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First Launch

This page walks you through RapidRAW from the first start to your first finished photo. It takes about five minutes.

The start screen

RapidRAW start screen with a mountain photo on the left and Continue Session, Add Folder and Settings buttons on the right
The start screen. On your very first launch it shows an Open Folder button instead of Continue Session.

The first time you start RapidRAW, you see one main button, Open Folder, and a gear icon for Settings.

Click Open Folder and choose a folder with photos. RapidRAW shows the photos where they are. Nothing is copied, and there is no catalog to maintain.

The next time you start the app, the start screen says "Welcome back!" and offers:

  • Continue Session: reopens all your folders and the last folder you were in.
  • Add Folder: adds another folder.

At the bottom you see the version number. When a newer version exists, it gets a yellow outline. Click it to open the download page.

Settings worth checking first

Click the gear (or press Ctrl+, later) to open Settings. Most defaults are good. A few you may want to look at:

  • Theme and Language (General tab).
  • Generative AI (General tab): keep Built-in to run AI features on your computer, or choose AI-Free if you don't want any AI features.
  • Processing Backend (Processing tab): only change this if the image stays blank or the app crashes.

The workspace

RapidRAW library view with side panels and a thumbnail grid
The library with panels on both sides.
Area What it's for
Left side Info (camera data, ratings, tags), Sources (folders and albums) and Export.
Center The thumbnail grid in the library, or the large photo in the editor.
Header View switcher (Grid, List, Culling), search, view options, jobs, community presets and home.
Right side Adjust, Crop, Masks, Inpaint and Presets.
Bottom bar Ratings, flags, copy and paste of edits, quick filter, and buttons to hide panels.

The panels work the same in the library and the editor. You can drag panel icons to the other side, reorder them or split a side in two. See Panels Overview.

Your first edit

  1. Select a photo in the grid. The Adjust panel on the right shows its settings. You can already edit here.
  2. Double-click it (or press Enter) to open the larger editor.
  3. Try Auto Adjust (the magic wand at the top of the Adjust panel) for a quick starting point.
  4. Fine-tune in Basic: Exposure for brightness, Highlights down to recover the sky, Shadows up to open dark areas.
  5. Press B to compare with the original. Press it again to go back.
  6. Press E to open Export, choose JPEG and click Export Image.

Every change is saved automatically. There is no save button.

Essential shortcuts

Key What it does
Enter / Escape Open the editor / go back.
← / → Previous / next photo.
1 to 5 Star rating.
Shift+P / X Pick / reject.
B Before / after.
D, R, M, K, P Adjust, Crop, Masks, Inpaint, Presets.
I, L, E Info, Sources, Export.
F Fullscreen.
Ctrl+Z Undo.

The full list is in Keyboard Shortcuts.

Where your edits are saved

RapidRAW never changes your original files. Your edits, ratings and tags are stored in a small .rrdata file next to each photo, for example IMG_2231.NEF.rrdata next to IMG_2231.NEF.

When you move, rename or back up photos outside RapidRAW, keep the .rrdata files with them. Inside RapidRAW (drag and drop, rename) they are moved for you. More in Importing Photos.

Next steps