TGA (Truevision TGA)
The original true-color image format born from AT&T's graphics hardware labs in 1984.
| Full name | Truevision TGA |
| Extension | .tga |
| MIME type | image/x-tga |
| Developer | AT&T EPICenter (later Truevision, Inc.) |
| Released | 1984 (v1.0); 1989 (v2.0) |
| Type | Raster image |
| Color depths | 8, 15, 16, 24, 32 bits per pixel |
| Compression | None or lossless RLE |
What is a TGA file?
TGA is a raster image format created in 1984 by AT&T EPICenter alongside its TARGA graphics boards for IBM-compatible PCs. It was one of the first formats to support full 24-bit true color and an 8-bit alpha channel. Game developers and 3D artists still use it today because it is simple, lossless, and widely supported.
TGA stores pixel data in a flat binary structure with a small header, an optional color map, and raw or RLE-compressed pixel bytes. It supports indexed color (palette-based), true color, and grayscale images. The format allows an alpha channel, making it useful for textures that need transparency. Pixel data is stored in little-endian order and can be oriented from either the bottom-left or top-left corner of the image.
History
AT&T EPICenter, an internal AT&T spin-off formed to commercialize color frame-buffer technology, created the TGA format in 1984 to accompany its VDA and ICB graphics boards. A leveraged employee buyout in 1987 turned EPICenter into Truevision, Inc. Truevision released version 2.0 of the specification in 1989, adding a developer area, extension area, and a file footer to make the format more extensible.
How it works
A TGA file starts with an 18-byte header that describes image dimensions, bit depth, color map presence, image type, and an origin flag. An optional image ID field and color map follow the header. Pixel data comes next, stored either as raw bytes or as RLE packets that alternate between run-length-encoded repeating pixels and literal pixel runs. Version 2.0 files end with an extension area, a developer area, and a 26-byte footer containing the string 'TRUEVISION-XFILE'.
What it is used for
- Storing textures for real-time 3D games and game engines that read TGA natively
- Archiving rendered frames from 3D animation software with full alpha channel preserved
- Intermediate format in VFX pipelines where lossless quality must be maintained between steps
- Embedding sprites and UI artwork in older game projects and legacy graphics tools
How to open it
Most image editors open TGA files directly, including GIMP, Adobe Photoshop, Krita, and Paint.NET. Game engines such as Unity and Unreal Engine import TGA textures without any plugins.
Pros and cons
Strengths
- Supports a full 8-bit alpha channel, useful for transparency in textures
- Lossless quality: no compression artifacts even after many saves
- Simple, well-documented structure that is easy to parse in custom tools
- Optional RLE compression reduces file size for images with large flat color regions
Trade-offs
- No metadata standard for color profiles or EXIF, limiting use in photography workflows
- RLE compression is weak compared to PNG's DEFLATE, so files are often larger
- Not supported by most web browsers, requiring conversion before online use
- The bottom-left pixel origin default confuses some software that expects top-left
Convert TGA files
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From TGA
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TGA FAQ
Is TGA the same as TARGA?
Yes. TARGA was the name of the Truevision graphics board line, and TGA is the file format that came with it. The two names are used interchangeably.
Does TGA support transparency?
Yes. TGA supports an 8-bit alpha channel in 32-bit mode, which makes it a common choice for game textures that need per-pixel transparency.
Why do games use TGA instead of PNG?
TGA predates PNG and was already the standard for TARGA boards before PNG existed. Many game engines adopted it early and kept support. Some engines also find it faster to decode since the structure is simpler.
Can TGA files be compressed?
TGA includes optional run-length encoding (RLE) compression, which is lossless. It works well on images with large areas of a single color but provides little benefit on photographs or complex textures.