Editing RAW Photos with GIMP - Darktable, RawTherapee, and Workflow
GIMP cannot open camera RAW files natively, but pairing it with a dedicated RAW processor gives you a powerful, fully free editing pipeline. This page explains the available options, their integration with GIMP, and how to get the best results from your RAW files.
Why GIMP Cannot Open RAW Files Natively
Camera RAW files (.cr2, .nef, .arw, and hundreds of others) are not finished images - They are raw sensor data that must be converted into a viewable image through a process called demosaicing. Each camera manufacturer uses proprietary sensor layouts, color filter arrays, and compression schemes, requiring camera-specific decoding algorithms.
GIMP's design philosophy focuses on post-processing - Editing finished images rather than developing raw sensor data. Implementing a high-quality RAW demosaicing engine is an enormous, continuously updated undertaking (new camera models require new profiles regularly). Rather than replicate that work, GIMP is designed to pair with a dedicated RAW processor that handles the development stage.
The recommended workflow is: RAW processor → TIFF or PNG → GIMP. The RAW processor handles demosaicing, white balance, exposure, and tone mapping. GIMP handles retouching, compositing, and creative editing on the finished developed image. For a complete overview of which file formats GIMP supports natively, see the GIMP file formats guide.
Option 1: darktable (Recommended)
darktable is a free, open-source RAW processor and digital asset manager available for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It has the deepest integration with GIMP of any RAW tool and is the recommended choice for most users.
The darktable-gimp plugin
The darktable-gimp plugin creates a direct bridge between the two applications. With it installed, you can right-click any photo in darktable's lighttable and select Edit in GIMP. darktable exports the developed image (at full bit depth) directly into an open GIMP session. When you finish editing in GIMP and save, the result is sent back to darktable and attached to the original RAW file as a sidecar.
Setup steps
- Download and install darktable from darktable.org/install
- Install GIMP 3.x if not already installed
- Install the darktable-gimp plugin (available from the darktable project or your distribution's package manager on Linux)
- In darktable's Preferences, set the external editor to your GIMP executable path
- Open your RAW file in darktable, develop it as desired, then right-click → Edit in GIMP
- GIMP opens with a 16-bit TIFF of the developed image - Edit, then save to return the result to darktable
darktable also works in a simpler manual workflow: develop in darktable, export as a 16-bit TIFF, then open the TIFF in GIMP independently.
Option 2: RawTherapee
RawTherapee is another free, open-source RAW processor available for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It is known for its exceptionally detailed control over demosaicing algorithms and noise reduction, and supports a very wide range of camera models.
Workflow with GIMP
RawTherapee does not have a live plugin bridge with GIMP equivalent to darktable's. The standard workflow is:
- Open the RAW file in RawTherapee and make all RAW-stage adjustments (white balance, exposure, tone curve, noise reduction, sharpening)
- Export as a 16-bit TIFF - Not JPEG - To preserve the full tonal range for further editing in GIMP
- Open the exported TIFF in GIMP and continue with retouching and compositing
RawTherapee does include a Send to External Editor function (Ctrl+E or via the Queue) that can launch GIMP directly with the processed image, which shortens the manual export step.
RawTherapee may support a broader range of newer or more obscure camera models than darktable in some cases, making it a strong alternative when a specific camera is not well-supported by darktable.
Option 3: UFRaw (Legacy)
UFRaw (Unidentified Flying Raw) was a GIMP plugin and standalone application that allowed RAW files to be opened directly from within GIMP's Open dialog. It was the traditional way to handle RAW files in GIMP for many years.
UFRaw is no longer actively maintained and is not compatible with GIMP 3.x. It is only recommended if you are running GIMP 2.10 and cannot use darktable or RawTherapee for some reason. For new workflows, use darktable or RawTherapee instead.
Comparison: darktable vs RawTherapee vs UFRaw
| Feature | darktable | RawTherapee | UFRaw |
|---|---|---|---|
| GIMP integration | Live plugin bridge (edit and return) | Send to external editor | Direct GIMP plugin (GIMP 2.10 only) |
| Active development | Yes | Yes | No (unmaintained) |
| GIMP 3.x compatible | Yes | Yes | No |
| Non-destructive RAW editing | Yes (full parametric pipeline) | Yes (sidecar .pp3 files) | Minimal |
| Digital asset management | Yes (full library with ratings, tags) | Basic file browser | None |
| OS support | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux | Linux primarily |
| Noise reduction quality | Excellent (profiled denoise) | Excellent (wavelet-based) | Basic |
| Learning curve | Steep (powerful but complex UI) | Moderate | Simple |
Common RAW Formats and Support
Both darktable and RawTherapee use LibRaw under the hood, which provides support for thousands of camera models. Here are the major RAW format families:
| Format | Manufacturer | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| .cr2 / .cr3 | Canon | CR2 is widely supported; CR3 (newer Canon format) requires updated LibRaw |
| .nef / .nrw | Nikon | Broadly supported across darktable and RawTherapee |
| .arw / .srf / .sr2 | Sony | Good support; newer ARW variants from latest Alpha bodies may need updated tools |
| .raf | Fujifilm | X-Trans sensor layout requires specialized demosaicing; darktable and RawTherapee both support it well |
| .rw2 | Panasonic / Leica | Well supported |
| .orf | Olympus / OM System | Well supported |
| .dng | Universal (Adobe DNG) | Open standard; excellent support everywhere; used natively by Leica, Pentax, and many phone cameras |
Workflow Tips for RAW + GIMP Editing
Work in 16-bit per channel in GIMP
When GIMP opens a TIFF exported from a RAW processor, check that the image is in 16-bit mode via Image → Precision. Choose 16 bit integer or 32 bit floating point for maximum tonal range. Working in 8-bit with RAW-derived files loses shadow and highlight detail that was preserved in the RAW development stage.
Export from your RAW processor as TIFF, not JPEG
JPEG compression is lossy. Any JPEG artifacts introduced at the RAW export stage are permanent and will be amplified by further editing in GIMP (especially curves, levels, and sharpening). Always export a 16-bit TIFF from your RAW processor. You can create the final JPEG later from GIMP when the editing is complete. For a complete guide to editing photos in GIMP after developing them, see the photo editing full guide.
Enable linear light blending in GIMP
For accurate compositing with RAW-derived high bit-depth images, enable Image → Precision → Linear Light. In linear light mode, GIMP performs all blend mode calculations in a physically linear color space, which produces more accurate light interactions - Particularly important for Multiply, Screen, and Overlay effects on images with a wide dynamic range.
Do your tone mapping in the RAW processor, not GIMP
White balance, exposure compensation, highlight recovery, and shadow lifting are far more effective when applied to the raw sensor data than to an already-developed image. Adjust these in darktable or RawTherapee before sending the image to GIMP. Save GIMP for work that requires pixel-level precision: retouching, compositing, text, and local adjustments. See the color correction tutorial and the portrait retouching tutorial for practical GIMP workflows on developed photos.