WebP to ARW Converter
Convert WebP 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
WebP expected · other image formats also work
How to use WebP to ARW
- 1
Add your WebP 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 webp 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 WebP
The DNG is written uncompressed, so expect it to be several times larger than the WebP, which stores lossy VP8 coding or lossless VP8L.
No new artefacts
WebP is already lossy, since it stores lossy VP8 coding or lossless VP8L; the DNG keeps the decoded pixels uncompressed, so this step adds no compression damage of its own.
Processed on your device
Your images are decoded, edited and encoded inside this browser tab by Web Workers. Nothing is uploaded to a server.
WebP vs ARW
What changes from WebP to ARW
Encoding: the WebP uses lossy VP8 coding or lossless VP8L; 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: 8 bits per channel in the WebP; ARW allows 12 or 14 bits per channel, and the DNG written here has 8 bits per channel, linearised.
Colour: RGB; lossy WebP stores colour at half resolution (4:2:0) in the WebP; ARW supports camera RGB from a Bayer mosaic, written here as 8-bit sRGB.
Transparency: the WebP stores it as a separate alpha plane, available in lossy as well as lossless files; the DNG has none, so transparent areas are filled with the colour you choose.
Animation: ANMF frame chunks, each with its own delay and blending; the DNG holds one image, so only the first frame is converted.
Metadata: the WebP can carry EXIF, XMP and ICC chunks; ARW can carry EXIF, Sony maker notes, a thumbnail and a full-size JPEG, but nothing is copied across.
About WebP
WebP is Google's web image format. It supports lossy and lossless compression, transparency and animation, and is typically 25 to 35 percent smaller than JPEG at the same visual quality.
A WebP is a RIFF file: 'RIFF', a length, 'WEBP', then chunks. A simple lossy file is one VP8 chunk and a lossless one is VP8L; the extended VP8X header announces alpha, animation, ICC, EXIF or XMP chunks.
WebP files usually come from websites, Chrome's Save image as, CDNs and Android apps.
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 WebP 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 WebP 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
- WebP images saved from websites are often already resized and compressed for the page, so the result cannot be sharper than that copy.
- The DNG holds the decoded 8-bit pixels, so it adds no dynamic range or detail beyond the WebP.
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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 WebP 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 WebP to ARW lose quality?
DNG is written uncompressed, so the pixels are stored exactly as decoded. Artefacts already in the WebP stay, but nothing new is lost.
What happens to transparency when converting WebP to ARW?
WebP stores transparency as a separate alpha plane, available in lossy as well as lossless files. 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.
Will my animated WebP stay animated?
No. DNG holds a single image, so only the first frame is kept. Convert to animated WebP, APNG or GIF to keep the motion, or export every frame with the GIF Frame Extractor.
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.