TIFF

Technology & Computing abbreviation · File Format

TIFF
Stands forTagged Image File Format
CategoriesTechnology & Computing

TIFF stands for Tagged Image File Format, a file format abbreviation.

Flexible, high-quality image format used in printing, publishing, scanning, archiving, medical imaging and geographic data, supporting uncompressed or losslessly compressed images, layers, multiple pages and high bit depths.

Example: The print shop asked for the cover image as a 300 dpi CMYK TIFF.

Usage notes

Aldus Corporation created TIFF in 1986 for desktop scanners, and Adobe has controlled the specification since acquiring Aldus in 1994; version 6.0 (1992) is the last major revision. Extensions are .tif and .tiff. Variants include GeoTIFF for maps and TIFF/EP, the basis of several camera raw formats. TIFF files can be very large, so the web rarely uses them.

More file format abbreviations

  • SRT – SubRip Text
  • STEP – Standard for the Exchange of Product model data
  • STL – Stereolithography
  • SVG – Scalable Vector Graphics
  • SWF – Small Web Format
  • TAR – Tape archive
  • TMP – Temporary file
  • TS – MPEG transport stream
  • TSV – Tab-separated values
  • TTF – TrueType Font
  • TXT – Plain text file
  • VCF – Virtual Contact File (vCard)

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