RAW photos on a Mac: viewing, finding and managing camera RAW files

Updated 2026-10-18

RAW files hold everything the camera sensor recorded, which makes them flexible to edit and much larger than JPEGs. macOS can read many RAW formats on its own, but managing them takes a little care, especially if a photo app keeps a catalog of them.

Common RAW formats

Extension	Typical source
CR2, CR3	Canon
NEF	Nikon
ARW	Sony
RAF	Fujifilm
ORF	Olympus and OM System
DNG	Adobe's open format, used by some cameras and phones, including Apple ProRAW

macOS reads RAW files through a system component that Apple updates for new cameras. If your camera is very new, previews may not work until a macOS update adds support. Apple publishes a list of supported cameras on its support site.

View them

If your camera is supported, Finder shows thumbnails, Quick Look previews RAW files when you press Space, and Preview opens them. Photos imports them and can edit them non-destructively. If you see a generic icon instead of a preview, the format is probably not supported by your version of macOS yet.

RAW and JPEG pairs in Photos

Many cameras can save a RAW and a JPEG of each shot. When you import both into Photos, it keeps them together as one photo and shows the JPEG by default. To edit the RAW instead, select the photo and choose Image, then Use RAW as Original. The pair is one photo in two files, so it is not a duplicate.

Find RAW files in folders

Press Command-F in Finder and choose the folder or This Mac.
Add a Name rule set to ends with and type the extension, such as .CR3.
Hold Option and click the plus button to add an Any group if you shoot with more than one camera brand.
Sort by Size or Date Created in list view.

If you import with Image Capture, check its import folder, which is Pictures unless you changed it.

Clear space without breaking a catalog

Apps such as Lightroom Classic and Capture One keep a catalog that points to RAW files in folders. If you move or delete those files in Finder, the app loses track of them and shows them as missing. Delete or move catalogued photos from inside the app instead.

Remove rejects from inside your photo app, then let it delete the files.
Move older years to an external drive using the app's own move command, so the catalog follows.
Keep at least one backup of RAW files before any large clean-up.

Spot exact copies

RAW files are often copied twice: once in an import and again in a backup or export folder. These exact copies are true duplicates. A RAW and a JPEG of the same shot are not, and neither are RAW files with different edits saved in sidecar files.

Browse RAW folders in FileSift

FileSift shows image folders as large thumbnails and previews files with Quick Look on Space, using the same macOS components as Finder, so supported RAW formats appear as pictures rather than icons. It reads folders in place and never moves or renames files on its own, so browsing a catalogued folder does not upset your photo app. The Duplicates scan finds identical files, always keeps one copy and re-checks before moving anything; if a folder belongs to a catalog, clear duplicates from inside the photo app instead.

Common questions

Why does my RAW file show a blank icon?

Your version of macOS may not support that camera's RAW format yet. Check Apple's list of supported cameras and install macOS updates.

Can I delete the JPEG and keep the RAW?

Yes, if you do not need the camera's JPEG. In Photos, delete within the app so the pair is handled correctly.

FileSift shows your folders as large thumbnails, searches in plain English and clears duplicates. US$19 once, for macOS 14 or later. See what it does.