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How to edit RAW photos on iPhone (CR3, NEF, ARW, RAF and more)
You can edit RAW files from a Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm or most other cameras directly on an iPhone. Copy the files onto the phone with a card reader, make sure your camera is on Apple's supported list, and open them in an editor that reads camera RAW. Every adjustment is then rendered from the RAW data itself, just as it would be on a computer.
That wasn't always true. A few years ago the honest answer was "mostly no", and plenty of forum threads still say so. Apple's system RAW decoder has grown a long way since, and it now does the heavy lifting for any app that uses it. Here is the whole workflow as it stands in 2026.
How do you get RAW files onto an iPhone?
There are two routes: a cable, or your camera maker's app.
With a card reader (recommended)
A card reader is the fastest route and always gives you the full, original RAW. Apple makes the USB-C to SD Card Reader for USB-C iPhones and the Lightning to SD Card Camera Reader for older ones, and most third-party USB-C readers work as well. Take the card out of the camera, plug the reader in, and import.
Once the card is connected you can import it with Apple's Photos app, copy the files with the Files app, or import straight into a RAW editor. Each has trade-offs, covered step by step in How to import RAW files from an SD card to iPhone or iPad.
With a cable to the camera
Many cameras can also be plugged into the iPhone directly with a USB-C cable. The phone sees the camera much like a card, so the same import options apply.
With the camera maker's app
Canon, Nikon, Sony and Fujifilm all have Wi-Fi or Bluetooth transfer apps. They're convenient on the go, but check the settings: some transfer JPEGs or resized copies by default, and you need the RAW for this workflow.
Will your camera's RAW files open?
On iPhone, iPad and Mac, editors don't usually carry their own RAW decoder. They use Apple's, built into the operating system, so the question is whether Apple supports your camera. Apple publishes a list, Digital camera RAW formats supported by iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26 and visionOS 26, and adds new cameras in software updates. Some entries come with conditions, such as lossless compressed files only.
We keep a searchable copy on our supported cameras page. If your camera isn't there yet, Will my camera's RAW files open on iPhone, iPad and Mac? explains why, and what you can do in the meantime.
Which iPhone apps edit camera RAW?
Several editors read camera RAW on iPhone, including Lightroom, Darkroom, Photomator and Raw Smith. Apple's Photos app opens RAW files too, but its editing tools are basic. When choosing, look at three things:
- Does it edit from the RAW? Some apps convert to a JPEG or HEIC first and edit that. A true RAW editor renders every change from the original sensor data, which is where the extra highlight and shadow detail lives.
- Where do your photos live? Some apps need an account or their own cloud; others keep files on your device and in your own iCloud.
- Does it fit the rest of your setup? If you also edit on an iPad or a Mac, you'll want the same edits to follow you.
Raw Smith is a RAW editor for iPhone, iPad and Mac built on Apple's decoder. It has no account, syncs through your own iCloud, and is in public beta on TestFlight now.
How to edit a RAW photo in Raw Smith, step by step
This is the short version. The first-photo tutorial walks through the same steps in more detail.
- Import. In the library, tap Import RAWs and choose From Files…, From Photos… or a connected camera or card under Cameras and Cards. On iPhone, Raw Smith copies each RAW into its own folder in Files.
- Open the photo. Tap it in the grid. The editor's tabs sit under the photo: Edit, Crop, Remove, Masks and Presets.
- Choose a profile. In Edit › Profile, pick Standard, Neutral, Vivid, Monochrome or Apple. The profile is the starting point every other adjustment builds on.
- Set the light. In Light, tap Auto for a starting point, then fine-tune Exposure, Highlights, Shadows, Whites and Blacks. RAW is most forgiving here: pull Highlights down to bring back a bright sky.
- Fix the colour. In Color, choose a White Balance preset or use Sampler and tap something white or grey. Then adjust Vibrance and Saturation.
- Make local changes. In Masks, tap Sky or Subject to select it automatically, then give it its own light and colour. The analysis runs on the iPhone.
- Crop and straighten. In Crop, pick an aspect ratio and tap AUTO to level the horizon.
- Compare. Press and hold the photo to see the original.
- Export. Tap Export, choose a format and size, and tap Save to Photos.
Your original RAW is never changed. Edits are stored separately, and you can reset any panel, or the whole photo, at any time.
Tips for editing RAW on a phone
- Expose for the highlights when you shoot. Shadows lift much more cleanly than blown highlights come back, even from RAW.
- Start with Auto, then go lighter. On a small, bright screen it's easy to overdo contrast and saturation. Check the before and after often.
- Leave noise reduction until last. Sharpening and noise reduction are applied during the RAW decode. Look at them once the photo has settled after an adjustment.
- Copy edits across a set. If you shot a series in the same light, edit one, use Copy Adjustments, then Paste Adjustments on the rest. Crop isn't pasted.
- Watch your storage. RAW files are large. With iCloud sync, photos from your other devices can stay in iCloud until you need the full original. See the sync guide.
Is the iPhone enough, or do you still need a computer?
For most edits, the phone is enough. It uses the same decoder as the Mac, and its screen is excellent for judging colour. A larger screen still helps for careful retouching, fine masks and checking focus. If you have an iPad or a Mac too, a syncing editor lets you import and cull on the phone, then finish on the bigger screen with the same edits. Start on iPhone, finish on Mac shows how.
Questions
Can you edit camera RAW files on an iPhone?
Yes. iOS has a system RAW decoder that reads files from hundreds of camera models, so an editor that uses it can open CR3, NEF, ARW, RAF and other RAW files directly on the phone, with no computer involved.
How do I get RAW files from my camera onto my iPhone?
The most reliable way is a card reader: plug an SD card reader into the iPhone's USB-C or Lightning port, then import from the card. Camera makers' Wi-Fi apps also work, but some send JPEGs or reduced files rather than the full RAW.
Why won't my RAW file open on iPhone?
Usually because Apple's decoder doesn't support that camera yet, or the camera used a compression mode Apple doesn't read. Check Apple's list of supported cameras; new bodies are added in software updates.
Does editing a RAW file on iPhone change the original?
Not in a non-destructive editor. Raw Smith stores your edits separately and renders every change from the untouched RAW, so you can reset or change an edit at any time.
Can I edit Apple ProRAW photos the same way?
Yes. ProRAW is saved as DNG, which iOS reads like any other RAW, so it opens in the same editors, including Raw Smith, which can also use the sky matte the iPhone embeds.