RAW to XZ Converter
Processing entirely on your device — large files may take a moment.
RAW is the unprocessed sensor data from cameras — Canon CR2/CR3, Nikon NEF, Sony ARW, Adobe DNG and friends. It holds maximum quality, but needs demosaicing before any normal app can show it. Unpack XZ into ZIP/TAR for tools that cannot read LZMA2.
Because the whole conversion happens on your device, it is instant, unlimited and genuinely private — no accounts, no watermarks, no files on anyone's server. Multiple files are converted in one go.
How RAW compares to XZ
| RAW | XZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Compression | Lossless or lossy, per vendor | LZMA2 |
| Best for | Photography masters and retouching | Packages and releases |
How to convert RAW to XZ
- 1
Select your files
Select your RAW file.
- 2
Convert instantly
The file bytes are gzip-compressed in place — the same archive your server or build tool produces, made locally.
- 3
Download results
Download the .gz file — ready to upload, serve or attach.
About the RAW format
RAW is not one format but a family: each camera maker packages the sensor's barely-processed readout differently — Canon CR2/CR3, Nikon NEF, Sony ARW, Fujifilm RAF, Panasonic RW2, plus Adobe's open DNG attempt at standardization. Instead of finished pixels you get 12- or 14-bit linear data straight off the sensor, which is why every RAW must be demosaiced and rendered before any ordinary app can show it.
The payoff is latitude. Because white balance, sharpening and tone curve were never baked in, a RAW file tolerates several stops of exposure correction that would destroy a JPG. The cost is workflow: files run 20–100 MB, every vendor's flavor needs its own decoder, and sharing means exporting a finished JPG or PNG.
+Strengths
- ✓Maximum editing latitude — exposure and color can be re-decided later
- ✓12/14-bit depth avoids banding in shadows and skies
- ✓The archival master of digital photography
!Limitations
- −Unviewable without demosaicing — normal apps show nothing
- −Every camera vendor uses a different container
- −Large files (20–100 MB+)
About the XZ format
XZ wraps the LZMA2 algorithm: the best ratio of the common Unix compressors, which is why distribution packages and source releases pick it when bandwidth matters more than CPU.
Windows Explorer and many cross-platform tools cannot open it — unpacking to ZIP or TAR makes the payload portable.
+Strengths
- ✓Highest common ratio
- ✓Standard for Linux packages
- ✓Integrity checks built in
!Limitations
- −Memory-hungry at high settings
- −Sparse support outside Linux
Why convert RAW to XZ?
Think of it as moving your file to the container that fits the job. Unviewable without demosaicing — normal apps show nothing XZ works differently: Highest common ratio If any of that sounds like your task, run the conversion — it takes seconds and nothing leaves your device.
Frequently asked questions
Is this RAW to XZ converter really free?
Yes — completely free, with no sign-up, no watermark and no daily conversion limits. The site is supported by advertising.
Are my files uploaded to a server?
No. The conversion runs entirely inside your browser using WebAssembly, so your files never leave your device — that is what makes it instant and private.
Does it work on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android?
Yes. Anything with a modern browser works: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS. No software installation is required.
Will I lose quality converting RAW to XZ?
No — XZ is a lossless format, so every pixel of the converted image matches your original RAW file. You can also adjust the quality/size balance before converting when the target format supports compression.
Are the files inside my RAW archive modified?
No. Contents are unpacked in memory and repacked into XZ byte-for-byte — the conversion changes the container, never the files inside it.
Is there a size limit for archive conversion?
There is no upload cap because nothing is uploaded — the practical limit is your device memory. A few hundred megabytes of unpacked content works comfortably on a modern computer.