Format reference · .tif .tiff
What is a TIFF file?
TIFF (Tagged Image File Format) is a flexible, usually lossless format used for scanning, printing, publishing and archiving. It can hold multiple pages, high bit depths and CMYK color, but files are large and most web browsers can’t display them.
Origin
TIFF was created by Aldus in 1986 to give desktop scanners a common file format. The 6.0 specification from 1992 is still the reference version, and Adobe has maintained it since acquiring Aldus. The .tif and .tiff extensions mean the same thing.
Several specialized formats are built on TIFF’s structure, including GeoTIFF for maps and satellite imagery and the DNG raw photo format used by some cameras.
Tags, pages and compression options
A TIFF is a container organized around tags: labeled fields that describe width, height, color model, compression, resolution and much more. Each image in the file has its own directory of tags, which is how one TIFF can contain many pages, such as a multi-page scanned contract or a fax.
TIFF doesn’t have one compression method; it supports several, and the writer picks one:
- None: raw pixels, fastest to read and largest on disk
- LZW or Deflate (ZIP): lossless, often paired with a predictor that helps smooth images
- PackBits: simple run-length encoding, lossless
- CCITT Group 3 and 4: lossless, extremely compact for black-and-white documents
- JPEG: lossy, for smaller photographic files
Color depth, transparency and layers
TIFF supports 8 and 16 bits per channel and even floating-point data, which is why photographers and scientists use it for high-precision masters. It handles RGB, grayscale, CMYK for print and Lab color, and it can include an alpha channel. Some image editors save layers inside TIFF using their own private tags, which other programs show as a single flattened image. TIFF has no animation.
Classic TIFF files are limited to 4 GB. A BigTIFF variant removes that limit for very large scans and scientific images.
Support and file size
Windows Photos and macOS Preview open common TIFFs, and professional editors, scanners and print workflows rely on them. Among browsers only Safari displays TIFF; Chrome, Edge and Firefox do not. Because the format is so flexible, an unusual combination of compression and color model can open in one program and fail in another.
Uncompressed 8-bit RGB uses 3 bytes per pixel, so a 24-megapixel image is about 72 MB, and twice that at 16 bits. Lossless compression typically helps graphics and scans a lot but photos only modestly.
To share a TIFF, convert it: TIFF to JPG for photos and email, or TIFF to PNG for a lossless copy that browsers can show. Pixellin converts the first page of a multi-page TIFF.
Use TIFF for
- Scanned documents, especially multi-page or black-and-white
- Print and publishing workflows that need CMYK
- High-bit-depth photo masters and archival copies
- Geospatial and scientific imagery
Avoid TIFF for
- Displaying images on websites
- Email attachments and messaging, because files are large
- Sharing with people who may lack compatible software
- Quick social media or online form uploads
TIFF questions
What is the difference between TIF and TIFF?
None. Both extensions refer to the same Tagged Image File Format. The three-letter .tif version comes from older systems with short file extensions. You can rename one to the other without changing the file.
Why won’t my TIFF open in Chrome?
Chrome, Edge and Firefox don’t support TIFF images; only Safari displays them. To view one in any browser, convert it to PNG for a lossless copy or to JPG for a smaller file. Pixellin does this locally, without uploading the file.
Is TIFF better than PNG?
For the web, no: PNG is supported everywhere and usually smaller. TIFF is better when you need CMYK for print, multiple pages in one file, or the specific compression schemes that scanners and archives use. Both can store pixels losslessly.
How do I convert a multi-page TIFF?
Pixellin converts the first page of a TIFF. If you need every page as a separate image, split the file into single pages in your scanning or document software first, then convert them together as a batch.