TIFF vs PNG: Which Lossless Format Should You Use?

Two Lossless Giants, Very Different Strengths

When you need pixel-perfect image quality, two formats dominate the conversation: TIFF and PNG. Both preserve every detail through lossless compression, yet they were designed for entirely different workflows. Picking the wrong one can bloat your storage, break compatibility, or leave you without features you actually need.

This guide compares TIFF and PNG across every dimension that matters -- color depth, transparency, layer support, file size, software compatibility, and real-world use cases -- so you can make an informed choice for your next project.

Format Origins and Philosophy

TIFF (Tagged Image File Format)

TIFF was developed by Aldus (later absorbed by Adobe) in 1986 primarily for the desktop publishing and prepress industry. It was built to be a flexible container that could hold nearly any type of image data. Over the decades, TIFF became the de facto standard for professional print production, medical imaging, and archival storage.

PNG (Portable Network Graphics)

PNG was created in 1996 as a patent-free replacement for GIF. Its goals were straightforward: lossless compression, transparency support, and broad web compatibility. PNG quickly became the preferred format for web graphics that require sharp edges and alpha transparency.

Feature-by-Feature Comparison

Color Depth and Color Spaces

Color depth is where TIFF pulls far ahead of PNG. TIFF supports CMYK color space natively, which is essential for commercial printing. When a printer receives an image, CMYK values translate directly to the cyan, magenta, yellow, and black inks used in the press. PNG, by contrast, only supports RGB and grayscale -- any CMYK data must be converted before saving as PNG, and that conversion can shift colors unpredictably.

Bit Depth Breakdown

For photographers editing in 16-bit mode in Photoshop or Lightroom, both formats preserve the full tonal range. However, if you are working with 32-bit floating-point data from specialized equipment, TIFF is your only viable option among the two.

If you are choosing between formats for web publishing, our guide on PNG vs JPG covers how PNG stacks up against lossy compression for everyday scenarios.

Layer and Multi-Page Support

TIFF is unique among common image formats in its ability to store multiple layers and pages within a single file. This makes it invaluable for:

• Multi-page documents -- Scanned document archives often use multi-page TIFF files
• Layer preservation -- Some applications can save layered composites as TIFF
• Image stacks -- Scientific imaging workflows stack multiple exposures in one TIFF

PNG is strictly a single-image format. Each PNG file contains one flat image. If you need to combine multiple images, you will need a container format like PDF or a layered format like PSD or TIFF.

File Size Comparison

Despite both being lossless, file sizes differ substantially because of compression algorithms and the data each format stores.

Real-World File Size Tests

We tested a set of common image types at 3000 x 2000 pixels:

PNG's DEFLATE compression is generally more efficient than TIFF's LZW for most image types. However, TIFF with ZIP compression can close that gap. Uncompressed TIFF files are enormous by comparison, but some print workflows prefer them to avoid any possibility of compression artifacts in RIP processing.

Print vs Web: The Defining Use Case Split

When TIFF Wins: Print and Professional Publishing

TIFF is the preferred format whenever your final output is physical media:

• Offset printing -- Printers universally accept TIFF, often requiring it
• Large format printing -- Banners, posters, and signage
• Photo printing -- Professional photo labs prefer TIFF over PNG
• Prepress workflows -- InDesign, QuarkXPress, and other layout tools handle TIFF natively
• Archival storage -- Libraries, museums, and government agencies use TIFF for long-term preservation

For a deeper dive into print-ready file preparation, check out our guide to the best file formats for printing.

When PNG Wins: Web and Digital

PNG dominates in digital-first environments:

• Websites -- Universal browser support with transparency
• App interfaces -- Icons, buttons, UI elements
• Social media graphics -- Clean edges for text overlays
• Screenshots -- Lossless capture of screen content
• Game assets -- Sprites and textures with alpha channels

You can convert between these formats effortlessly using the PNG converter or TIFF converter on ConvertIntoMP4.

Software Compatibility

TIFF Compatibility

PNG Compatibility

The compatibility difference is stark. PNG works everywhere digital; TIFF works everywhere professional. Choosing between them often comes down to where your final output lives.

Metadata and Embedded Information

TIFF supports rich metadata through EXIF, IPTC, and XMP standards. This means you can embed:

• Camera settings (aperture, shutter speed, ISO)
• GPS coordinates
• Copyright and licensing information
• Keywords and descriptions
• Color profiles (ICC)
• Custom tags for specialized workflows

PNG supports basic metadata through text chunks (tEXt, iTXt, zTXt) and can embed ICC color profiles, but its metadata capabilities are far more limited. For workflows where metadata preservation matters -- such as photojournalism or stock photography -- TIFF is the safer choice.

Archival and Long-Term Storage

For archival purposes, TIFF has a significant advantage: TIFF/A (an archival subset) is recognized by international preservation standards. The Library of Congress, for example, recommends uncompressed TIFF for digital preservation of photographs and documents.

PNG is also suitable for long-term storage since it is an open standard maintained by the W3C, but it lacks the institutional backing and specialized archival profiles that TIFF provides.

If your archive includes scanned documents, consider adding OCR layers to your files. Our guide on OCR for scanned documents explains how to make scanned content searchable.

Converting Between TIFF and PNG

There are valid reasons to convert in both directions:

TIFF to PNG

• Publishing print assets on the web
• Reducing file size for email attachments
• Making images compatible with web-based tools
• Sharing previews with clients who lack professional software

PNG to TIFF

• Preparing web graphics for print inclusion
• Adding CMYK color data for prepress
• Archiving digital assets in an industry-standard format
• Combining multiple PNGs into a multi-page TIFF document

ConvertIntoMP4's image converter handles both directions with options to preserve color profiles and optimize compression. For batch operations involving hundreds of files, our batch processing guide walks you through efficient workflows.

When to Consider Neither Format

Sometimes TIFF and PNG are both the wrong choice:

• Web photographs -- Use WebP or AVIF for dramatically smaller files with acceptable quality loss
• Vector graphics -- Use SVG for logos, icons, and illustrations that need to scale
• Quick sharing -- JPEG is fine when you do not need transparency or lossless quality
• Future-proofing -- JPEG XL may eventually replace both for many workflows

Decision Flowchart

Ask yourself these questions in order:

1. Is the output going to print? Use TIFF.
2. Do you need CMYK color space? Use TIFF.
3. Do you need multi-page or layers? Use TIFF.
4. Is the output going to a website or app? Use PNG.
5. Do you need universal device compatibility? Use PNG.
6. Is the file for archival and you have storage budget? Use TIFF.
7. Is the file for archival and storage is limited? Use PNG.

Final Verdict

TIFF and PNG are not competitors -- they are complementary formats designed for different stages of a creative workflow. TIFF excels in professional print production, archival storage, and any scenario requiring CMYK color or multi-layer support. PNG excels on the web, in app development, and in any digital-first workflow where universal compatibility and transparency matter.

The smartest approach is to maintain TIFF masters for maximum flexibility and generate PNG (or WebP) exports for digital distribution. With tools like the image converter on ConvertIntoMP4, switching between formats takes seconds, so you never have to compromise.

For more format comparisons that will help you optimize your image workflow, explore our guides on lossless vs lossy compression and how to convert RAW photos for professional photography pipelines.