TIF and TIFF Files: What They Are & How to Open and Convert Them (2024)

What to Know

A TIF/TIFF file is a tagged image file.
View one with XnView or the image program built-in to your OS.
Convert one to JPG, PNG, or PDF with an image converter like CoolUtils or Adapter.

This article describes what TIF/TIFF files are and how they're unique when compared to other images, which programs can open one, and how to convert one to a different image format.

What Are TIF and TIFF Files?

A file with the TIF or TIFF file extension is a tagged image file. This type of file is used for high-quality raster type graphics. The format supports lossless compression, in which no image data is lost during the compression process. This lets graphic artists and photographers archive their high-quality photos in a manageable amount of storage space without compromising quality.

TIF and TIFF Files: What They Are & How to Open and Convert Them (1)

TIFF and TIF can be used interchangeably. TIFF is an acronym for tagged image file format.

GeoTIFF image files also use the TIF file extension. These are images that store GPS coordinates as metadata with the file, using the extensible features of the TIFF format.

Some scanning, faxing, and optical character recognition (OCR) applications also utilize TIF files.

How to Open a TIF File

Windows Photos and Photo Viewer, both included with the different version of Windows, can be used to open a TIF file. These apps don't provide a means for editing them, though.

TIF and TIFF Files: What They Are & How to Open and Convert Them (2)

On a Mac, the Preview app can open TIF files.

Third-party apps are also available for viewing and editing this format, especially in the case of multi-page TIF files. Popular apps include GraphicConverter, ACDSee, ColorStrokes, and XnView.

How to Edit TIF Files

One option for editing a TIF file is to use one of the conversion tools below. You'll get an editor and converter in one tool.

If you want to keep the file in this format, but edit it, use the free photo editing program GIMP. Other popular photo and graphics tools can work with TIF files as well, such as Photoshop, but these are often not available for free.

If you're working with a GeoTIFF image, open the file with a program like Oasis montaj, ESRI ArcGIS Desktop, or GDAL.

14 Best Free Online Photo Editors

How to Convert a TIF File

If you have an image editor or viewer on your computer that supports TIF files, you can open the file in that program and then save it to a different image format, such as JPG. This can usually be accomplished through the program's menu, like File > Save as, and selecting a different file format.

Still Can't Open It?

It's usually not complicated at all to open an image file format, given that there are so many web and desktop tools that are compatible with lots of graphics formats, especially this one. Therefore, if your file doesn't open even after trying a conversion tool, you most likely don't have an image file.

Lots of files share some of the same file extension letters even though the formats have nothing in common. TFIL, for example, could easily be confused for TIF despite the format (it's an update file used by Blizzard games) being far from related to an image.

FIT is another you might confuse for a TIF file. It's a GIS data file used by Garmin devices, meaning that you can't open one with an image viewer.

More Information on the TIF/TIFF Format

The TIFF format was developed by a company called Aldus Corporation for desktop publishing purposes. Adobe now owns the copyright to the TIF format.

Version 1 of the standard was released in 1986, TIFF became an international standard format in 1993, and 6.0 is the latest version.

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FAQs

TIF and TIFF Files: What They Are & How to Open and Convert Them? ›

A TIF/TIFF file is a tagged image file. View one with XnView or the image program built-in to your OS. Convert one to JPG, PNG, or PDF with an image converter like CoolUtils or Adapter.

What is a .TIFF file and how do I open it? ›

It is commonly used in the printing and publishing industry due to its ability to retain color information and detail when compressed. Opening a TIFF file is easy and usually done with Windows Photo Viewer or Apple Preview.

Read On ›

How can I convert a TIF file? ›

To convert your TIFF file, start by opening up your image in Photoshop. Next, click on File in the top-left corner and navigate to Export > Export As…. Finally, in the Export menu, select the JPG file format and click on Export to save your new JPG image.

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What program will open a TIF file? ›

Applications and tools that open TIF (TIFF) files on various platforms

Platforms	Applications or Tools
Windows	Microsoft Windows Photo Viewer
	Microsoft Photos
	Corel PaintShop Pro
	Adobe Illustrator 2020

24 more rows

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What is the difference between TIF and TIFF files? ›

No, they are essentially the same file type; the only difference is that one acronym (TIF) is short for the other acronym (TIFF). So regardless of which acronym you use, both refer to the same image format. The two acronyms are used interchangeably, so there's no need to worry about which one you're using.

Can I convert a TIFF file to JPEG? ›

Make your TIFF images into JPGs.

Choose File and select Save As. Or, choose File, then Export, and Save for Web (Legacy). You can use either process to save CMYK, RGB, or grayscale images. Note: JPGs support only 8-bit images, so the bit depth will automatically be lowered on anything with a 16-bit image quality.

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Can I convert TIFF to PDF? ›

Open Your TIFF Image: Open the TIFF image in an image viewer on your computer. Print the Image: Now click on the 'File' menu, and select 'Print. ' Look for an option that says "Microsoft Print to PDF" or something similar. This is the virtual PDF printer that allows you to convert the TIFF image to PDF.

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Can Word open TIF files? ›

Microsoft Word is compatible with most common image file types, including TIFFs.

Can Chrome open TIFF files? ›

Overview. Open and view TIFF files instantly using this software. The Google Chrome browser is normally unable to load TIFF images. You can view TIFF files by using the software extension and choosing the TIFF file you wish to load.

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What is .TIF compatible with? ›

TIFF is widely supported by scanning, faxing, word processing, optical character recognition, image manipulation, desktop publishing, and page-layout applications. The format was created by the Aldus Corporation for use in desktop publishing.

Get More Info Here ›

Can Google Photos open TIF files? ›

TIFF (Tagged Image File Format): TIFF files are known for their high quality and are supported by Google Photos, ensuring your images are displayed in all their glory.

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When should you not use TIFF? ›

Because of their large size, TIFF files usually aren't used for everyday marketing content. While a TIFF file might be the original creative file, it will likely be converted to another format to be used in slide decks, websites, and other marketing materials. Avoid TIFF files for: Web graphics.

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Do people still use TIF files? ›

TIFF (Tagged Image File Format) files are common in publishing, photo editing and graphic design. They're a versatile, standard format for different computer programs, but their poor online compatibility resulted in JPEGs becoming more popular.

How to convert a TIF file? ›

5 steps to convert a TIFF file to PDF

In Acrobat, navigate to the Create PDF option from the Tools menu.
Click on Select A File.
Navigate to the location of your TIFF file and click on it.
Choose Create.
Click the save icon to save your new PDF to the desired location.

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Is A TIFF the same as a JPEG? ›

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What is the difference between a PDF and a TIFF file? ›

TIFF format is a good choice for storing document images because they are larger in size and provide better quality. They are also easier to edit than PDFs. However, TIFFs are not as secure as PDFs. TIFFs are generally larger than PDFs, but can be compressed to reduce the file size.

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How do I convert TIFF to PDF without Adobe? ›

How to convert TIFF to PDF in 3 easy steps:

Upload TIFF file. Drag your TIFF file on to the TIF to PDF Converter dropzone above, or click Upload to choose a file from your computer.
Convert TIFF to PDF.
Download your file. Get 3 free downloads of your PDF file. No hassle, no payment required.

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How do I open a TIF file in Chrome? ›

Just install our software TIFF Viewer for Google Chrome™ To begin viewing your TIFF files, simply do the following Install the software TIFF Viewer for Google Chrome™ Click on the software icon Find the TIFF file you wish to open Its that simple, begin viewing your TIFF files online today!

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