, then AirDrop, email or send with Messages. A JPG file that includes your edits will be shared.
To email a ProRAW photo, create an email in the Mail app on your iPhone and then add the photo to the email. The Mail app converts the ProRAW file to a smaller JPG file automatically, which you can then send by email.
If you edit a ProRAW photo and want to share both the original ProRAW file and the edited JPG file, use Image Capture on Mac or the Windows Photos app on a PC to import the files. You can also use AirDrop to share both files to a Mac. Tap on Options and turn on All Photos Data before sharing, then select Save to Downloads when you receive the files on your Mac.
If you’ve edited a ProRAW photo in the Photos app on your Mac, and you want to use your Mac to share the original ProRAW file only, select the photo in the Photos app, then choose File > Export > Export Unmodified Original.
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