TIFF is a high-quality format used for scans, print and photo archives. Browsers can't display it directly, so converting is needed to use or share it on the web.
BMP is Windows' basic bitmap that stores pixels as they are, without compression. When you convert TIFF to BMP, you can open it in more places, a solid background replaces transparency and the file grows. See the comparison below for what changes.
This converter reads the file itself to confirm it is TIFF, then converts it to BMP right in your browser. Your image is never uploaded.
TIFF vs BMP: what's the difference?
| Item | TIFF | BMP |
|---|---|---|
| Compression | Lossy or lossless | None (uncompressed) |
| Transparent background | Yes | No |
| Animation | No | No |
| Introduced | 1986 | 1990 |
| Support in programs and upload forms | limited | broad |
| Shown directly in browsers | No | Yes |
| Photo file size (JPG = 1) | about 6× | about 12× |
What is TIFF?
TIFF has long been used for scanners, publishing and print, and for archiving original photos. It is a flexible container that supports lossless compression as well as several other compression methods and high bit depths.
What is BMP?
BMP is a bitmap format from Windows that mostly stores pixel values as they are, without compression. Its simple structure makes it easy for programs to read, but the files are so large that it is rarely used on the web.
What changes when you convert TIFF to BMP
Transparent areas are filled with the background color you choose
BMP can't represent transparency. Transparent and semi-transparent areas are composited onto the background color in the options (white by default), so pick a matching color first if the image will be used on a dark screen.
Pixel values are preserved exactly
TIFF and BMP are both lossless, so there is no change in quality. Only the file structure, compatibility and size differ.
Multi-page TIFFs convert only the first page
A TIFF can hold several pages in one file. This converter turns the first page into an image.
With no compression, the file size grows a lot
BMP stores pixels as they are. A 1920×1080 image becomes about 6MB, so unless equipment or software requires BMP, another format is recommended.
BMP has no quality setting
BMP is none (uncompressed), so the quality slider doesn't apply. Instead, when converting from TIFF you can manage file size by resizing (exact width and height, or a percentage).
How the file size changes
For the same photo, BMP tends to be larger than TIFF (about 2.0×). This is for photos; for simple images such as logos and screenshots, PNG can actually come out smaller.
BMP opens in more places
Support for TIFF in programs, document tools and upload forms is limited, while BMP is broad. If you need to upload somewhere TIFF wouldn't open, try again after converting.
When to convert
- You need to upload to a program, messenger or upload form that can't open TIFF
- You want to use it on a website or blog but browsers can't display TIFF
- You need to feed legacy equipment or embedded software that only reads BMP
- You need to share a scanned or print-ready TIFF on the web or by messenger