Why you need an ARW viewer on Windows
An ARW file is the RAW format Sony's Alpha, RX and ZV cameras write: the sensor data as captured, plus a full-size JPEG preview the camera renders at the same moment. Windows does not always know what to do with one, so a card full of ARWs can show up as blank icons or open to an error. An ARW viewer fixes that without asking you to import anything into a catalog.
This one shows that embedded preview straight from the file whenever it is at least 90% of the sensor's size, which on most Sony bodies it is. That is why even a high-resolution ARW appears without a long developing wait. When a file only carries a small preview, the viewer develops the raw data itself instead of showing you a blurry thumbnail.
The picture fills a dark window with nothing in the way. Press I for the info panel, T for a ribbon of every other photo in the folder, and the left and right arrow keys to move through the shoot.
How to convert ARW to JPG, one photo or a folder
Choose Convert image from the menu. You can save just the photo on screen, or switch to the whole folder and convert every image in it in one run. The formats are PNG, JPG, TIFF, BMP, ICO and PDF, with a quality setting for the lossy ones.
For a folder run, decide what happens when a converted file already exists: skip it, keep both, or replace it. Conversion develops the sensor data rather than copying the camera's preview, so the result reflects the full raw file; the embedded JPEG is used only if developing fails. Your ARW files are opened read-only and never rewritten.
Reading Sony camera settings, focus and shutter count
The info panel lists the camera model, lens, shutter speed, aperture, ISO and focal length alongside file name, size, resolution, folder and dates, so you can see at a glance which shots were taken at 1/30 s and which at 1/1000 s.
Two Sony-specific readouts come with the optional Professional Pack. Show focus point, on the P key, draws a box where autofocus locked, which tells you instantly whether a soft image missed focus or simply moved. Shutter count reads the actuation figure the camera records, and for the A7 III, A7R II, A7R III, A7R IV, A9, A1, A6400 and A6600 it shows how much of Sony's rated shutter life has been used. That is worth checking before buying a used body.
Culling a Sony shoot quickly
Press F to fit the photo to the window and the plus and minus keys to zoom in on eyes or fine detail; R rotates, H and V flip. Delete sends a reject to the Recycle Bin, so a mistake is recoverable.
The menu also offers Looks, eleven color styles such as Vivid, Golden hour, Teal & amber and Noir, each with a strength slider. A look never touches the ARW; Save a copy writes it out as a new JPG for sharing. With the Pack, star ratings and color labels are saved to an XMP sidecar beside each ARW, which editing software that reads sidecars can pick up.
