How to open RAW files

Have you received a raw file and don’t know what it is? Simple, it’s the file format used by professional and semi professional cameras to save photos. In reality, the raw format can be imagined as a “raw” format of a file, not yet encoded in the final format; the great advantage is that the photo has not yet been manipulated or compressed so there is no data loss. But how to open RAW files ? Actually viewing the contents of a raw file is easier than you think and in this guide I’ll give you all the tools to open this type of file.

Index

• How to open RAW files
  • Open RAW files on Mac
  • Open RAW files on Windows
  • Open RAW files from smartphones

How to open RAW files

Open RAW files on Mac

If you use a MAC and are wondering how to open RAW files, the answer is very simple because you already have everything you need on your computer. In fact, you just need to double click on the raw file you want to open to open it with the Preview program .

Alternatively, on Mac you can use the Photos application, which is also already present in your operating system; The photo application will also allow you to make small adjustments for the brightness of the photo and color graduations.

Do you prefer not to use the tools of your Mac and are you looking for a program to open files with raw extension? Then you can download XN VIew MP , an excellent tool that allows you to view and convert raw files on mac. To download it scroll down and press the OS DMG 64 button . Once downloaded, install the dmg file on your mac as usual.

If you are looking for a free program for Mac that also allows you to make changes to photos then you can download and install RawTherapee ; it is a free editor for raw that is not really easy to use given the many functions present within it, so it is not within everyone’s reach.

To download this raw file editor from the home page click on the MacOS button and install the dmg package as usual.

Open RAW files on Windows

Even newer versions of windows are able to open raw files in view. In fact, starting from Windows 8 you can open raw files with a double click; the files will be displayed thanks to the Photos application . But how to open RAW files with older versions of Windows? Sempilice you can download a free raw file editor.

XN VIew MP is a good free raw file viewer and you can download it from the product home page . To download it, scroll down and press the Zip Win 32bit button  (for 32-bit Windows), on  Zip Win 64bit  (for 64-bit Windows). Once the zip archive has been downloaded, run the xnviewmp.exe file contained within it. This editor does not allow you to edit raw files.

If you are looking for a free raw file editor to edit raw files then download RawTherapee , it is one of the best free raw file editors currently available on the net,

Open RAW files from smartphones

Do you have an Android or Apple phone and don’t know how to open RAW files? On both android and iphone there is no preset function to open raw files. However, you can download the free Adobe Lightroom app (available for iOS and Android) which will allow you to view and edit raw files (small changes of course).

You can insert filters in photos but also crop and rotate them and especially adjust the colors as well as correct on the colors of the images and modify exposure, hue, saturation and contrast.

And if you are looking for a good program to edit photos and perform small photo editing then read my guide on the best free photo editing programs .