As a photographer who has used and written about a variety of software tools over the years, I have often been asked about ON1 Photo RAW. It's been some time since I last explored it and I didn’t have a particularly good experience with it in the past. However, with the release of ON1 Photo RAW 2025, the company asked me to give it another shot, so I’ve been trying the previous version and I’m happy that it’s much improved since the early days. This latest version promises significant updates, particularly around the use of AI for enhancing the editing experience. When I have had enough time to try it properly I’ll try and do a full review, but for now, here’s a breakdown of what’s new in this release.

What’s New in ON1 Photo RAW 2025?

AI-Powered Tools for Retouching and Depth-Aware Editing ON1 Photo RAW 2025 introduces advanced generative AI features aimed at making retouching more efficient. One notable addition is the new Generative Erase tool, which allows users to remove large objects or distractions—such as people or cars—and fill in missing details with AI-generated content. This capability can be a game changer for photographers who need to clean up their shots without spending a lot of time on manual adjustments.

Another key feature is Depth Masks, which uses AI to analyse and interpret the depth within a scene. This allows for more targeted adjustments, such as applying lens blur based on how far elements are from the camera, providing a more natural feel to edits.

Streamlined Workflow and Organisation Features

ON1 Photo RAW 2025 also introduces tools designed to streamline workflows and make photo organisation easier. For example, the new Target Album feature lets users quickly assign images to an album using a simple shortcut, making it easier to organise large collections of photos. The addition of automatic detection and removal of common distractions, such as sensor dust and power lines, helps speed up the editing process. Another feature worth noting is Stacking, which groups related photos—like burst or bracketed shots—into a single stack, helping reduce clutter and speed up image selection during editing.

Expanded Color Editing Tools

For photographers looking for more control over colour, ON1 Photo RAW 2025 introduces two new filters: the Edit Color filter, which allows for precise control over hue, saturation, and brightness within selected colour ranges, and the Match Color filter, which enables users to apply the colour characteristics of one image to another. These tools offer flexibility for photographers wanting to create consistent looks across multiple images or experiment with creative colour grading.

Expanded Color Editing Tools

For photographers looking for more control over colour, ON1 Photo RAW 2025 introduces two new filters: the Edit Color filter, which allows for precise control over hue, saturation, and brightness within selected colour ranges, and the Match Color filter, which enables users to apply the colour characteristics of one image to another. These tools offer flexibility for photographers wanting to create consistent looks across multiple images or experiment with creative colour grading.

What’s Coming Next for ON1 Photo RAW?

ON1 has announced additional features that will arrive after the initial release of the 2025 version. These include the Generative Replace tool, which allows users to add elements to their images by simply describing them, and updates to the Super Select AI tool, making object removal even easier. Other upcoming enhancements include Document Templates for professional layouts and Face Restoration for portrait editing, as well as improvements to perspective correction tools.

The pricing and availability details from the ON1 Photo RAW 2025 press release are as follows:

ON1 Photo RAW MAX 2025 (includes plugin capabilities):
- Upgrade price: $149.99
- New customer price: $169.99
ON1 Photo RAW 2025 (standalone version):
- Upgrade price: $79.99
- New customer price: $99.99
Both versions come with the ON1 2025 Creative Pack, which includes 100 presets, LUTs, and extras.
Pre-orders for ON1 Photo RAW 2025 allow customers to use Photo RAW 2024.5 until the new version is released.
ON1 Photo RAW MAX 2025 is also available via the ON1 Everything Subscription Plans, which include all ON1 applications and future updates. The plans also offer compatibility with various platforms, including Photoshop, Lightroom, Capture One, and Apple Photos, along with cloud storage via ON1 Cloud Sync.

Fort more information visit the On1 Website.

Conclusion

I’m cautiously optimistic as I revisit ON1 Photo RAW 2025. While my previous experience with the software wasn’t the best, I’m approaching this new version with an open mind to see if the improvements make it a stronger contender in the photo editing landscape. Whether it’s the AI-driven tools, workflow enhancements, or expanded colour editing options, I’ll be exploring how well ON1 Photo RAW 2025 fits into a professional photography workflow.

To be fair, it’s a long time ago since I last tired this software so I felt it was only fair to give it another shot. One of my biggest issues with the application the last time I tired it was the X-Trans support was quite poor, but I’m happy to say, that based on the 2014 version it no longer seems to have the problems the previous version had. Thney also seem to have fixed the oversharpening problems when using lens corrections. Again, these were all problems with the last version I tired which was six years ago so they could have been fixed at any time. I had made a point back then about the need to adress the fundeamentals and they seem to have done that at least. As for the new features, it's only been out a day now, so once I do some testing I'll report back.

Keep an eye out for my follow-up as I dive deeper into this updated version and provide a detailed review of how it compares to other editing tools on the market. And if you don’t see anything it’s because I don’t like writing negative reviews any more, and let’s just leave it at that!

Just a quick note. I did join the affiliate program but I mostly did so to get to try the software. I’m not being directly paid to write this post, although I will get a small commission if anyone buys through the affiliate links in the post above.