TIFFJPG
TIFF vs JPG: Which Image Format Should You Choose?
A side-by-side comparison of TIFF (Tagged Image File Format) and JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) — covering compression, quality, file size, transparency, and browser support.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | TIFF | JPG |
|---|---|---|
| Full Name | TIFF (Tagged Image File Format) | JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) |
| Compression | Lossless | Lossy |
| Typical Size | Very large | Small |
| Transparency | ||
| Animation | ||
| Max Colors | 16.7 million+ | 16.7 million |
| Browser Support | Not supported in browsers | Universal (100%) |
| Year Created | 1986 | 1992 |
When to Use TIFF
- Professional print production and prepress
- Photography archival and RAW post-processing
- Medical and scientific imaging
- Desktop publishing and graphic design
- Scanning documents at maximum quality
When to Use JPG
- Photographs and real-world images with millions of colors
- Social media uploads (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter)
- Web page backgrounds and hero images
- Email attachments where small size matters
- Print-ready photos (with high quality settings)
The Verdict
TIFF preserves maximum quality for print production. JPG is dramatically smaller for web use but lossy. Use TIFF for editing/print, JPG for sharing/web.