How to convert RAW to JPG free with Windows Photos
TL;DR
Install the free Raw Image Extension from the Microsoft Store, open the RAW file in Photos, then use the menu to save a copy as JPG. It works one file at a time, with no quality slider, and it needs Windows 10 version 1903 or newer.
Install Microsoft's Raw Image Extension from the Store. It is built on the libraw codec, as How-To Geek documents, and teaches Photos and Explorer how to read RAW.
Open the Microsoft Store, search for Raw Image Extension, install it. It is free.
Right-click a RAW file, choose Open with, then Photos.
In Photos, open the ... menu and choose Save as copy.
Pick JPG as the file type and save.
What Windows Photos cannot do
Photos has no batch mode or quality control. It writes the JPEG at its own compression setting, and support for new cameras can lag. Microsoft's support forum answered a question about batch-converting a folder of images in Photos by suggesting a third-party converter, with a warning about potentially unwanted products on such sites.
The extension itself can break. After Raw Image Extension updated to version 2.4.3.0, a Canon CR2 and CR3 shooter reported File Explorer hanging on any folder with RAW files, on two separate PCs, with only a reboot as a fix. Rolling back to the previous version of the extension was the workaround. The thread is linked in the pitfalls section below.
Which free desktop RAW converters actually work?
TL;DR
RawTherapee, darktable, IrfanView with the CamRAW plugin, XnConvert and Photopea all convert RAW to JPG for free. Each carries an honest catch. Some have a steep editor UI, some a narrower format list, and XnConvert stops being free the moment you use it for paid work.
Tool
Batch?
The catch
RawTherapee (GPLv3)
Through the processing queue
A professional editor UI, not a two-click converter. Excellent demosaicing, steep learning curve.
darktable (GPLv3)
Export across the library
The same story. A Lightroom-shaped tool for enthusiasts, built on the rawspeed library.
IrfanView + CamRAW plugin
Yes, Batch Conversion
Free for home use only. The plugin format list (DNG, NEF, ORF, RAF, MRW, DCR, SRF/ARW, PEF) is narrower than a dedicated converter, and the interface looks dated.
XnConvert
Yes, plus 80+ batch actions
Free for personal and educational use. A studio or business needs a paid licence.
Photopea (browser)
No
Opens one file per session. Runs client-side, so nothing uploads.
RawTherapee and darktable suit users who want a full editor and accept the learning curve. Both are free under GPLv3. IrfanView with the CamRAW plugin supports batch conversion, and XnConvert adds resize and colour actions across a folder. XnConvert is free for personal use, while commercial use requires a paid licence. Photopea opens DNG, CR2, CR3, NEF, ARW, RW2, RAF, ORF, plus FFF. It processes files on your machine and exports JPG, one file at a time. RawTherapee, darktable and XnConvert ship macOS builds. Photopea works in any browser. Our converter is Windows-only.
How do you export RAW to JPG in Lightroom or Photoshop?
TL;DR
Both run on the same Adobe Camera Raw engine. In Lightroom you select the files in Library, then Export with JPEG as the format. In Photoshop you point Image Processor at a folder, or record an Action and run it through Automate and Batch. Both need a Creative Cloud subscription.
In Lightroom, select the RAW files in the Library module, click Export, choose JPEG, set quality and pixel dimensions, and process the files. Adobe's Camera Raw camera support list gets updated with new releases, so fresh bodies are handled sooner than Windows manages.
In Photoshop, File > Scripts > Image Processor points at a folder and writes JPEGs. You can also record an Action (open, save as JPEG, close) and run it through File > Automate > Batch. Both need a Creative Cloud subscription. The same question comes up on the Adobe forum, where a user asks how to batch-convert 100 Camera Raw files at once and every answer routes back through Adobe software.
Are online RAW to JPG converters safe, and what are the limits?
TL;DR
Most of them upload your originals to someone else's server, and the free tiers cap you at 1 GB, which is a handful of RAW frames. Picflow is the exception, processing in the browser. Canva cannot take a RAW file in the first place, despite being a popular search.
1 GB
free-tier upload cap on both FreeConvert and Convertio, which is roughly 20-40 full-size RAW frames before you hit the paywallSource
256-bit SSL, deleted after a few hours. The free tier means a queue and ads.
Convertio
Their cloud
1 GB
Uploads deleted immediately, converted files after 24 hours.
iLoveIMG
Their server
Not stated
Two quality tiers. Original pixels are the paid one.
Picflow
In your browser
Not stated
States it cannot see or store your images, because they never leave the device.
Canva
-
-
RAW is not a supported upload type, see below.
Browser-based conversion can also drop metadata. A tool that renders a photo through the Canvas API sees pixels rather than the file header, so the EXIF block may not survive. ConvertSafe explains the mechanism. Check the output before deleting the originals if shutter speed, lens and date matter.
Canva does not convert RAW at all
Canva's supported upload formats include JPEG, PNG and SVG. RAW is not supported, so a CR2 or NEF file will not upload or convert.
Can you open a RAW file without converting it?
TL;DR
Yes. On Windows 10 version 1903 or newer, install Raw Image Extension from the Microsoft Store and RAW files open in Photos directly, with thumbnails back in Explorer. Converting is only needed when you want to share the photo or edit it somewhere that will not read RAW.
If you only want to view the shots, install Raw Image Extension from the Microsoft Store. It restores Explorer thumbnails and opens supported RAW files in Photos. The extension uses the libraw codec and does not support every RAW format. RawTherapee opens RAW for free on the desktop, Photopea opens it for free in a browser tab, and FastRawViewer sells a paid viewer that shows the true unprocessed frame with a RAW histogram.
Are RAW photos really sharper than JPEG?
TL;DR
Straight out of the camera, the JPEG usually looks sharper, because the camera already applied sharpening, contrast and saturation to it. The RAW file holds more data, not more polish. After processing, RAW beats JPEG. Before processing, it looks flat, and that surprises people.
The camera applies sharpening, contrast, saturation and vibrance to the JPEG, then saves it at 8 bits per channel. The RAW file keeps 12 or 14 bits per channel, which is 4,096 to 16,384 levels of tone against the 256 in a JPEG.
12-14 bit
per channel in a RAW file (4,096-16,384 tonal levels) against 8 bit (256 levels) in a JPEG, which is why recovering highlights works in RAW and fails in JPEGSource
RAW has more tonal data, while sharpening can be added during processing.
Converting RAW to JPG is a one-way door. Those 12-14 bits per channel are compressed into 8, and the discarded tonal information is gone for good, no matter what tool you use. Always keep the RAW originals as your archive and convert copies. Export once at high quality rather than re-saving the same JPEG again and again.
Which RAW format does your camera shoot?
TL;DR
Canon writes CR2 on older bodies and CR3 on newer ones, Nikon writes NEF, Sony writes ARW, Fujifilm writes RAF, Olympus writes ORF, Panasonic writes RW2, Pentax writes PEF. All of them convert to JPG the same way here, and each major brand has a dedicated guide below.
245 makers, 1,780+ models
camera bodies and phones Batch Picture Resizer reads RAW from, across 40+ container formats, so files convert straight off the cardSource
RAW to JPG conversion settings that affect quality
TL;DR
Quality 90-95 is the practical sweet spot for a high quality RAW to JPG conversion. Below 70 you start seeing compression artifacts in gradients. Resize during the export rather than afterwards, and decide about EXIF before you publish, not after.
JPG is lossy, so the first export settings matter.
Quality slider (compression ratio)
At 100 the file is large but visually indistinguishable from the RAW preview. At 85 you get files roughly a third of that size, with minor detail loss in gradients and fine textures. Below 70, compression artifacts start to show. For most work 90-95 is the practical sweet spot.
Resolution and resizing
Resize to the needed dimensions during conversion for web or email. Batch Picture Resizer accepts pixels, percentage, or physical size in centimetres with a target DPI. The aspect ratio lock prevents distortion. For a portal that caps file weight, switch the unit to KB and let the converter adjust JPEG quality to fit each frame under the limit.
Color profile
The converter preserves embedded profiles when writing JPEG, so colours stay consistent between the camera preview and the exported file.
EXIF and metadata
By default, EXIF data travels into the JPEG. Camera model, lens, exposure, GPS coordinates. Strip metadata during the export if the photo is going online.
Free download vs paid license
TL;DR
The raw to JPG converter free download is the complete program, not a feature-locked demo. You can convert files and try every tool during the evaluation period. After that, a one-time license unlocks it for good. No subscription, and nothing charged per image.
The installer from the button above gives you the full program. Test the batch queue, resize and watermark tabs during the evaluation period. The paid key lifts that limit permanently. There is no subscription or per-image fee, and updates within the major version are free.
Desktop software vs online: what actually differs
TL;DR
Online converters are fine for one or two frames and painful for a memory card. Desktop conversion runs at the speed of your CPU instead of your upload, has no file-size cap, and keeps client work off servers you do not control.
Converting online, file by file
Upload each RAW frame (25-60 MB) to a stranger's server. Wait in the free-tier queue. Hit the 1 GB cap. Download the results one at a time, and hope the EXIF survived.
VS
Converting on your own PC
Drop the whole folder in, set JPEG quality once, click Start. No upload, no queue. The batch is limited by your disk, not by somebody's plan, and nobody else is holding a client's photos.
On a locked-down work PC or a laptop in the field, desktop conversion works without internet access.
Pitfalls when converting RAW to JPG
TL;DR
Four things break most conversions. An update that broke the codec, a camera too new for it, metadata quietly lost on export, and the mistaken belief that Windows can batch-convert files on its own.
✔️ Trusting the Store extension after an update.
Version 2.4.3.0 froze File Explorer for a Canon shooter on two different machines. The Microsoft Q&A thread ends with a rollback to the previous version.
✔️ Assuming a new camera is supported.
A new body can write a CR3, ARW or RAF variant that the installed codec has never seen, and you get blank icons and a cheerful "can't preview this file". One user found that a purchased extension still left no thumbnails; Microsoft support advised him to remove the package through PowerShell and reinstall it.
✔️ Expecting Windows to do the batch.
Photos converts one file at a time. Microsoft support pointed a user with a hundred-plus files to a third-party converter and warned about potentially unwanted products on such sites.
Install Raw Image Extension from the Microsoft Store, open the RAW file in Photos, then choose Save as copy and pick JPG. It is free but works one file at a time. For a folder, use a free batch tool like IrfanView or XnConvert, or a dedicated converter.
RAW files are large, often 25-60 MB each. Most phones, browsers and social platforms cannot open them. JPG is readable everywhere and takes a fraction of the storage. Convert after editing and keep the RAW as your archive copy.
Some data is discarded, because JPG is lossy and 8-bit while RAW is 12 or 14-bit. At quality 90-95 the loss is invisible to the eye. Export once at high quality, do not re-save the same JPEG repeatedly, and keep the RAW original.
The camera applies sharpening and contrast to the JPEG, so it looks crisper next to a flat RAW preview. RAW holds more tonal data and can be sharpened during processing.
Install the free Raw Image Extension from the Microsoft Store, then double-click the file and open it with Photos. Explorer thumbnails come back too. RawTherapee and Photopea also open RAW for free if your camera is not supported.
RawTherapee and darktable are free desktop editors under GPLv3. Photopea runs in the browser with no install. All three read common RAW formats and export JPG.
Yes. Add an entire folder, set the output format and quality, and click Start. The converter uses all available CPU cores. Windows Photos cannot do this, and most free online tools cap you at 1 GB.
Over 40, including CR2 and CR3 (Canon), NEF (Nikon), ARW (Sony), RAF (Fuji), ORF (Olympus), RW2 (Panasonic), PEF (Pentax) and DNG (Adobe). The full list covers 245 manufacturers and more than 1,780 camera models.
Only for a file or two. FreeConvert and Convertio cap free uploads at 1 GB, iLoveIMG keeps original pixels behind a paid tier, and all of them take a copy of your originals. Picflow converts inside the browser. Canva does not accept RAW.
Yes. The download gives you the complete program with no features locked during the evaluation period. The licence key is a single purchase that lifts the trial limit for good, and there is no subscription or per-image fee. The current price is on the download page.
Batch Picture Resizer
Batch Picture Resizer
