What is iPhone ProRAW Format & How to Use it

If you own iPhone 12/13/14 Pro or Pro Max version and have iOS 14.3 or a more recent version installed, you might have noticed a new image format for your captured photos. This format, known as Apple ProRAW, introduces a range of features that were previously unavailable for your device's photos.

To gain a comprehensive understanding of this iPhone ProRAW format and its capabilities, this guide is specifically designed to provide you with the necessary information.

Part 1. What is iPhone ProRAW format?

You must be curious about what iPhone ProRAW format is. Just let this part detail the new image format. You will also be given the comparison between iPhone ProRAW and JPEG.

Overview of Apple ProRAW

If you're familiar with capturing photos, you might already know about RAW photos. A RAW photo is the unprocessed version of an image captured by your camera. Unlike other image formats like JPEG or PNG, RAW photos contain all the original data and allow for more extensive editing using specialized image editing software.

iPhone ProRAW format takes the concept of RAW photos further and enhances their capabilities on your Apple devices. It provides you with increased control and flexibility when editing your photos directly on your device. With Apple ProRAW, you can make precise adjustments and modifications to achieve your desired look and enhance the overall quality of your images.

iPhone ProRAW vs JPEG

iPhone ProRAW is completely different from JPEG and in many aspects.

Photo Editing
When working with JPEG images, you may encounter limitations in terms of the editing options available. There are certain aspects of JPEG photos that you cannot go beyond when making edits.

However, with ProRAW photos, you have greater flexibility and control. ProRAW allows you to make extensive changes to various aspects of the image, such as exposure, color, and white balance. This means you can fine-tune these elements to achieve your desired look and make more precise adjustments to enhance the overall quality of your ProRAW photos.

File Size
iPhone ProRAW file sizes are typically ten to twelve times larger than HEIC or JPEG images due to the additional data they contain. To manage and transfer ProRAW photos efficiently, you can use FoneTool, a tool that helps free up space on your device while handling ProRAW files effectively.

Format Support
Most photo editors are compatible with JPEG format. While to edit ProRAW photos taken on your iPhone, you need an image editor that supports RAW photo editing. ProRAW photos are saved in the standard DNG format, so any editor compatible with DNG files can be used.

Part 2. How to utilize and shoot ProRAW on iPhone

Enabling the ProRAW option and capturing photos in this file format on your iOS device is possible if you have a supported iPhone model with a compatible iOS version. By default, the ProRAW option is disabled, so you will need to navigate to the settings menu and manually enable it to start capturing photos in ProRAW format.

How to enable iPhone ProRAW format
Step 1. Go to the Settings app on your iPhone > Scroll down to locate and tap Camera.

Step 2. Tap Formats > Locate and toggle on the switch next to Apple ProRAW.

How to shoot in Apple ProRAW
To take a ProRAW photo, go to the Camera app on your iPhone, and tap on the RAW icon in the upper-right corner.

Bonus: How to transfer ProRAW photos from iPhone to PC

To efficiently free up storage space on your iPhone or edit RAW photos using powerful software such as Lightroom and Photoshop, it's often necessary to transfer RAW photos to your computer.

For this task, FoneTool, a reliable transfer software designed for iOS devices, is highly recommended. With FoneTool, you can easily transfer RAW photos from your iPhone to your computer, allowing you to optimize storage space and work with your RAW files using professional editing tools.

Now, I’ll show you how to transfer selected ProRAW photos from iPhone to PC with FoneTool within three simple steps.

Step 1. Connect your iPhone to computer with USB > Launch FoneTool and choose Phone Transfer option > Mouse over to iPhone to PC and click Start Transfer.

Step 2. Click the plus icon > Check the Photos icon and uncheck the others > Preview and select the photos you want to transfer > Click OK to confirm.

Step 3. Choose a destination from Transfer Settings as per you like (Local folders, external hard drives, USB, etc. are all allowed) > Click Start Transfer to start the process.

Summary

iPhone ProRAW format is a new file format that captures more details in photos on your iPhone. It is particularly appealing to photographers and photo enthusiasts who enjoy editing their images.

To edit RAW photos on PC with professional software, it’s suggested to transfer photos to computer using FoneTool. Please share this guide if it helps you.