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.
PNG is a versatile lossless format with transparency support. When you convert TIFF to PNG, 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 PNG right in your browser. Your image is never uploaded.
TIFF vs PNG: what's the difference?
| Item | TIFF | PNG |
|---|---|---|
| Compression | Lossy or lossless | Lossless |
| Transparent background | Yes | Yes |
| Animation | No | No |
| Introduced | 1986 | 1996 |
| Support in programs and upload forms | limited | nearly everywhere |
| Shown directly in browsers | No | Yes |
| Photo file size (JPG = 1) | about 6× | about 3× |
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 PNG?
PNG (Portable Network Graphics) is a lossless format created in 1996 to avoid the patent problems around GIF. Because not a single pixel changes when you save and reopen it, it suits original artwork that goes through many edits.
What changes when you convert TIFF to PNG
Pixel values are preserved exactly
TIFF and PNG 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.
PNG has no quality setting
PNG 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, PNG tends to be smaller than TIFF (roughly 50% smaller). This is for photos; for simple images such as logos and screenshots, PNG can actually come out smaller.
PNG opens in more places
Support for TIFF in programs, document tools and upload forms is limited, while PNG 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 need to share a scanned or print-ready TIFF on the web or by messenger
TIFF → PNG: practical tips
For images where the text matters, such as scanned documents, PNG is sharper than JPG. It is lossless, so TIFF's quality is kept as it is. Multi-page TIFFs still convert only the first page.