TIFF Files: What They Are and When to Use Them

TIFF (Tagged Image File Format) is the workhorse of professional photography, print production, and digital archiving. Large, flexible, and completely lossless, TIFF is where quality matters more than file size.

Lossless Compression Options

TIFF supports multiple compression methods: uncompressed (largest), ZIP (moderate compression), LZW (reversible), and others. All are lossless, preserving every pixel perfectly.

Professional Uses

Photographers use TIFF for master files before delivery or archival. Print shops require TIFF for high-fidelity color. Museums and libraries use TIFF for long-term preservation of digitized images.

File Size Reality

A TIFF photograph can easily be 50–100MB uncompressed or 20–30MB with lossless compression. TIFF is impractical for web use but essential for professional workflows.

Web Conversion

Never serve TIFF on the web. Always convert to JPEG, PNG, WebP, or AVIF before uploading to a website or CDN.

Convert TIFF to Web Formats

Convert your TIFF files to JPEG or PNG with QuickConvert's free converter. Perfect for preparing professional photos for web publication.