By default, when you take a photo with your iPhone, the device’s powerful internal processor immediately applies a series of complex algorithms. It adjusts the white balance, reduces noise, sharpens edges, and compresses the final image into a standard JPEG or HEIC file. While this produces excellent photos for social media, it permanently bakes those processing decisions into the image. If you are a photography enthusiast who wants total creative control over editing shadows, highlights, and colors in software like Adobe Lightroom, you need the raw sensor data. Apple provides this capability on its “Pro” tier iPhones through a feature called Apple ProRAW.
Which iPhones Support ProRAW?
ProRAW is considered a professional feature and is exclusively available on the “Pro” and “Pro Max” models, starting with the iPhone 12 Pro and newer (e.g., iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max, iPhone 15 Pro). Standard and “Plus” models do not support this format.
How to Turn on ProRAW in Settings
ProRAW is disabled by default because RAW files are massive—often 10 to 12 times larger than a standard HEIC photo—and can quickly fill up your iCloud storage. You must enable it in the main Settings app first.
- Unlock your iPhone and open the Settings app.
- Scroll down significantly and tap on Camera.
- At the top of the Camera menu, tap on Formats.
- Look under the “Photo Capture” section. You will see a toggle for Apple ProRAW (or “ProRAW & Resolution Control” on newer models).
- Tap the toggle switch to turn it green.
- If you are using an iPhone 14 Pro or newer, a “ProRAW Resolution” menu will appear below the toggle. You can tap this to choose between shooting at 12 Megapixels (smaller file size) or the massive 48 Megapixels (maximum detail but huge file size).
How to Shoot a ProRAW Photo
Enabling the feature in Settings does not mean every photo you take will now be a RAW file. It simply adds a new button to your Camera app, allowing you to toggle it on and off as needed.
- Open the Camera app.
- Look at the top-right corner of the screen (or the top-left if holding the phone horizontally).
- You will see a new icon that says RAW (with a diagonal line crossing through it). The line means the feature is currently off.
- Tap the RAW icon. The diagonal line will disappear, and the word RAW will remain visible.
- Frame your shot and press the shutter button.
It will take a split second longer for the camera to capture and save a ProRAW image due to the massive amount of data being processed. After taking your shot, tap the RAW icon again to turn it off, ensuring your next quick snapshot doesn’t unnecessarily consume 75MB of storage space.