How do TIFF and AVIFcompare? Here's everything you need to know to choose the right format — and how to convert between them.
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.
AV1 Image File Format
AVIF is a next-generation image format based on the AV1 video codec. It offers the best compression ratios available today — significantly better than WebP and JPG — while being royalty-free and open source.
| Specification | TIFF | AVIF |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Tagged Image File Format | AV1 Image File Format |
| Extension | .tiff | .avif |
| MIME type | image/tiff | image/avif |
| Category | Image | Image |
| Developer | Aldus Corporation (now Adobe) | Alliance for Open Media |
| Year introduced | 1986 | 2019 |
| Compression | Lossless | Lossy |
Choose TIFF when you need lossless quality, transparency, or sharp graphics. Choose AVIF when file size matters more than pixel-perfect quality — like photos for the web.
Need to switch formats? Convert for free with SquishConvert.