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.
GIF is limited to 256 colors, and synonymous with short moving images. When you convert TIFF to GIF, you can open it in more places and the file gets smaller. See the comparison below for what changes.
This converter reads the file itself to confirm it is TIFF, then converts it to GIF right in your browser. Your image is never uploaded.
TIFF vs GIF: what's the difference?
| Item | TIFF | GIF |
|---|---|---|
| Compression | Lossy or lossless | Lossless |
| Transparent background | Yes | Yes |
| Animation | No | Yes |
| Introduced | 1986 | 1987 |
| Support in programs and upload forms | limited | nearly everywhere |
| Shown directly in browsers | No | Yes |
| Photo file size (JPG = 1) | about 6× | about 2.5× |
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 GIF?
GIF is one of the oldest web image formats, created in 1987, and can use only up to 256 colors per image. The compression itself is lossless, but reducing the colors to 256 makes photos look visibly coarse.
What changes when you convert TIFF to GIF
Semi-transparency is simplified to transparent or opaque
GIF doesn't support partial transparency. Soft fading edges and shadows can look jagged, like stair steps.
Colors are reduced to at most 256
GIF can use only 256 colors per image. Logos and pixel art stay nearly the same, but photos and gradients can show color banding.
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.
GIF has no quality setting
GIF is lossless, 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
At the same quality, GIF tends to be smaller than TIFF (roughly 58% smaller). This is for photos; for simple images such as logos and screenshots, PNG can actually come out smaller.
GIF opens in more places
Support for TIFF in programs, document tools and upload forms is limited, while GIF is nearly everywhere. 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 shrink a TIFF file for an email attachment or an upload size limit
- You must upload a still image to an old board or system that only accepts GIF
- You need to share a scanned or print-ready TIFF on the web or by messenger