TIFF to JPG Converter
TIFF is a master format, not a delivery format
TIFF is a lossless container that supports multi-page and multi-layer documents, 16-bit per channel color, CMYK, and LZW or Deflate compression. A full-resolution 24MP TIFF routinely runs 70-150 MB — great as an archival master, wildly too big for anywhere people actually view images.
- 24MP TIFF (uncompressed)
- 70-150 MB
- JPG quality 85
- ~5-15 MB
- Order of magnitude
- 10-30×
Treat the TIFF as your source and export JPG derivatives from it. Anywhere the file is going — web, email, CMS, a client deck — wants something smaller and more compatible.
What the JPG quality slider does after a TIFF decode
The TIFF might be 16-bit or CMYK; the JPG encoder works on 8-bit RGB. Quality 85 is still the right default for most natural scenes once the conversion pipeline has normalized color. If you see banding in gradients after export, the source may need tone mapping in an editor before JPEG — the slider alone cannot invent missing bits.
- 85-90: web, email, and client review JPEGs from finished TIFFs.
- 92-95: heavily sharpened sources or print-adjacent handoffs.
- Below 80: only when byte caps matter more than pristine skies.
What you trade going to JPG, and when it's safe
JPG is 8-bit, RGB only, no alpha, lossy. If the TIFF is CMYK, the conversion will shift colors toward sRGB — fine for web, not fine for press proofing. For finished photos and web delivery, the trade is almost always worth it.
Default to quality 85-90 for photo-heavy TIFFs; push to 92-95 if the image has been sharpened or includes fine detail where ringing shows up fast. After export, spot-check at 100% near high-contrast edges and skin tones. Keep the TIFF around — you'll want it the first time someone asks for a crop, a retouch, or a print file.
When not to throw away the TIFF
- Press and packaging: CMYK separations live in TIFF, not consumer JPG.
- Multi-layer masters: JPG flattens everything to one raster.
- Scientific or medical 16-bit: JPG is the wrong container — keep depth in TIFF or PNG.
TIFF to JPG questions, answered
Should I convert TIFF to JPG?
Yes for delivery — web, email, social, and client previews want JPG-sized derivatives. Keep the TIFF as your master for crops, retouching, and print. Do not delete the TIFF just because the JPG looks fine on screen.
What JPG quality should I use for TIFF to JPG?
Use 85-90 for most photo TIFFs. Push to 92-95 if the image is sharpened or has fine detail where ringing shows quickly. Below 75, blocking in smooth regions becomes likely.
Does TIFF to JPG reduce file size?
Dramatically. A 24MP uncompressed TIFF can be 70-150 MB; a quality-85 JPG of the same photo is often 5-15 MB — two orders of magnitude smaller.
Does converting TIFF to JPG lose layers or CMYK?
Flattened JPG has no layers. CMYK TIFFs are converted toward RGB for typical JPG output — fine for web, wrong for press proofs without a color-managed export path.
Is TIFF better quality than JPG?
TIFF is a flexible master container — it can be lossless and high bit-depth. JPG is an 8-bit lossy delivery format. The TIFF holds more editing headroom; the JPG is what you ship to viewers.