Mac storage basics · Creative and media apps
Should I keep both the RAW and JPEG versions of my photos?
Short answer: Keeping both stores every shot twice. Keep RAW if you edit (export JPEGs when needed), JPEG if you don't, and set the camera to shoot only the format you use.
Keeping both roughly adds a JPEG's worth of space to every RAW file. The RAW holds the most detail for editing; the JPEG is a ready-to-share preview. Most people keep one:
- Keep RAW if you edit photos — you can always export a JPEG later.
- Keep JPEG if you never edit and want the smaller files.
In Photos, an imported RAW+JPEG pair shows as one picture but stores both files. Setting your camera to shoot only the format you use stops the doubling at the source. Why RAW is big in the first place: RAW and ProRes files.