Should You Shoot RAW on Your Phone? ProRAW and Pixel RAW

RAW files have a reputation as the "professional" choice, and phones now offer them too. iPhone Pro models have Apple ProRAW, and Pixel phones can save a RAW file alongside a regular JPEG. But RAW is not automatically better for every photo. It trades convenience and storage for editing room, and that trade is only worth it some of the time.

File sizes and limits below come from Apple's ProRAW support article (published April 2024); menu paths follow Apple's and Google's current help pages as of October 2026.

1. What RAW gives you

A regular phone photo arrives already processed: colors, brightness, and white balance are decided by the phone and baked into the file. A RAW file keeps much more of the original sensor information, so you can make bigger changes later without the image falling apart.

Apple describes ProRAW as combining "the information of a standard RAW format along with iPhone image processing, which gives you more flexibility when editing the exposure, color, and white balance in your photo." Apple also notes that ProRAW works with any of the cameras and alongside Smart HDR, Deep Fusion, and Night mode, so you do not lose the phone's processing tricks by turning it on.

2. Which phones support it

• iPhone: ProRAW is available on iPhone 12 Pro and later Pro models with iOS 14.3 or later. Apple's page adds that RAW Max is only available on Pro models.
• Pixel: Google's Camera Help includes a RAW + JPEG option in the Camera app's settings.

3. How to turn it on

iPhone:

1. Go to Settings > Camera > Formats.
2. Turn on Apple ProRAW & Resolution Control (named Apple ProRAW on some models).
3. In the Camera app, tap JPEG or HEIC at the top of the screen (depending on your settings), then tap RAW, then take the shot.

Pixel:

1. In the Camera app, tap Settings > More settings.
2. Under "General options," tap Advanced and turn on RAW/JPEG control. Google notes this step is not required on Pixel 8 Pro.
3. In photo mode, tap Settings and turn on RAW + JPEG.

4. The real cost: file size

This is where most people change their minds. Apple gives specific numbers:

• A 12 megapixel ProRAW photo is about 25 MB.
• A 48 megapixel ProRAW photo is about 75 MB.
• ProRAW files are 10 to 12 times larger than HEIF or JPEG files.

To put that in perspective, here is how many ProRAW photos fit in 10 GB of free space, counting 1 GB as 1,000 MB:

Apple's 10 to 12 times figure also implies that the standard version of a 25 MB ProRAW shot would be roughly 2 to 2.5 MB. Apple warns that if you store ProRAW files on the phone "you might run out of space more quickly than you expect," and if you use iCloud Photos you might need a larger iCloud storage plan.

5. Not every shot can be full resolution

On iPhone 14 Pro and later Pro models, you can choose 12 MP or 48 MP ProRAW. But Apple lists limits:

• Only photos taken with the main camera at 1x can be saved at 48 MP.
• Ultra Wide, Telephoto, Night mode, flash, and macro photos are saved at 12 MP.
• ProRAW cannot be used in Portrait mode, with Live Photos, or when shooting video.

6. Sharing RAW files

ProRAW uses the industry standard DNG format, so apps that support DNG can open it. Apple recommends apps built for ProRAW, such as Photos on iOS 14.3 or later or on a Mac with macOS Big Sur 11.1 or later, and notes that an app without ProRAW support may show the photo looking "different than expected."

Sharing has some surprises:

• If you edit a ProRAW photo in Photos and share it, the recipient gets a JPG with your edits.
• The Mail app automatically converts a ProRAW photo to a smaller JPG.
• To send the untouched original to another Apple device, use AirDrop. If you edited the photo first, Apple says to tap Share, Duplicate, Edit, then Revert before sharing. On a Mac, use File > Export > Export Unmodified Original.

7. When RAW is worth it

RAW tends to pay off when you expect to edit heavily:

• High-contrast scenes where you may want to recover bright skies or dark shadows.
• Mixed or tricky lighting where white balance could need fixing.
• Photos you plan to print large or crop tightly (48 MP on the main camera).

The standard format is usually the better pick for everyday snapshots, quick sharing, burst-heavy events, and any time storage is tight. A practical approach is to keep RAW off by default and switch it on for specific scenes.

8. Key takeaways

• RAW keeps more sensor information, which gives more room to adjust exposure, color, and white balance later.
• Apple ProRAW needs an iPhone 12 Pro or later Pro model; Pixel offers a RAW + JPEG option in the Camera settings.
• ProRAW files run about 25 MB at 12 MP and 75 MB at 48 MP, 10 to 12 times larger than HEIF or JPEG.
• Only main-camera 1x shots can be 48 MP; Ultra Wide, Telephoto, Night mode, flash, and macro shots save at 12 MP.
• Edited ProRAW photos share as JPG, so use AirDrop (after Revert, if edited) or Export Unmodified Original to keep the RAW file.