Assuming every TIFF is lossless, when JPEG compression inside a TIFF is permitted and does discard detail.
File formats
TIFF
Also called .tif, .tiff or tagged image file format. Here is what it means, when it changes what you export, and what people get wrong.
File formatsRuns on your deviceUpdated 10 August 2026
The short answer
TIFF (Tagged Image File Format) is a flexible container for high quality raster images, used mainly in printing, scanning and archiving. It supports up to 32 bits per channel, CMYK, alpha and multiple pages, which makes it a strong master file and a poor choice for the web.
Updated
The short version
TIFF at a glance
| Quick fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Structure | Tag-based, one directory per image |
| Compression | None, LZW, ZIP, PackBits, CCITT or JPEG |
| Bit depth | 1 to 32 bits per channel |
| Colour | RGB, CMYK, Lab, greyscale, indexed |
| Transparency | Yes, via extra alpha samples |
| Size limit | 4 GB for classic TIFF, lifted by BigTIFF |
Slide the table sideways to see every column.
Why is TIFF called tagged?
Because the file is a directory of numbered tags rather than a fixed layout. Each image inside a TIFF has an image file directory, a list of entries such as width, height, bits per sample, photometric interpretation, compression method and where the pixel data sits. A reader looks up the tags it understands and works from there.
That design is the format's strength and its weakness. It is why TIFF has absorbed 16-bit scans, CMYK separations, tiled pyramids, geographic coordinates and multi-page documents over three decades without breaking the file structure. It is also why two applications can both claim TIFF support and still fail to open each other's files: each implements a subset of the tags and compression schemes.
What can a TIFF hold that PNG and JPEG cannot?
Four things that matter in professional work.
- CMYK and Lab colour, so a file can be prepared for a specific press rather than converted at the last minute.
- High bit depth, commonly 16 bits per channel and up to 32-bit floating point, which preserves editing headroom in shadows and highlights.
- Multiple images in one file, used for multi-page scans and document archives.
- A choice of compression, including none at all, LZW, ZIP (Deflate), PackBits, CCITT Group 4 for bilevel scans, and even JPEG.
Transparency is available through extra alpha samples. Layers are not really a TIFF feature: Photoshop can save its layer stack inside a TIFF using a private tag, but other applications ignore it and see only the flattened composite.
When is TIFF the right choice, and when is it not?
Use it as a master. Scanning archives, film digitisation, retouching originals and print handoffs are all places where you want an uncompressed or losslessly compressed file with full bit depth and known colour handling. Preservation guidance from institutions such as the Library of Congress treats TIFF as a durable choice precisely because it is old, thoroughly documented and widely implemented.
Do not use it for delivery. Browsers do not display TIFF, most marketplaces do not accept it, and the files are enormous: a 16-bit CMYK A4 scan at 300 ppi runs into hundreds of megabytes before compression. There is also a hard ceiling, because classic TIFF uses 32-bit offsets and cannot exceed 4 GB. The BigTIFF variant lifts that limit, at the cost of support in older software.
What people get wrong about tiff
Each one is a real failure mode, not a style preference.
Expecting Photoshop layers saved in a TIFF to open in another application, which sees only the flattened image.
Uploading TIFF to a web listing, where it will either be rejected or silently converted.
Choosing LZW out of habit on 16-bit photographic scans, where ZIP compression usually produces a smaller file.
Questions people ask
TIFF, answered
The follow-up questions people search for once they have the definition.
Is TIFF lossless?
Usually, but not by definition. TIFF is a container, and the compression tag decides. Uncompressed, LZW, ZIP, PackBits and CCITT Group 4 are all lossless. JPEG compression inside a TIFF is lossy. Check what your software wrote if it matters.
What is the difference between .tif and .tiff?
Nothing. The shorter extension exists because older systems allowed only three characters after the dot. Both name the same format, and software treats them identically. Pick one and be consistent so file listings sort predictably.
Why is my TIFF file so much larger than the JPEG?
Because it is keeping everything. An uncompressed 16-bit TIFF stores six bytes per pixel before any overhead, while a JPEG of the same photo may average well under one. Lossless compression on photographic detail only trims a modest percentage of that.
Can a TIFF have a transparent background?
Yes. TIFF supports extra alpha samples alongside the colour channels, including associated (premultiplied) and unassociated alpha. Support varies between applications, so if transparency is the whole point of the file, PNG or WebP is a safer handoff format.
Should I scan documents as TIFF or PDF?
TIFF for the preservation copy, PDF for the copy people read. Multi-page TIFF keeps the raw scanned pages with full bit depth and lossless compression, while PDF adds text layers, searchability and universal viewing. Many archives produce both from one scan.
Same cluster
More from the glossary
Neighbouring entries, so every term in the set is one hop from every other.
Transparency
Transparency is the part of an image where there is nothing to show, so whatever sits behind it shows through.
Thumbnail
A thumbnail is a small version of an image used in search results, grids and previews.
Transparent background
A transparent background is an image saved with its backdrop removed, so the subject sits on nothing and whatever is behind it shows through.
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Sources
Where the facts on this page come from. Every link opens the specification, standard or documentation the claim was read at.
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