The short answer
Why use RAW Viewer?
Checking whether a RAW frame is sharp, or even the right shot, normally means importing it into an editor. Here you open the file, look, and move on.
Pick a DNG, CR2, CR3, NEF, ARW, ORF, or RW2 file up to 100 MB and tap Apply changes. With Develop full RAW data off, you see the preview the camera embedded, which is usually quick. Turn it on to have LibRaw develop the sensor data at 8 bits per channel with the camera's white balance. That can take much longer and gives up after 75 seconds.
The embedded preview is sometimes smaller than the sensor, and it already has the camera's sharpening, so zooming in on it is not a fair focus check. Use the full develop when you need to judge fine detail. Download result saves a PNG, which is lossless but large: a 24 megapixel frame can easily run to tens of megabytes.
If you want a file to share rather than an exact copy, RAW to JPG uses the same decoding and saves JPEG, PNG, WebP or AVIF. For Photoshop files use PSD Viewer, and for ordinary JPEG or PNG photos, Image Viewer shows the pixel size without converting anything.
Where RAW Viewer fits
Culling on the go
Check whether a RAW frame is the right shot on a laptop without photo software.
Card checks
Open a file straight from a memory card to confirm the camera recorded properly.
Shared RAW files
Look at a RAW a photographer sent you before deciding whether to edit it.
Start to finish
How to use RAW Viewer
- 01Tap Choose RAW file and pick the camera file you want to check.
- 02Tap Apply changes; turn on Develop full RAW data when you need to judge fine detail.
- 03If you want to keep what you see, tap Download result for a PNG copy.
What to expect from RAW Viewer
| Check | What it means here |
|---|---|
| Supported input | PDF, RAW, PSD or PDF-compatible AI files, depending on the tool |
| Main controls | Page, output, password, or resolution options, depending on the format |
| Output | An image, a protected PDF, a renamed file, extracted images, or file details |
| Working limit | 100 MB per file; PDFs up to 250 pages per run |
RAW Viewer tips
- Do not judge focus on the embedded preview; it is already sharpened.
- PNG copies of 24 megapixel frames can run to tens of megabytes.
- Files larger than 100 MB are refused.
- Nothing is written back to the RAW file, so it stays untouched.
RAW Viewer FAQ
Something missing? Ask us.
Why does it look different from Lightroom?
Can I adjust exposure or white balance?
Does RAW Viewer upload my file?
Can I use RAW Viewer on a phone?
Is RAW Viewer free to use?
Why did RAW Viewer fail or look wrong?
Related tools
More in Converters.