Overview & Technical Profile
TIFF is a professional raster format favored by graphic designers, publishers, and scientific imaging specialists for uncompromised archival quality.
| Standard / Specification | Adobe Systems TIFF 6.0 |
|---|---|
| MIME Type | image/tiff |
| Compression Scheme | Uncompressed, LZW, ZIP, or PackBits |
| Transparency Support | Yes (Alpha channel supported) |
| Animation Capability | Multi-page document container |
| Color Depth | Up to 64-bit high dynamic range color |
| Typical File Size | 20 MB – 200 MB |
| Global Browser Support | Not natively supported by web browsers |
History & Engineering Background
Created by Aldus Corporation in 1986 for desktop scanners and now maintained by Adobe, TIFF is the gold standard for archival preservation.
Best Use Cases
Archival document scanning, medical imaging (DICOM), professional prepress printing, and master photographic preservation.
When NOT to Use TIFF
Websites, social media, email attachments, and everyday mobile viewing.
Popular Conversion Workflows for TIFF
Easily transform TIFF files into compatible or more optimized formats right in your browser: