Photos & RAW · Sony exFAT card
Sony ARW RAW: recover after deletion
How can I recover deleted Sony ARW originals after deletion?
Short answer
Yes, often, as long as the Sony card is left untouched. ARW is TIFF-derived and holds Sony metadata, previews and sensor data at different offsets, so every part must be recovered. Remove the card, note which slot it came from, scan it read-only for ARW and develop each file at full resolution.
The situation
deleted Sony ARW originals no longer appears in its recording folder even though the storage device is still detected.
Deleting an ARW frees its entry while the file itself stays on the card. ARW is TIFF-derived, with Sony metadata, previews and sensor data at separate offsets, so a full recovery means all of those parts, not only the piece that renders a thumbnail.
01 / Diagnose
Work out what actually disappeared
A deletion on the Sony body or on a computer removes the reference in the exFAT directory and frees the clusters. The ARW structure stays readable: byte order, directories and offsets still describe where preview and sensor data begin. Once new frames land on part of that range, the file remains findable while its picture is already broken.
Deletion can release a directory reference before later writes reuse every block that belonged to the file. For Sony ARW RAW, this matters because ARW is TIFF-derived and combines Sony metadata, previews and sensor data at separate offsets.
Check the last known path, trash and backups without writing to the original device.
02 / Protect the source
Preserve the best recovery chance
- 1
Switch the body off, take the card out and note which slot it came from, since the second slot may hold a backup copy.
- 2
Record the Sony model, the compression setting and how many frames the folder held before the deletion happened.
- 3
Read the card through a reader with a read-only scan for ARW, and include JPEG or HEIF copies if the camera wrote them.
- 4
Export the results to another drive and develop each frame at full resolution before the card is put back into service.
Do not let the camera rebuild its image database and do not shoot again on the card. Sony bodies write that database automatically when the card is inserted, and those writes land in the free space that still holds the deleted frames.
03 / Choose the method
Match the tool to the source
For stable, readable exFAT, NTFS and FAT16/FAT32 or uncompressed IMG, DD, RAW and BIN images.
Unconfirmed exports are marked .UNVERIFIED.
Frames whose offsets now point into reused blocks cannot be completed, and compressed ARW data cannot be rebuilt in part. File Recovery Hero reads the Sony card in exFAT read-only, scans at no cost and needs a licence to export to another drive.
04 / Verify
Check the recovered content, not just its name
Develop, do not browse. A recovered ARW is sound when the converter shows full sensor resolution, the metadata names body and lens, and the picture has no grey band along the bottom. If a second slot recorded a copy, compare the two files frame by frame.
Keep the source until two verified copies exist. One working preview is not enough.
Sources and technical references
FAQ
Questions about this recovery case
Can Sony exFAT card be recovered in this situation?+
Deleting an ARW frees its entry while the file itself stays on the card. ARW is TIFF-derived, with Sony metadata, previews and sensor data at separate offsets, so a full recovery means all of those parts, not only the piece that renders a thumbnail. The result still depends on what remains readable on the source.
What should I avoid before scanning?+
Do not let the camera rebuild its image database and do not shoot again on the card.
Does scanning write to my memory card?+
Your memory card is only read. Nothing is saved to it.
How do I know whether the result is complete?+
Develop, do not browse.