TIFF File Format (.tiff)

A TIFF file stores one or more raster images, usually uncompressed or losslessly compressed, inside a tagged container that scanners, printers, and publishing software rely on to keep exact pixel data intact through repeated edits.

.tiffImage Files

TIFF at a glance#

Full name	Tagged Image File Format
File extension	.tiff
Category	Image Files
Developer	Aldus Corporation (Adobe since 1994)
First released	1986
MIME types	image/tiffimage/tiff-fx
Other extensions	.tif
Compression	Lossy or lossless, depending on how the file was written
Specification	TIFF Revision 6.0
FileFlip support	FileFlip reads and writes this format

What a .tiff file can hold#

These are the things a TIFF file either supports or does not, and they are what decides whether a conversion keeps everything or quietly drops something.

Transparency (alpha channel)	Yes
Animation	No
Layers	No
Lossless compression	Yes
Embedded metadata	Yes
Colour profiles	Yes
High dynamic range	Yes
Multiple images or pages	Yes

Strengths and limitations of TIFF#

What TIFF does well

Stores images with true lossless compression, so saving and resaving never degrades quality
Handles 16-bit and 32-bit floating-point channels, well beyond JPEG's 8-bit ceiling
Keeps several pages or images in a single file, which fax and document-scanning software still depends on
Decades of unbroken backward compatibility make it a safe long-term archival choice for libraries and museums

Where TIFF falls short

Uncompressed scans routinely run 50 to 200MB per page, far larger than an equivalent JPEG or PDF
No web browser renders TIFF natively, so it has to be converted before it can go on a page
Layered TIFFs, like the ones Photoshop saves, use Adobe's own private tags that only a handful of other programs read back
The format's many optional tags and compression schemes mean two files that both call themselves TIFF are not always interchangeable between programs

Use TIFF for scanned documents, print production, and archival photography, where preserving every pixel losslessly matters more than file size.

Convert TIFF to JPEG or PNG when the image needs to go on the web or be shared casually, since browsers cannot display TIFF and the files are far bigger than screen viewing requires.

How to open a .tiff file#

A .tiff file opens in the programs below, grouped by the platform you are on. If you would rather not install anything, FileFlip converts TIFF into a format your machine already opens, and it does it in the browser tab rather than on a server.

Platform	Programs that open it
Windows	Photos, Adobe Photoshop, IrfanView, XnView MP, GIMP
macOS	Preview, Adobe Photoshop, Affinity Photo, GraphicConverter
Linux	GIMP, digiKam, ImageMagick, XnView MP
iOS	Photos, Files, Adobe Lightroom
Web	FileFlip

TIFF questions people ask#

What is a TIFF file used for?

TIFF files are used for scanned documents, professional photography, and print production, because the format can store an image with no compression loss at all. Publishing software, print shops, and archives favor it precisely because a TIFF looks identical no matter how many times it is opened and resaved.

Why are TIFF files so large?

TIFF files are large because most are saved uncompressed or with a lossless scheme like LZW, which shrinks a file far less aggressively than lossy JPEG compression does. A high-resolution scan saved as TIFF can easily run five to ten times the size of the same image saved as a JPEG.

Can I open a TIFF file in a web browser?

No browser displays TIFF files directly; typing a .tiff file's path into the address bar just triggers a download instead of a preview. The format has to be converted to JPEG or PNG before it can appear on a web page.

Is a TIFF file the same as a camera RAW file?

No, TIFF is a separate format from a camera's RAW file, though the two are often confused because both are used for high-quality photography. RAW stores unprocessed sensor data specific to a camera model, while a TIFF holds a fully processed, already-decoded image, which is why many RAW converters export their finished output as TIFF.

Does TIFF support layers like a Photoshop file?

Not as part of the standard format. Photoshop can save a layered image into a TIFF using its own private tags, but that only works reliably when both the saving and opening program are Photoshop; every other TIFF-compliant application just sees the flattened composite image.

Converting TIFF files#

Every conversion runs inside your browser. The file is read from your disk, the work happens on your own machine, and nothing is uploaded. How FileFlip works names the engine behind each family and how to verify that for yourself.