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Convert TIFF to PDF free, without uploading
TIFF to PDF works here in Safari, which decodes TIFF itself; desktop and Android Chrome, Edge and Firefox cannot open TIFF. Quality stays high unless you set a KB limit. Drop the TIFF (.tif, .tiff) on the tool below and download the PDF; nothing is uploaded.
TIFF to PDF
PDF · no file-size limit · original pixel size · white background
No file-size limit is set: PixelFit saves at high quality and changes only the format and any pixel size you set.
Fit, background and padding white background · page the size of the picture
Saving presets is part of Pro.
The result appears here: the exact byte count, pixel size and quality, the size before and after, a preview and a download button.
The batch kit (one ZIP for up to 500 photos, several photos merged into one PDF) is part of Pro.
What changes from TIFF to PDF
5 of these 6 points lose or alter something on the way from TIFF to PDF; the rest carry over.
- Lost or changed: TIFF files rarely use transparency, but PDF pages from PixelFit hold a JPEG image, which cannot store transparency, so transparent areas of the TIFF are filled with a background colour (white unless you pick another).
- Lost or changed: Most TIFF scans and print files are stored without loss (uncompressed, LZW or ZIP), so the JPEG inside the PixelFit PDF page is the first lossy step: the exact pixels are approximated, which is invisible on photos at high quality but can soften text and line art.
- Lost or changed: TIFF can hold more than 8 bits per channel (1 to 32 bits per sample); a browser canvas works at 8 bits, so 10-, 12- or 16-bit files are reduced to 8 bits per channel.
- Lost or changed: A TIFF can hold several pages; only the first page is decoded and converted.
- Lost or changed: Metadata is not carried over: the TIFF's EXIF, IPTC, XMP and ICC tags are dropped by the canvas, and EXIF orientation is applied to the pixels first so the photo stays upright.
- Kept: The PDF is a document with one page per image; the page size follows the pixel size and DPI, so the photo prints at the size you set.
Measured file size: TIFF vs PDF
sharp 0.35.5 / libvips 8.18.7, 31 October 2026, long edge 1600 px; PDF saved as PixelFit's PDF writer, one page wrapping the quality 85 JPEG, TIFF as LZW, RGBA.
| Sample | TIFF | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| portrait photo (1281×1600 px) | 3.54 MB (3,707,276 bytes) | 254 KB (260,507 bytes) | −93% |
| landscape photo (1600×1200 px) | 4.68 MB (4,905,316 bytes) | 641 KB (656,254 bytes) | −87% |
| scanned typed letter (1273×1600 px) | 2.8 MB (2,936,108 bytes) | 332 KB (339,628 bytes) | −88% |
| flat chart with a transparent background (1600×1000 px) | 53.5 KB (54,768 bytes) | 40.3 KB (41,225 bytes) | −25% |
What the numbers mean for TIFF to PDF
Our portrait photo at 1281×1600 px: TIFF 3.54 MB → PDF 254 KB (−93%, 14.2 times smaller).
Our landscape photo at 1600×1200 px: TIFF 4.68 MB → PDF 641 KB (−87%, 7.5 times smaller).
Our scanned typed letter at 1273×1600 px: TIFF 2.8 MB → PDF 332 KB (−88%, 8.6 times smaller).
Our flat chart with a transparent background at 1600×1000 px: TIFF 53.5 KB → PDF 40.3 KB (−25%, 1.3 times smaller).
Per pixel, the portrait took 14.47 bits as TIFF and 1.02 bits as PDF, a difference of 3.29 MB on 2,049,600 pixels.
Per pixel, the chart took 0.27 bits as TIFF and 0.21 bits as PDF, a difference of 13.2 KB on 1,600,000 pixels.
PDF came out smaller than TIFF on all 4 samples, from −25% to −93%.
The PDF is the JPEG plus a little structure: PixelFit's one-page PDF writer added only 729 bytes around the JPEG made from the TIFF, so the PDF size is decided by the JPEG quality and pixel size inside it.
How to convert TIFF to PDF
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Add the TIFF file
Drop the .tif, .tiff file on the tool at the top of this page, tap to choose it, or paste it. Use Safari on a Mac, iPhone or iPad, which can decode TIFF.
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Keep PDF selected
PDF is pre-selected. Add a maximum size in KB if a portal sets one; PixelFit lowers the JPEG quality inside the page until the PDF fits. Our TIFF test portrait came out at 254 KB as PDF with no limit set.
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Download the PDF
Save the file ending in .pdf; its size in KB shows before you save.
TIFF and PDF side by side
TIFF (1986) next to PDF (1993); browser figures checked 31 October 2026.
| Property | TIFF | |
|---|---|---|
| File extensions | .tif, .tiff | |
| MIME type | image/tiff | application/pdf |
| Compression | lossy or lossless | lossy or lossless |
| Transparency | yes | yes in general; PixelFit pages are JPEG, so no |
| Animation | no | no |
| Largest size | 4,294,967,295 px per side | follows the embedded image |
| Colour depth | 1 to 32 bits per sample | whatever the embedded image uses |
| Metadata | EXIF, IPTC, XMP and ICC tags | document info and XMP |
| First published | 1986 | 1993 |
| Opens in | Safari on macOS, iOS and iPadOS; desktop and Android Chrome, Edge and Firefox do not decode it | not read as an image input |
| Good for | scans, print workflows and archiving | document uploads, printing and sending several photos as one file |
| Weak for | web pages and upload forms, which rarely accept it | profile pictures and web pages, which expect an image file |
| Specification | TIFF, Revision 6.0 (Library of Congress format description) | PDF 2.0, ISO 32000-2 (Library of Congress format description) |
When not to change TIFF to PDF
- Do not upload a PDF where the form asks for a photo or signature image: those fields usually check for JPG or PNG, so a TIFF photo for such a field should become a JPG instead.
- In desktop or Android Chrome, Edge and Firefox the tool cannot open the TIFF, because those browsers have no TIFF decoder; PixelFit says so instead of guessing.
- Keep the original TIFF if a program or archive needs it; the PDF is for sending and uploading.
Browser support for TIFF and PDF (October 2026)
Reading TIFF (.tif, .tiff): Safari on macOS, iOS and iPadOS; desktop and Android Chrome, Edge and Firefox do not decode it.
Writing the PDF: PixelFit's own PDF writer (JPEG page images), every browser. The JPEG inside each page comes from canvas.toBlob, which Chrome 50+, Firefox 18+ and Safari 11+ support (MDN compatibility data, checked 31 October 2026).
Outside Safari, open the TIFF in the program that made it (scanner software, Preview, GIMP, Photoshop) and export it as PDF or JPG; PixelFit can then resize it and hit a KB limit in any browser.
Very large TIFF files: with no pixel size set, PixelFit keeps up to 16,777,216 pixels (16.7 megapixels, 4096 × 4096 worth) and scales bigger pictures down to that, because Safari on iPhone and iPad will not create a larger canvas. A 12-megapixel 4032 × 3024 photo keeps its full size.
Upload forms that ask for PDF
3 of the 61 application portals we checked accept PDF photos, 1 of them with a limit of 50 KB or less. A few of them, for this TIFF file (verify with the official notice before you upload):
- Canada G5 sponsorship: PDF photo, up to 4 MB, 420 × 540 px (also takes JPG, PNG).
- Oman eVisa: PDF photo, up to 512 KB (also takes JPG, PNG).
- ICSI student: PDF photo, 20–50 KB (also takes JPG, PNG, GIF, BMP).
Where TIFF files come from
TIFF is the format of scanners, print shops, archives and some camera exports. It is heavy and rarely accepted by forms or web pages, which is why scans are changed to PDF before they are uploaded or e-mailed.
Sources
- TIFF, Revision 6.0 (Library of Congress format description), Library of Congress, checked 31 October 2026: loc.gov/preservation/digital/formats/fdd/fdd000022.shtml
- PDF 2.0, ISO 32000-2 (Library of Congress format description), Library of Congress, checked 31 October 2026: loc.gov/preservation/digital/formats/fdd/fdd000474.shtml
- MDN Web Docs, Image file type and format guide (which browsers decode TIFF), checked 31 October 2026: developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/Media/Guides/Formats…
- Test photo “President Barack Obama.jpg” by Pete Souza (Official White House photo), public domain, measured by PixelFit with sharp 0.35.5 / libvips 8.18.7 on 31 October 2026: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:President_Barack_Obama.jpg
Frequently asked questions
Can I convert TIFF to PDF for free?
Yes. The TIFF to PDF change runs free on your device, with no sign-up and no upload, one file or up to 25 at a time; Pro raises the batch to 500 with one ZIP download. Reading TIFF needs Safari; desktop and Android Chrome, Edge and Firefox cannot decode it.
How do I convert TIFF to PDF?
Drop the TIFF on the tool above, keep PDF selected, and download the .pdf file. Add a KB limit if the destination has one.
Does converting TIFF to PDF reduce quality?
Most TIFF scans and print files are stored without loss (uncompressed, LZW or ZIP), so the JPEG inside the PixelFit PDF page is the first lossy step: the exact pixels are approximated, which is invisible on photos at high quality but can soften text and line art. In our test a 1281×1600 px portrait went from 3.54 MB as TIFF to 254 KB as PDF (−93%).
Why convert TIFF to PDF?
PDF suits document uploads, printing and sending several photos as one file; TIFF is a poor fit for web pages and upload forms, which rarely accept it.
Why can't Chrome open TIFF?
Desktop and Android Chrome, Edge and Firefox ship no TIFF decoder (MDN, checked October 2026); Safari decodes it with the operating system's codec, so PixelFit can read it there and write the PDF.
Related
More TIFF format changes
- TIFF to JPG same TIFF input
- TIFF to PNG same TIFF input
Other files to PDF
- HEIC to PDF also ends as PDF
- WebP to PDF also ends as PDF
- BMP to PDF also ends as PDF
- GIF to PDF also ends as PDF
- JFIF to PDF also ends as PDF