How do BMP and TIFFcompare? Here's everything you need to know to choose the right format — and how to convert between them.
Bitmap Image File
BMP is an uncompressed raster image format native to Windows. While it produces very large files, BMP preserves every pixel with zero quality loss, making it useful for raw image data and legacy applications.
Tagged Image File Format
TIFF is a flexible, high-quality image format widely used in publishing, photography, and archival. It supports lossless compression, multiple layers, and high bit depths, making it the standard for professional imaging.
| Specification | BMP | TIFF |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Bitmap Image File | Tagged Image File Format |
| Extension | .bmp | .tiff |
| MIME type | image/bmp | image/tiff |
| Category | Image | Image |
| Developer | Microsoft | Aldus Corporation (now Adobe) |
| Year introduced | 1986 | 1986 |
| Compression | Lossless | Lossless |
Both BMP and TIFF have their strengths. BMP excels at legacy windows applications, while TIFF is better for professional photography and print production.
Need to switch formats? Convert for free with SquishConvert.