TIFF to ARW Converter
Convert TIFF to ARW in your browser. You download a Linear DNG (.dng), not a .arw: only a Sony camera can create a genuine ARW, and every editor that opens ARW also opens DNG. Nothing is uploaded.
- Processed locally
- No upload, no wait
- No sign-up
- No watermark
Drop images here
or choose files · paste with Ctrl/⌘ V
TIFF expected · other image formats also work
How to use TIFF to ARW
- 1
Add your TIFF files: drop them here, choose them, or paste from the clipboard.
- 2
Pick the colour that replaces transparent areas, since DNG has none.
- 3
Click Convert. Each file is decoded and encoded in a background thread on this device.
- 4
Download the .dng files one at a time or together as a ZIP.
Why use Aback Images for tiff to arw
Where a ARW would go
ARW files are opened by Sony Imaging Edge, Lightroom, Photoshop Camera Raw, Capture One and darktable, and every one of them opens the DNG too.
DNG next to TIFF
Neither format compresses much, so the DNG lands close to the TIFF in size.
Written without a lossy pass
The DNG is written uncompressed, so the pixels decoded from the TIFF arrive unchanged, apart from precision beyond 8 bits per channel.
Processed on your device
Your images are decoded, edited and encoded inside this browser tab by Web Workers. Nothing is uploaded to a server.
TIFF vs ARW
What changes from TIFF to ARW
Encoding: the TIFF uses none, LZW, PackBits, Deflate or JPEG, chosen per file; ARW uses Sony's lossy compressed raw, uncompressed (since the A7R II) or lossless compressed (since the A1), and the download is a Linear DNG: demosaiced 8-bit RGB with the colour matrices raw editors need.
Bit depth: 1 to 16 bits per channel, or 32-bit floating point in the TIFF; ARW allows 12 or 14 bits per channel, and the DNG written here has 8 bits per channel, linearised. 16-bit and floating-point TIFFs are reduced to 8 bits per channel.
Colour: RGB, CMYK, Lab, greyscale or palette, often with an ICC profile in the TIFF; ARW supports camera RGB from a Bayer mosaic, written here as 8-bit sRGB.
Transparency: the TIFF stores it as an extra sample declared in the ExtraSamples tag; the DNG has none, so transparent areas are filled with the colour you choose.
Other images: the TIFF can hold several pages, each in its own image file directory; only the main image is converted.
Metadata: the TIFF can carry EXIF, XMP, IPTC and ICC, all stored as tags; ARW can carry EXIF, Sony maker notes, a thumbnail and a full-size JPEG, but nothing is copied across.
About TIFF
TIFF is the professional archive and print format. It can hold multiple pages, high bit depths and lossless data, and is common in scanning, publishing and GIS.
A TIFF begins with 'II' or 'MM' for the byte order and the number 42, then an offset to the first image file directory (IFD): a table of tags giving the size, compression, colour model and the location of the strips or tiles of pixels. Each further page is another IFD.
TIFF files usually come from scanners, print and publishing workflows, photo archives and tethered camera capture.
About ARW
ARW is the raw format of Sony Alpha, RX and Cyber-shot cameras. It stores the sensor data (compressed, uncompressed or lossless compressed, depending on the model) with a full-size JPEG preview.
ARW is TIFF-based: the first directory carries EXIF and Sony's JPEG preview and the sensor data sits in a sub-directory. In Sony's classic compressed raw each block of 16 same-colour pixels keeps an 11-bit maximum and minimum plus 7-bit steps for the rest, which can leave artefacts beside high-contrast edges.
ARW files come from Sony Alpha mirrorless and SLT cameras, RX compacts and some Cyber-shot models.
When converting TIFF to ARW makes sense
Forms and workflows that ask for ARW usually feed a raw editor, and each of those opens DNG as well, so the DNG can take the ARW's place. Keep the TIFF if you only need to view or share the picture.
What ARW offers when it comes straight from the camera: A full-size JPEG preview from the camera; Lossless compressed raw on recent bodies; Wide support across Sony's long Alpha line. Its drawbacks: Sony's classic compressed mode is lossy; Uncompressed files of 60 MB and more on high-resolution bodies; Creative Looks are ignored by most third-party raw editors.
Limitations
- Only the first page of a multi-page TIFF is converted; split the file first if you need every page.
- CMYK TIFFs from print workflows are converted to RGB, which changes how a print shop's colours are described.
- The DNG holds the decoded 8-bit pixels, so it adds no dynamic range or detail beyond the TIFF.
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Frequently asked questions
Why do I get a .dng file instead of a .arw?
A real ARW is written by Sony cameras and holds the sensor's own readings (12 or 14 bits per channel, stored as Sony's lossy compressed raw, uncompressed (since the A7R II) or lossless compressed (since the A1)) along with EXIF, Sony maker notes, a thumbnail and a full-size JPEG. A TIFF holds no sensor data, so no software outside the camera can create a genuine ARW. The Linear DNG you get instead is Adobe's open raw format, and every editor that opens ARW files opens it with the same raw controls. It holds decoded pixels, so it adds no quality or dynamic range.
Does converting TIFF to ARW lose quality?
DNG is written uncompressed, so the pixels are stored exactly as decoded. 16-bit and floating-point TIFFs are reduced to 8 bits per channel. Not carried over: any several pages.
What happens to transparency when converting TIFF to ARW?
TIFF stores transparency as an extra sample declared in the ExtraSamples tag. DNG has no alpha channel, so transparent pixels are composited onto a solid colour, white unless you pick another. To keep transparency, convert to PNG, WebP or AVIF instead.
Are my images uploaded anywhere?
No. Processing happens inside your browser with WebAssembly and Web Workers. The site only downloads the app code and codecs; your files never leave your device. You can confirm this with the live upload counter on the tool, or in your browser's network panel.
Can I process many files at once?
Yes. Drop a whole selection or folder. Files are processed in parallel on several worker threads, each result can be downloaded on its own, and everything can be saved as one ZIP.
Is it free? Is there a file limit or watermark?
It is free with no account, no watermark and no daily limit. The only limit is your device's memory: very large images (over roughly 100 megapixels) may be refused to keep the tab from crashing.