What Is TIFF?
TIFF (Tagged Image File Format) is a flexible, high-quality image format used in publishing, photography, and archival for lossless image storage.
TIFF explained
TIFF (Tagged Image File Format) is a versatile image format created in 1986 that has become the industry standard for professional photography, print production, and document archival. TIFF supports lossless compression (LZW, ZIP), multiple pages in a single file, layers, and extremely high bit depths up to 64-bit. It handles RGB, CMYK, Lab, and other color spaces, making it the go-to format for print workflows where color accuracy is critical. The main disadvantage is large file sizes and no web browser support, which is why TIFF files are typically converted to JPG, PNG, or WebP for online use.
Key points
Real-world examples
Related terms
Lossless compression reduces file size without discarding any data, allowing the original file to be perfectly reconstructed from the compressed version.
A color space defines the specific range of colors (gamut) a device or file can represent, such as sRGB for screens or CMYK for print.
Bit depth determines how many distinct colors or tones each pixel (or audio sample) can represent, directly affecting quality and file size.
An ICC color profile is a standardized data set that describes how a device (monitor, printer, camera) reproduces colors, ensuring consistent color across workflows.