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BMP to ARW Converter
BMP
ARW
Convert up to 5 BMP images to ARW — drag, drop, download.
Drop BMP images here
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Each file is also available individually above.
About BMP → ARW conversion
What is BMP?
BMP (Bitmap) is an uncompressed raster format native to Windows. Files retain every pixel exactly with no quality loss, but produce very large file sizes. It is used in legacy software, hardware drivers, and particular printing workflows.
What is ARW?
ARW (Alpha Raw Workflow) is Sony's proprietary RAW format used by Alpha series cameras — from the A6000 series to the A7R V, A9, and A1. It stores 12 or 14 bits of unprocessed sensor data per channel, giving photographers full post-processing latitude for exposure, colour, and tone before exporting to a shareable format.
About ARW
ARW (Alpha Raw Workflow) is the proprietary RAW file format used by Sony Alpha cameras: the A6x00 series (APS-C mirrorless), the A7 series (full-frame mirrorless, I through IV), A7R, A7S, A7C, A9, A1, and the cinema line (FX3, FX30, ZV-E1). ARW files store uncompressed or losslessly compressed sensor data — typically 12 or 14 bits per channel — before any in-camera processing such as Creative Style profiles, Active D-Range Optimiser (DRO), or sharpening is applied. Like all RAW formats, ARW captures the complete sensor output at full dynamic range, providing maximum latitude for exposure and color correction in post-production.
The compatibility tradeoff is the same as any proprietary RAW format. ARW files require Sony Imaging Edge (formerly PlayMemories), Adobe Lightroom, Capture One, or a compatible RAW editor to open. Browsers, email clients, social platforms, and most general-purpose applications cannot display ARW natively. Converting to JPG produces a universally compatible output.
When ARW to JPG is the right call
Delivering shots to clients, posting to Instagram or X, uploading to a content management system, sending previews by email, or submitting to a stock library that requires JPG — all require a compatible format. This converter provides a fast path from ARW sensor data to a shareable JPG, PNG, or WebP without a full post-processing workflow.
About this conversion
ufraw-batch decodes the ARW sensor data using default auto white balance and a linear tone curve. Imagick handles the output format (JPG, PNG, or WebP). The conversion produces a neutral, flat render without Sony's Creative Style profiles (Standard, Vivid, Portrait, Landscape, Sunset, etc.) or DRO processing. The result does not replicate what the camera's in-camera JPEG engine would produce. For camera-matched output, export from Sony Imaging Edge or Adobe Lightroom with your chosen Creative Style applied.
File size note
Sony ARW files range from 12–50+ MB depending on sensor resolution and in-camera compression setting (uncompressed, lossless compressed, or lossy compressed RAW). Files from high-resolution bodies — the A7R IV (61 MP uncompressed) and A7R V (61 MP) — routinely exceed the 20 MB upload limit. Set the camera to compressed or lossy RAW to reduce file sizes, or export a reduced-resolution JPEG from Imaging Edge, then use this converter for format-only conversion.
Frequently asked questions
Is this converter free?
Yes — completely free with no account required. No watermarks are added to your converted files, and no subscription is needed.
How do I convert BMP to ARW?
Drop your BMP images into the upload zone (or click Choose files). Adjust the quality slider if needed, then click Convert all to ARW. Once done, download each file individually or click Download all (ZIP) for the full batch.
How many files can I convert at once?
Up to 5 images per batch, maximum 20 MB per file. All images in your queue are converted in parallel. Start a new batch to process more.
Are my images stored after conversion?
Converted files are held on the server only long enough for download, then automatically deleted. No images are retained beyond your session.
BMP (Windows Bitmap) is Microsoft's uncompressed raster image format, built into Windows since version 1.0. BMP stores pixel data as uncompressed 24-bit or 32-bit RGB — no lossy compression stage, no quantization, no chroma subsampling. The format is the default output of many Windows screen capture tools, older scanning software, legacy design applications, and game asset pipelines. ARW is Sony's Alpha RAW format, used in Sony Alpha mirrorless cameras (a7 series, a9 series, ZV-E series) and Sony Alpha DSLR bodies. The AT USE BMP to ARW Converter reads the uncompressed BMP pixel grid and writes it into an ARW-compatible container. The output opens in Adobe Lightroom Classic, Adobe Camera Raw, Sony Imaging Edge Desktop (Catalyst Browse), and Capture One.
Because BMP is already uncompressed, the pixel data entering the ARW container has not undergone any prior lossy encoding step — unlike JPEG or WebP source files, there are no compression artifacts or quantization blocks to carry forward. This makes BMP one of the cleaner source formats for this type of container conversion.
What the conversion does and does not do
The output is not genuine camera RAW data. A BMP image is a fully rendered, tone-mapped picture — white balance, color space, and gamma have already been baked in by the application that created it. Repackaging the BMP pixel buffer in an ARW container does not produce the 12-bit or 14-bit unprocessed Bayer-pattern sensor data that a Sony camera-originated ARW contains. What you get is a 24-bit RGB image stored in a Sony-compatible RAW container. Adobe Lightroom Classic and Capture One will apply their default ARW camera profile on import, which may shift colors compared to the BMP's original appearance in a Windows viewer. The Camera Calibration panel in Lightroom's Develop module can compensate.
BMP color depth and alpha channel
Standard 24-bit BMP files (the most common variant) convert directly to the 24-bit RGB representation stored in the ARW container. 32-bit BMP files that carry an alpha (transparency) channel are flattened during conversion — the alpha channel is discarded and the image is composited against a white background before the pixel data is written to the container. 8-bit paletted BMP files are expanded to full 24-bit RGB before conversion.
EXIF metadata
BMP files do not natively store EXIF metadata. The output ARW will contain a minimal EXIF block with the conversion timestamp. Sony-specific camera metadata fields — body serial, lens ID, Creative Style, SteadyShot — will not be present, as those require a Sony camera body originating the file.
When to convert BMP to ARW
- Importing game screenshots and design assets into a Sony Lightroom catalog: A game art director captures BMP screenshots of in-engine assets using Windows built-in tools and wants to review them in Lightroom Classic alongside Sony a7 camera footage from a location shoot. Converting BMP to ARW lets the screenshots enter the existing ARW-organized catalog, inherit the same develop preset, and be color-compared against real camera frames without a format exception in the import workflow.
- Normalizing legacy scanning software output for Capture One: A digitization studio's flatbed scanners output 24-bit BMP files from older Windows-based scanning software. The review workflow runs in Capture One, which is organized around Sony ARW sessions for their main camera work. Converting BMP scans to ARW at the ingest stage fits them into the existing session structure without reconfiguring Capture One for a second input format.
- Feeding Windows application output into Sony Imaging Edge batch processing: A post-production pipeline receives BMP exports from a Windows-based motion tracking or compositing tool and needs to process them alongside ARW camera files in Sony Imaging Edge Desktop (Catalyst Browse). Converting to ARW at the handoff point normalizes the format so the Catalyst Browse batch configuration handles both sources identically.
BMP to ARW — frequently asked questions
Is the converted ARW the same as a file from a Sony camera?
No. A Sony camera's ARW holds 12-bit or 14-bit Bayer-pattern sensor data with Sony-specific camera metadata — body serial, lens ID, Creative Style setting, SteadyShot data. The converter output holds 24-bit RGB pixel data from the BMP in an ARW-compatible container. Lightroom and Capture One will open it using their ARW camera profile, which may render colors differently from how the BMP appeared in a Windows image viewer.
Why does BMP make a cleaner source than JPEG for this conversion?
JPEG applies lossy compression when the file is created, introducing quantization artifacts and chroma subsampling at 4:2:0. Those artifacts are permanent — they carry forward into any format the JPEG is converted into. BMP stores pixels uncompressed, so there are no prior compression artifacts to carry into the ARW container. If your source is a BMP, the output quality is limited only by the original rendering, not by any intermediate compression stage.
What happens to a 32-bit BMP with an alpha channel?
The alpha channel is discarded. The image pixels are composited against a white background and the result is written as 24-bit RGB into the ARW container. ARW does not support a transparency channel; if preserving transparency is important, convert to PNG instead.
Will Sony Imaging Edge Desktop open the converted file?
Catalyst Browse accepts the file as a valid ARW container. Sony-specific develop options — Creative Style presets, SteadyShot metadata, lens compensation tables specific to a lens+body combination — will not apply since the EXIF does not contain a Sony camera body identifier. Basic color and tonal adjustments in Catalyst Edit will work normally.
Is there a file size limit?
20 MB per file. BMP files can be large: a 3840×2160 24-bit BMP is approximately 24 MB uncompressed, which exceeds the limit. If your BMP is over 20 MB, crop or resize it first, or convert it to PNG (which compresses losslessly) and then use the PNG to ARW converter.
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