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TIFF, or Tagged Image File Format, is a computer term for a versatile raster graphics file format used for storing high-resolution images, often in the fields of graphic design, printing, and document imaging. It supports uncompressed or lossless compression, allowing for high quality, and can store images in various color depths, multiple layers, and with transparency. While its size makes it impractical for web use, its flexibility makes it ideal for archiving and editing photos before they are printed.

Key characteristics

High quality: TIFF files are known for maintaining high image quality because they can use lossless compression or no compression at all.

Versatility: They can store images in a variety of formats, including color (RGB), grayscale, CMYK, and indexed color.

Layer support: TIFFs can retain image layers, which is beneficial for editing in software like Adobe Photoshop.

Transparency: The format supports transparency, which is useful for creating graphics that can be overlaid on other images.

Multi-page support: TIFF files can store multiple images or pages in a single file, making them useful for scanned documents.

File size: Because they are often uncompressed or use lossless compression, TIFF files tend to be large, which makes them less suitable for web use where file size is a major consideration.

File extension: TIFF files typically have the file extensions .tiff or .tif.