---
name: "rawtherapee"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "rawtherapee"
version: "1:5.13-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/rawtherapee"
---

# rawtherapee(1)

An advanced, cross-platform program for developing raw photos.

## NAME

RawTherapee - An advanced, cross-platform program for developing raw photos.

## DESCRIPTION

**RawTherapee** is an advanced program for developing raw photos and for processing non-raw photos. It is non-destructive, makes use of OpenMP, supports all the cameras supported by dcraw and more, and carries out its calculations in a high precision 32-bit floating point engine.

## LINKS

  Website: http://www.rawtherapee.com/\
   Documentation: http://rawpedia.rawtherapee.com/\
   Forum: https://discuss.pixls.us/c/software/rawtherapee\
   Code and bug reports: https://github.com/RawTherapee/RawTherapee

## SYMBOLS

  \<Chevrons\> indicate parameters you can change.\
   \[Square brackets\] mean the parameter is optional.\
   The pipe symbol \| indicates a choice of one or the other.\
   The dash symbol - denotes a range of possible values from one to the other.

## SYNOPSIS

  RawTherapee GUI\
   rawtherapee \<folder\>           Start File Browser inside folder.\
   rawtherapee \<file\>             Start Image Editor with file.

  RawTherapee CLI\
   rawtherapee-cli -c \<dir\>\|\<files\>   Convert files in batch using default parameters.\
   rawtherapee-cli \<other options\> -c \<dir\>\|\<files\>  Convert files in batch using your own settings.\
   rawtherapee-cli \[-o \<output\>\|-O \<output\>\] \[-q\] \[-a\] \[-s\|-S\] \[-p \<one.pp3\> \[-p \<two.pp3\> ...\] \] \[-d\] \[ -j\[1-100\] \[-js\<1-3\>\] \| \[-b\<8\|16\>\] \[-t\[z\] \| \[-n\]\] \] \[-Y\] -c \<input\>

## OPTIONS

  \-c \<files\>       Specify one or more input files.\
                    \-c must be the last option.\
   \-o \<file\>\|\<dir\>  Set output file or folder.\
                    Saves output file alongside input file if -o is not specified.\
   \-O \<file\>\|\<dir\>  Set output file or folder and copy pp3 file into it.\
                    Saves output file alongside input file if -O is not specified.\
   \-q               Quick-start mode. Does not load cached files to speedup start time.\
   \-a               Process all supported image file types when specifying a folder, even those\
                    not currently selected in Preferences \> File Browser \> Parsed Extensions.\
   \-s               Use the existing sidecar file to build the processing parameters,\
                    e.g. for photo.raw there should be a photo.raw.pp3 file in the same folder.\
                    If the sidecar file does not exist, neutral values will be used.\
   \-S               Like -s but skip if the sidecar file does not exist.\
   \-p \<file.pp3\>    Specify processing profile to be used for all conversions.\
                    You can specify as many sets of "-p \<file.pp3\>" options as you like,\
                    each will be built on top of the previous one, as explained below.\
   \-d               Use the default raw or non-raw processing profile as set in\
                    Preferences \> Image Processing \> Default Processing Profile\
   \-j\[1-100\]        Specify output to be JPEG (default, if -t and -n are not set).\
                    Optionally, specify compression 1-100 (default value: 92).\
   \-js\<1-3\>         Specify the JPEG chroma subsampling parameter, where:\
                    1 = Best compression:   2x2, 1x1, 1x1 (4:2:0)\
                        Chroma halved vertically and horizontally.\
                    2 = Balanced (default): 2x1, 1x1, 1x1 (4:2:2)\
                        Chroma halved horizontally.\
                    3 = Best quality:       1x1, 1x1, 1x1 (4:4:4)\
                        No chroma subsampling.\
   \-b\<8\|16\>         Specify bit depth per channel (default value: 16 for TIFF, 8 for PNG).\
                    Only applies to TIFF and PNG output, JPEG is always 8.\
   \-t\[z\]            Specify output to be TIFF.\
                    Uncompressed by default, or deflate compression with 'z'.\
   \-n               Specify output to be compressed PNG.\
                    Compression is hard-coded to 6.\
   \-Y               Overwrite output if present.

Your pp3 files can be incomplete, RawTherapee will build the final values as follows:\
   1- A new processing profile is created using neutral values,\
   2- If the "-d" option is set, the values are overridden by those found in\
      the default raw or non-raw processing profile.\
   3- If one or more "-p" options are set, the values are overridden by those\
      found in these processing profiles.\
   4- If the "-s" or "-S" options are set, the values are finally overridden by those\
      found in the sidecar files.\
   The processing profiles are processed in the order specified on the command line.

## AUTHOR

**RawTherapee** was originally written by Gabor Horvath of Budapest, Hungary, before being re-licensed as free and open-source software in January 2010.\
 The RawTherapee development team comprises of passionate people from all around the world.