What is Apple ProRAW?
Apple ProRAW allows greater flexibility in editing the exposure, colour and white balance in your photos by combining information from a standard RAW format with iPhone image processing.
Note that all this extra information in your images means that your ProRAW photos are many times larger than your standard JPEG and HEIC images, which will impact your iPhone and iCloud storage.
How to Enable ProRAW
To enable ProRAW, open Settings > Camera > Formats, then turn on Apple ProRAW & Resolution Control under Photo Capture.
If you turn off RAW in the Camera app, the format of the photo defaults to the format you set under Camera Capture in Settings > Camera > Formats: either High Efficiency (HEIF format) or Most Compatible (JPEG).
How to Take Photos with ProRAW
To take photos with ProRAW, tap RAW at the top of the Camera app, select your desired resolution, then take your picture.
Choosing ProRAW Resolution
On iPhone 14 Pro and later Pro models, you can capture Apple ProRAW images at two resolutions: 12 megapixels or 48 megapixels. 48MP photos capture more detail, giving you greater flexibility when cropping. Choose 12MP for smaller files.
To access these settings:
- In the Settings app, tap Camera.
- Tap Formats.
- Turn on Apple ProRAW to reveal the resolution options.
- Tap ProRAW & Resolution Control and select either 12MP or 48MP.
On some Pro models and iOS versions, you can access these settings directly within the Camera app via the RAW option at the top.
HEIF vs HEIF Max vs ProRAW 12 vs ProRAW Max
On iPhone 14 Pro and later Pro models with iOS 17, you can choose between the HEIF and RAW formats.
On iPhone 14 and later models with iOS 17, you can choose your format and resolution in the Camera app, but RAW Max is only available on iPhone Pro models.
Comparison Table
| Feature | HEIF | HEIF Max | ProRAW 12 | ProRAW Max |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Max Resolution | 12MP or 24MP 1 | Up to 48MP 2 | 12MP | Up to 48MP 2 |
| File Type | HEIF | HEIF | DNG (ProRAW) | DNG (ProRAW) |
| Approx. File Size 3 | ~1 to 1.5 MB | ~5 MB | ~25 MB | ~75 MB |
| Editing Control | Standard | Standard | High | High |
| Live Photos Support | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ |
1Available resolutions depend on your iPhone model and camera settings.
2 Maximum resolution can decrease depending on Night mode, zoom, and flash.
3 File sizes vary by scene and settings.
How to transfer ProRAW photos to a PC or Mac using TouchCopy
ProRAW photos take up considerably more storage than JPEG or HEIF photos. Transferring them to your computer lets you keep a backup and free up space on your iPhone.
To back up your ProRAW photos using TouchCopy, follow these steps:
- Download and install TouchCopy.
- Run TouchCopy and connect your iPhone Pro or Pro Max model (iPhone 12+)
- On the "Photos" tab, select the ProRAW photos you'd like to back up.
- Click "Save to PC" or "Copy to Mac" in TouchCopy and select where to save them on your PC or Mac.
ProRAW images will appear with the 
icon next to them.
Photos that show the 
icon are stored in iCloud. See our guide to saving or excluding iCloud photos.
Preserving your original ProRAW files
TouchCopy will export your ProRAW images in .DNG format, without modifying or converting the files. These files can then be opened and edited in Adobe Photoshop, Affinity Photo or another compatible photo editor.
In addition to backing up photos, TouchCopy can create differential photo backups, save photos from messages and much more. For more detailed information, please see our TouchCopy user guide for transferring photos and videos from iPhone to PC or Mac.
For more in-depth information regarding the ProRAW format, please visit Apple's official guidance.
Before deleting ProRAW photos from your iPhone
Before deleting photos from your iPhone, check that all selected files have transferred successfully and open a few DNG files in a compatible photo editor. Keep a second backup on another drive or with a backup service before removing your originals.
Troubleshooting
If your photos are stored in iCloud, TouchCopy cannot transfer them until the originals are downloaded to your iPhone. Download the originals to your device before trying again. See our guide to copying photos stored in iCloud.
