---
title: ".dng file — what it is and how to open it"
description: "A .dng file is a Digital Negative. Adobe's open raw format, meant as an archival standard every editor can read. How to open one on Windows, macOS and Linux, and what to convert it to."
url: https://atoneplace.net/file/dng/
site: "At One Place"
---

# .dng files

**.dng file: Digital Negative**

Adobe's open raw format, meant as an archival standard every editor can read.

## What opens a .dng file

- **Windows:** Photos (with the free Raw Image Extension), Adobe Lightroom, RawTherapee, darktable
- **macOS:** Photos (built in), Preview (built in), Adobe Lightroom, darktable
- **Linux:** darktable, RawTherapee, GIMP (via darktable plugin)

## What a .dng file is

Adobe published DNG in 2004 to stop camera raw files becoming unreadable as vendors abandon old formats. It is documented, openly licensed, and read by essentially every raw editor. Some cameras — Leica, Ricoh, Pentax, most phone raw modes — shoot DNG directly; for everything else Adobe's free DNG Converter turns proprietary raw files into it.

## Converting it

A .dng file is commonly converted to .jpg, .tiff, .png or .psd. It is a binary format, so a text editor will show unreadable characters rather than its contents.

## Details

- **Extension:** .dng
- **Full name:** Digital Negative
- **Category:** Images
- **MIME type:** image/x-adobe-dng
- **Created by:** Adobe
- **Format:** Binary

## Common questions

### How do I open a .dng file?

On Windows use Photos (with the free Raw Image Extension); on macOS use Photos (built in); on Linux use darktable. Adobe's open raw format, meant as an archival standard every editor can read.

### What is a .dng file?

Digital Negative. Adobe published DNG in 2004 to stop camera raw files becoming unreadable as vendors abandon old formats. It is documented, openly licensed, and read by essentially every raw editor.

### Can I convert a .dng file?

Yes. It is usually converted to .jpg, .tiff, .png or .psd, either by exporting from one of the programs listed above or with a format converter.

## Related pages

- [.jpg — JPEG Image](https://atoneplace.net/file/jpg/)
- [.png — Portable Network Graphics](https://atoneplace.net/file/png/)
- [.jpeg — JPEG Image (four-letter form)](https://atoneplace.net/file/jpeg/)
- [.heic — High Efficiency Image Container](https://atoneplace.net/file/heic/)
- [.webp — WebP Image](https://atoneplace.net/file/webp/)
- [.gif — Graphics Interchange Format](https://atoneplace.net/file/gif/)
- [.psd — Adobe Photoshop Document](https://atoneplace.net/file/psd/)
- [.svg — Scalable Vector Graphics](https://atoneplace.net/file/svg/)
- [.ai — Adobe Illustrator Artwork](https://atoneplace.net/file/ai/)
- [.avif — AV1 Image File Format](https://atoneplace.net/file/avif/)
- [.tiff — Tagged Image File Format](https://atoneplace.net/file/tiff/)
- [.raw — Camera Raw Image](https://atoneplace.net/file/raw/)

## Sources

- Media Types Registry — IANA (https://www.iana.org/assignments/media-types/)
- Official vendor product documentation — At One Place (/about/)