Is this ARW to PNG converter really free?

Yes. Up to 5 files at a time, no signup, no catch. The free tier adds a small watermark to image output — Pro ($9.99/mo or $49/yr) removes it, raises the file size limit to 500 MB, and unlocks unlimited batch conversion.

Are my files uploaded to a server?

No — and you can verify it yourself. Open DevTools → Network tab, then convert a file. You'll see zero upload requests. Everything runs right in your browser. We never see your files.

How long does conversion take?

Usually 1–3 seconds for a typical file. The very first conversion on a fresh page load may take 5–20 seconds while the converter engine loads — after that it's instant. Your CPU does all the work locally.

What is the file size limit?

Free: up to 10 MB per file, 5 files per batch. Pro: up to 500 MB per file, unlimited batch. If you're working with large videos or RAW photos, Pro is built for that.

Can I batch convert multiple ARW files at once?

Yes — drop multiple files at once (or Ctrl/Cmd+click to select them) and they all convert in parallel. Free accounts handle up to 5 files per batch; Pro has no limit.

Will the image quality change after conversion?

It depends on the formats involved. Converting to a lossless format like PNG preserves every pixel exactly. Converting to a lossy format like JPEG or WebP applies compression — we default to 85% quality, which looks identical to the original for almost all images. You won't notice a difference unless you zoom in pixel-by-pixel.

Do you support batch image conversion?

Yes — drop multiple images at once and they all convert in parallel. Free accounts handle up to 5 at a time; Pro is unlimited. Download everything as a single ZIP when you're done.

Does converting ARW to PNG preserve all the RAW data?

No — PNG is an 8-bit (or 16-bit) per-channel format while ARW stores 12–14 bit per-channel RAW sensor data, plus lens corrections and camera metadata. The conversion demosaics and tone-maps the RAW, producing a high-quality but non-RAW output.

Should I edit in ARW or convert to PNG first?

Always edit in ARW (or another RAW format) using dedicated RAW software like Lightroom, Capture One, or Sony Imaging Edge for maximum flexibility. Only convert to PNG for sharing or when you need a finished, fixed-look image.

How private is this converter?

Completely private — by design, not policy. There is no upload endpoint. Files are processed right inside your browser tab and disappear the moment you close it. We collect only anonymous page-view counts; your file content is never seen or stored.

ARW to PNG Converter — Free, Online, No Upload

How to convert ARW to PNG online

1
Drop your ARW file
Drag and drop your Sony Alpha Raw file onto the converter, or click to browse your files. You can select up to 5 at once. Nothing leaves your device — conversion happens right here in the browser.
2
Hit Convert — it happens locally
Click Convert and watch it go. There's no upload, no server queue, no waiting. The converter runs Sony Alpha Raw → Portable Network Graphics entirely in your browser tab. Most files finish in 1–3 seconds.
3
Download your PNG
Your Portable Network Graphics file is ready. Click Download, or grab a ZIP if you converted a batch. Close the tab and everything disappears — no copies kept anywhere.

ARW vs PNG: format overview

ARW

Sony Alpha Raw

Sony · 2006

Compression: lossless
Color depth: 14-bit
Transparency: No

✓ Full sensor data — maximum post-processing flexibility
✓ 14-bit color depth with extended dynamic range
✗ Not viewable without specialized software

PNG

Portable Network Graphics

PNG Development Group (Thomas Boutell) · 1996

Compression: lossless
Color depth: 16-bit
Transparency: Yes

✓ Lossless compression — pixel-perfect quality
✓ Full alpha transparency (8-bit alpha channel)

ARW magic bytes: 49 49 2A 00 (TIFF-based)

PNG magic bytes: 89 50 4E 47 0D 0A 1A 0A

Why convert ARW to PNG?

ARW is Sony's proprietary RAW camera format, used across the Alpha series including cameras like the A7, A7R, A7S, A9, and A6000 lines. RAW files store the raw sensor data before any in-camera processing — they're the digital equivalent of a film negative. No consumer application opens ARW directly without a camera manufacturer plugin or dedicated RAW editor.

Converting ARW to PNG gives you a full-color, lossless image that opens in any application without plugins. Photoshop, Lightroom, Capture One, and other professional tools can open ARW — but if you need to share the image, use it in a document, upload it to a web service, or open it in a basic image viewer, PNG is the universally compatible lossless output format. PNG preserves every bit of detail that the RAW-to-PNG conversion pipeline processes, without lossy compression.

The conversion applies default tone mapping to turn the RAW data into a viewable image — exposure, white balance, and color rendering are all processed during conversion. The resulting PNG will reflect those default settings, which may differ from what you'd get after manual editing in Lightroom or Capture One. If precise color grading matters, do your RAW processing in dedicated software first, then export to PNG. The PNG files will also be large — ARW files are typically 20–50 MB RAW, and the resulting PNG will be 10–40 MB depending on resolution and image content.

Quality & file size: ARW to PNG

Typical file sizes: ARW 20–30 MB → PNG 8–25 MB.

Both ARW and PNG use lossless compression, so no quality is lost in conversion. The output PNG file will be visually identical to the ARW source.

Color depth: ARW supports 14-bit, PNG supports 16-bit.

Transparency: ARW does not support transparency. PNG preserves transparency.

Frequently asked questions

Privacy: how FormatDrop handles your files

Your ARWfiles are converted 100% inside your browser. They are never uploaded to our servers, never stored, and never seen by anyone other than you. This isn't a privacy policy claim — it's an architectural guarantee: our server has no endpoint that receives file bytes.