You’ve probably gone through your iPhone’s settings before and seen something called Apple ProRAW.
It sounds technical, but it’s not.
The real difference between ProRAW and JPEG is simple – one is made to look good straight away, and the other is made to be edited.
Once you understand that, the choice becomes much easier.
What JPEG (or HEIC) Does
JPEG (or HEIC on newer iPhones) is what the iPhone uses by default.
When you take a photo, the phone decides how it should look.
It adds contrast, sharpens the image, and adjusts the colours for you before saving it.
That’s why JPEG photos usually look good as soon as you take them.
You can share them straight away without touching anything.
The downside is that a lot of the original image data is thrown away in the process.
So if you try to fix bright skies or lift dark shadows later, the photo can start to look rough quite quickly.
JPEG is basically a finished photo.
What ProRAW Does Instead
ProRAW saves much more of what the camera actually captured.
It keeps extra detail in bright areas, dark areas, and colours, and doesn’t lock in a final look straight away.
When you first open a ProRAW photo, it usually looks flatter and a bit dull.
That’s normal, as it’s meant to be edited.
Instead of the iPhone choosing the final look, you do.
That’s why ProRAW files are bigger, but also why they’re much easier to work with if you care about how your photos turn out.
ProRAW is like a starting point, rather than a finished image.
The Difference in Real Life
JPEG is fast and convenient.
ProRAW gives you control.
JPEG is what the iPhone thinks looks good.
ProRAW is closer to what the camera actually saw.
If you never edit your photos, JPEG makes sense.
If you like adjusting brightness, colour, or contrast, ProRAW gives you a lot more room to do that without the image falling apart.
How to Turn On ProRAW
If you’re using a Pro model iPhone, you can use ProRAW.
To turn it on, go to Settings → Camera → Formats and switch on Apple ProRAW.
On newer Pro models, you can choose whether you want to shoot at 12MP or 48MP.
Then open the Camera app and tap the RAW button at the top so it turns yellow before you take the photo.
You can turn it off again whenever you want to save storage.
When ProRAW Is Worth Using
You don’t need to use ProRAW for every photo.
It’s most useful when the lighting is difficult, like bright skies and dark shadows in the same shot, or when you’re shooting at night.
It’s also worth using when you know you want to edit the photo later and you want the colours and tones to look smooth and natural.
Travel photos, product shots, and anything you actually care about keeping are good candidates for ProRAW.
For quick shots or photos you’re going to send straight to someone, JPEG is usually fine.
ProRAW and Presets
ProRAW really shines when you use presets.
Because the file keeps more detail and colour information, presets work more cleanly and more predictably.
You’re not fighting against heavy processing that’s already been baked into the image.
Instead of starting from zero every time, you apply a preset and then make small adjustments if needed.
Things like exposure, warmth, or shadows are much easier to fine-tune without the photo breaking apart.
That’s the main reason ProRAW is useful even if you’re not doing heavy editing.
It gives presets something better to work with.
Using ProRAW with iPhone Creator Kit
This is where iPhone Creator Kit fits in.
The presets in iPhone Creator Kit are built specifically for iPhone photos, including ProRAW files. They’re designed to keep colours natural and avoid that over-processed look.
Instead of guessing how to edit each photo, you start from a look that already works and then make small changes if you need to.
The kit also includes Apple LOG video LUTs, recommended camera settings, and simple guides that show you how to shoot and edit on iPhone without needing complicated software.
ProRAW makes the photos more flexible.
Presets make them easier and faster to edit.
Together, they take a lot of the trial and error out of the process.
A Simple Way to Use Both
You don’t have to choose one format forever.
The easiest setup is to use JPEG for everyday photos and switch on ProRAW when the photo matters.
That way you get convenience most of the time and better quality when you need it.