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Convert TIFF to PNG free, without uploading
TIFF to PNG works here in Safari, which decodes TIFF itself; desktop and Android Chrome, Edge and Firefox cannot open TIFF. PNG adds no compression loss, but colour deeper than 8 bits per channel is reduced to 8 bits. Drop the TIFF (.tif, .tiff) on the tool below and download the PNG; nothing is uploaded.
TIFF to PNG
PNG · no file-size limit · original pixel size
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
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 PNG
3 of these 5 points lose or alter something on the way from TIFF to PNG; the rest carry over.
- Kept: Transparency survives: PNG keeps the alpha channel of the TIFF.
- Kept: PNG is lossless, so it adds no compression loss: a TIFF stored without loss keeps its 8-bit pixels exactly. The bit-depth changes listed here still apply.
- 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.
Measured file size: TIFF vs PNG
sharp 0.35.5 / libvips 8.18.7, 31 October 2026, long edge 1600 px; PNG saved as lossless, zlib level 6, RGBA, TIFF as LZW, RGBA.
| Sample | TIFF | PNG | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| portrait photo (1281×1600 px) | 3.54 MB (3,707,276 bytes) | 4.46 MB (4,679,548 bytes) | +26% |
| landscape photo (1600×1200 px) | 4.68 MB (4,905,316 bytes) | 4.74 MB (4,972,383 bytes) | +1% |
| scanned typed letter (1273×1600 px) | 2.8 MB (2,936,108 bytes) | 2.59 MB (2,714,410 bytes) | −8% |
| flat chart with a transparent background (1600×1000 px) | 53.5 KB (54,768 bytes) | 39.7 KB (40,653 bytes) | −26% |
What the numbers mean for TIFF to PNG
Our portrait photo at 1281×1600 px: TIFF 3.54 MB → PNG 4.46 MB (+26%, 1.3 times larger).
Our landscape photo at 1600×1200 px: TIFF 4.68 MB → PNG 4.74 MB (+1%, about the same size).
Our scanned typed letter at 1273×1600 px: TIFF 2.8 MB → PNG 2.59 MB (−8%, 1.1 times smaller).
Our flat chart with a transparent background at 1600×1000 px: TIFF 53.5 KB → PNG 39.7 KB (−26%, 1.3 times smaller).
Per pixel, the portrait took 14.47 bits as TIFF and 18.27 bits as PNG, a difference of 949 KB on 2,049,600 pixels.
Per pixel, the chart took 0.27 bits as TIFF and 0.20 bits as PNG, a difference of 13.8 KB on 1,600,000 pixels.
PNG was smaller than TIFF on 2 of 4 samples (scanned typed letter, flat chart with a transparent background) and larger on the rest, so the content of the picture decides.
Reducing the portrait PNG to 256 colours brought it down to 782 KB (made from the original photo), still 3.1 times a quality 85 JPG, and a 256-colour palette can band smooth skin and sky tones.
How to convert TIFF to PNG
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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 PNG selected
PNG is pre-selected and saved in full colour. Type a maximum size in KB only if the destination sets one; PixelFit then tries fewer colours (a palette PNG) and, if that is not enough, fewer pixels. Our TIFF test portrait came out at 4.46 MB as PNG with no limit set.
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Download the PNG
Save the file ending in .png; its size in KB shows before you save.
TIFF and PNG side by side
TIFF (1986) next to PNG (1996); browser figures checked 31 October 2026.
| Property | TIFF | PNG |
|---|---|---|
| File extensions | .tif, .tiff | .png |
| MIME type | image/tiff | image/png |
| Compression | lossy or lossless | lossless |
| Transparency | yes | yes |
| Animation | no | yes |
| Largest size | 4,294,967,295 px per side | 2,147,483,647 px per side |
| Colour depth | 1 to 32 bits per sample | 1 to 16 bits per channel |
| Metadata | EXIF, IPTC, XMP and ICC tags | text chunks, eXIf and ICC data |
| First published | 1986 | 1996 |
| Opens in | Safari on macOS, iOS and iPadOS; desktop and Android Chrome, Edge and Firefox do not decode it | Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari (every current browser); about 97.49% of browsers in use |
| Good for | scans, print workflows and archiving | screenshots, logos, signatures on white and images with transparency |
| Weak for | web pages and upload forms, which rarely accept it | large photos, which come out several times bigger than a JPEG |
| Specification | TIFF, Revision 6.0 (Library of Congress format description) | Portable Network Graphics (PNG) Specification, Third Edition (W3C) |
When not to change TIFF to PNG
- Do not change TIFF to PNG to make a photo smaller: our portrait grew +26%, from 3.54 MB to 4.46 MB, with no gain in quality.
- Changing TIFF to PNG does not restore detail; do it only when the destination demands PNG or you will edit the image further.
- 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 PNG is for sending and uploading.
Browser support for TIFF and PNG (October 2026)
Reading TIFF (.tif, .tiff): Safari on macOS, iOS and iPadOS; desktop and Android Chrome, Edge and Firefox do not decode it.
Writing PNG from that TIFF: Chrome 50+, Edge 79+, Firefox 18+, Safari 11+ (MDN compatibility data for canvas.toBlob, checked 31 October 2026).
Outside Safari, open the TIFF in the program that made it (scanner software, Preview, GIMP, Photoshop) and export it as PNG; 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 PNG
10 of the 61 application portals we checked accept PNG 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):
- ICSI student: PNG photo, 20–50 KB (also takes JPG, GIF, BMP, PDF).
- Indonesia e-Visa: PNG photo, up to 2 MB, 400 × 600 px (also takes JPG).
- Bangladesh Freelancer ID: PNG photo, up to 500 KB, 300 × 300 px (also takes JPG).
- Japan eVISA: PNG photo, up to 2 MB (also takes JPG, GIF, BMP, HEIC).
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 PNG 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
- Portable Network Graphics (PNG) Specification, Third Edition (W3C), W3C, checked 31 October 2026: w3.org/TR/png-3/
- 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…
- MDN browser-compat-data, HTMLCanvasElement.toBlob (which browsers write PNG), CC0, checked 31 October 2026: github.com/mdn/browser-compat-data/blob/main/api/HTMLCanv…
- 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 PNG for free?
Yes. The TIFF to PNG 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 PNG?
Drop the TIFF on the tool above, keep PNG selected, and download the .png file. Add a KB limit if the destination has one.
Does converting TIFF to PNG reduce quality?
PNG is lossless, so it adds no compression loss: a TIFF stored without loss keeps its 8-bit pixels exactly. The bit-depth changes listed here still apply. In our test a 1281×1600 px portrait went from 3.54 MB as TIFF to 4.46 MB as PNG (+26%).
Why convert TIFF to PNG?
PNG suits screenshots, logos, signatures on white and images with transparency; 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 PNG.
Related
More TIFF format changes
- TIFF to JPG same TIFF input
- TIFF to PDF same TIFF input
Other files to PNG
- AVIF to PNG also ends as PNG
- HEIC to PNG also ends as PNG
- ICO to PNG also ends as PNG
- WebP to PNG also ends as PNG
- BMP to PNG also ends as PNG