A TIFF file or image is a bitmap or raster format that uses lossless compression to store and share images, mostly between graphic designers and photographers. TIFF stands for Tagged Image File Format and is identified using the .tif or .tiff file extension.
TIFF is adaptable and flexible. It allows metadata and multiple images to be handled in a single file by including 'tags' within the header. Tags show the primary geometrical information of a TIFF image, including size, and define the arrangement of image data and the best compression option.
Unlike vector graphic images such as ICO and ODD, the file format comprises pixels. Besides, it can be lossless, enabling TIFF images to preserve all information during compression, hence their high quality. TIFF can also be lossy, implying its images can experience compression artifacts.
TIFF files or images can be easily edited and resaved while preserving all their qualities. Unlike PNG and JPEGs, these attributes make TIFF ideal for photographers and graphic designers.
Unfortunately, TIFF has many non-standard variants, which are almost very limited in storing detailed microscopy metadata. The best and most standardized TIFF variants include ICS, OME-Tiff, and HDF5. Standardized variants exist to cater to the deficient storage of detailed metadata.
History of TIFF Files
Aldus Corporation created TIFF in the mid-1980s. Its original specification, released in 1986, was meant for storing and sharing scanned black-and-white images used on IBM Computers and Macintosh.
The revised version of TIFF that supported uncompressed RGB color images was released in 1987. However, the 1988 version added more capabilities, which helped TIFF store palette color images and also supported LWZ compression algorithms.
The baseline TIFF images are of four types: true color (RGB), palette (indexed), grayscale, and bilevel (white and black). Grayscale and palette images are limited to 256 shades or colors.
RGB images stored a maximum of 16.7 million colors. TIFF’s standard extension permits CMYK images. Thus, TIFF was created to assist in retaining and storing high-quality data and publishing image content directly from personal computers.
TIFF is widespread across the desktop publishing, photography, and design industries. Nonetheless, less than 0.1% of all the websites use it.
Popular sites using TIFF include Theartnewspaper.com, Bnn.de, Kickstarter.com, Ecco-shoes.ro, Woodymann.com, Br.de, Jagran.com, Nate.com, Standard.co.ku, Ecco-shoes.ro.
Properties of TIFF Files
The TIFF file format is flexible and mainly used with major operating systems. It works as a container for small JPEG files to store multiple files in a single master raster graphic, making it a better choice for storing and sharing high-resolution images before editing, printing, or publishing.
Structure
TIFF is a raster file format recognized for its very high-quality images. A standardized TIFF format has image files with a size limit of 4GB, either compressed or uncompressed. The format uses 32-bit unsigned integers to store data sizes and offsets.
Thus, a band of pixel data in this file format image can hardly exceed an offset storage limit of 4GB. The largest compliant TIFF image's size should be below 8GB, assuming two bands of approximately 4GB size are utilized.
The maximum TIFF image dimension is 2^32-1 x 2^32-1 pixels, while the approximate maximum image size for an uncompressed 24-bit RGB image is 3 * 2^24 Tb. It has a bit depth of either 8-bits or 16-bits per channel.
An 8-bit TIFF file's pixel values range between 0 and 255, while a 16-bit TIFF image comprises 0 to 65535 pixels. The file format supports most color spaces, namely gray RGB, palette (indexed), grayscale, and bilevel (white and black).
Gray scale and palette TIFF files are restricted to 256 shades or colors. RGB (Red, Green, and Blue) images can store over 16.7 million colors. Moreover, TIFF’s common extensions support CMYK images and LAB color space.
Lossless TIFF is known for preserving the most impressive detailed image information, making it a high-quality file format. Besides, TIFF files were developed for high-quality photographs, graphic designs, and publications.
Its images are normally saved at high resolutions between 150 – 300 ppi. The bit depth is significant in TIFF images because an increase in bits per channel (RGB) results in finer image details with limited loss of color information or quality when edited photos.
TIFF supports a multilayer structure. Each value in a TIFF image is identified using a tag that indicates the type of data it contains, such as the image width or height, and the kind that shows the stored data format.
The tag and type are closely followed by the length of various values assigned to a particular tag. This implies that each property, including the single-value properties, is stored in arrays.
The structure permits various types of information or metadata to be applied for identical properties. For instance, image width can be saved using tag 0x0100, a single-entry array.
The image width value is saved as a 16-bit value by specifying type 3 (short). Thus, the multiple layers of images it supports signifies that TIFF permits multi-sample pixels.
Storage
TIFF stores all objects, such as text and vector information, as raster data. The file format combines a flexible field structure for metadata and raster image data. It then stores color information and an alpha channel that makes each pixel transparent.
Lossless compressed TIFF data are stored for service use masters, while digital masters are stored uncompressed. TIFF images do not degrade over time and can be stored indefinitely.
TIFF images can be stored on hard drives, DVD±R, CD±, the cloud, file systems, floppy drives, and the Content Delivery Network (CDN).
Compression
Most TIFF files remain uncompressed. Nevertheless, it supports lossless LZW and PackBits/ZIP compression and lossy JPEG compression.
During LZW lossless compression, TIFF file sizes decrease by about 6%. Sometimes, the file size of a non-photo image increases by 50% during lossless LZW compression. PackBits or ZIP compression is also lossless.
The file compression rate for PackBits significantly reduces TIFF files by 20%. It goes down to zero compression when handling non-photographic TIFF images. It also supports lossy compression, which allows variable compression of TIFF files.
TIFF uses LZW compression algorithms to minimize its file size. The table-based lookup algorithms remove unnecessary or duplicate image data and then compress the remaining components of the original file into a smaller file.
TIFF compression is necessary when users want to retain detailed image details. Its tendency to preserve quality image details comes at the cost of bigger file sizes. TIFF file sizes are not perfect for websites that intend to load faster; they increase website loading time.
Editing
TIFF files can be edited using software such as Lightroom, GIMP, Illustrator, Aspose, CorelDraw, Adobe Photoshop, Multipage TIFF Editor, Paint.Net, FastStone, ACDSee Photo Studio Ultimate, XnView MP, and Irfan View.
A TIFF image can be resized using desktop programs and online software services that allow users to alter the dimensions and resolution of TIFF images.
To resize the TIFF image format, use software or programs such as PicResize, Fotor, GIMP, Adobe Photoshop, Pixillion, Batch Image Resizer, Picture Resize Genius, and NXPowerLite.
Animation
TIFF files or images have no inherent support for animation. The file format is specifically high-quality and high-resolution and is meant for Desktop publishing, GIS and mapping, Artwork and graphic design, printing, and photography.
However, it supports multiple pages, ideal for storing distinct frames of animation sequences. TIFF is applicable in specific animation software to produce high-quality animated content.
Transparency
TIFF supports alpha channel transparency. Yet, the supported alpha channels hardly work in design. TIFF transparent backgrounds are incompatible with most web-based programs. Thus, only design programs offering full support to TIFF files support TIFF alpha channel transparency.
Alpha channel transparency is rarely used in TIFF files and might not be supported by users' software. However, it allows adding alpha information by specifying more than three samples per pixel.
Best Use Case of TIFF Files
- Suitable for high-quality photographs: TIFFs are ideal for preserving the most impressive and comprehensive image information since they mainly use lossless compression, making them the best option for professional editors and photographers.
- Suitable for container files: TIFFs work like container files for storing smaller JPGs, allowing users to store many low-resolution JPG files in a single TIFF file for emailing different photos to a contact.
- Suitable for high-resolution images: TIFF stores detailed image quality, making it appropriate for high-resolution documents and scanned images.
Unrecommend Use Cases of TIFF Files
- Unsuitable for everyday marketing content because TIFF files are larger.
- nsuitable for web graphics because they must be converted to other file formats for use in websites and slide desks.
TIFF Browser Support
Browsers that support TIFF files include:
- Safari
- Browsers that do not support TIFF files are:
- Google Chrome
- Microsoft Edge
- Mozilla Firefox
- Discord
- Opera
- Vivaldi
- Internet Explorer
However, users can install additional plug-ins or TIFF viewer software extensions to view in Chrome. Besides, if Safari encounters issues opening TIFF files, clear your cache and try again.
Possible TIFF Browser Errors
The following browser errors are encountered when using TIFF image files:
- Cannot Open TIFF File for Writing
- Wrong file uploaded
- Server-test failure or database error
- File not found error
- Corrupted file error
- File not supported error
Advantages of TIFF
- Supports Multiple Pages: TIFF stores multiple pages in a single file, allowing users to merge separate documents in a convenient package while maintaining their respective formatting options, including resolution or page orientation settings.
- Lossless Compression: TIFF files or images do not face compression artifacts because all file details are preserved during lossless compression.
- Versatility: TIFF files are compatible with most editing and resizing programs on Mac, iOS, Android, Windows, and Linux, enabling users to resize, edit, and open them without compatibility issues. TIFF images can be easily converted to PDF, PNG, or JPG for emailing or web use.
- High-Quality: TIFF files store high-resolution information, including different color spaces and various color depths, such as 1-16-bit per channel, which hardly degrades during compression, making them suitable for detailed and accurate presentation images or photographs.
Disadvantages of TIFF
- Costly Software Requirements: Specialized software must be purchased to edit TIFF images, which can be expensive based on image features compared to free image manipulation tools like GIMP.
- Not Widely Supported: Most consumer devices, browsers, and applications support TIFF files only partially or not at all, making them less suitable for non-experts to handle.
- Large File Sizes: TIFF files require more space than JPG, WEBP, or PNG because of their uncompressed stature, making them unsuitable for web applications where website responsiveness is a priority.
How to open TIFF Files
TIFF files can be opened in software including Illustrator, Pixillion, ACDSee, Adobe Photoshop, Irfan View, Aspose, CorelDraw, Multipage TIFF Editor, Paint.Net, Windows Photos, Apple’s Preview, FastStone, XnView MP, and GIMP.
TIFF files are compatible with iOS, Android, Linux, macOS, and Windows operating systems. However, modern and older browsers on Windows are not compatible with TIFF files.
Converting TIFF
Online TIFF converters can convert TIFF files to PNG, ODD, JPG, ICO, GIF, EPS, BMP, PDF, PS, PSD, JFIF, and WEBP. Our online “convertjack†can also convert your file to other formats.