What happens if I convert a multi-page TIFF file to JPG?

The TIFF format can hold multiple pages or frames inside a single file; JPG cannot, as every JPG file is a single image. So when a multi-page TIFF is converted, either only the first page is taken or each page comes out as a separate JPG file. Check how many pages your file contains before converting; if you are working with a scanned contract or book chapter you need to make sure all the pages came out. If the pages have to stay in a single file, converting to PDF rather than JPG is the more appropriate choice.

Can I delete my TIFF file after converting?

No, we recommend you do not. TIFF is a lossless format while JPG is lossy; the pixel data discarded during conversion cannot be recovered. Even if you convert the JPG back to TIFF, the file extension changes but the lost detail does not come back. You need to keep the original TIFF especially for images that will go to print, be archived or be edited again in future. Treat the JPG as a working copy produced for sharing and web use.

What quality setting should I use for the JPG?

It depends on the intended use. For on-screen viewing, email attachments or a website, the 80-90% range shrinks the file considerably for most images without creating a visible loss. For scanned documents containing text it makes sense to prefer a higher quality, because JPG compression creates artefacts known as ringing around sharp letter edges and this directly affects legibility. Low quality values shrink the file a great deal but leave irreversible degradation in scanned text.

My TIFF file is huge — how much smaller will it get as a JPG?

Compared with an uncompressed TIFF the reduction is usually very pronounced, because TIFF stores pixels with almost no compression while JPG applies an aggressive compression designed for photographic data. The exact ratio depends on the content of the image: images with flat colour areas and smooth transitions shrink far more, while scans with fine texture and noise shrink less. With TIFF files that already have a compression such as LZW applied, the difference is smaller, but the JPG still stays noticeably smaller.

How Do You Convert a TIFF File to JPG Format? A Step-by-Step Guide

Why do we end up with TIFFs?

A document from a scanner, a print file from the press, an image downloaded from a library digitisation archive — what all of these usually have in common is that they are in TIFF format. TIFF is the archival standard of the imaging world: it works losslessly, can hold multiple pages in one file, can carry layers and an alpha channel, and supports the CMYK colour space and embedded colour profiles required for printing.

The problem is that none of these features is any use to you for everyday sharing. You cannot send a TIFF file over WhatsApp, most browsers will not display it if you upload it to a website, and if you try to add it as an email attachment you will hit the size limit. This is where converting TIFF to JPG becomes necessary.

In this guide we explain how to do the conversion, which settings matter, and what to watch out for along the way.

The one thing you need to know before converting

TIFF is lossless, JPG is lossy. That sentence is the most important part of this guide.

Lossless means the file stores the exact value of every pixel. Lossy means the JPG compression algorithm calculates and discards the information the human eye finds hard to notice. That discarded data does not come back. Even if you later save the JPG file as a TIFF again there is no way back — you would simply be putting an already degraded image into a lossless container.

The practical consequence is this: never delete your original TIFF file. Treat the conversion as an operation that produces a copy. If you are working with a job going to print, a scanned document with legal standing, or an image of archival value such as a museum or library digitisation, this rule is not negotiable.

Step-by-step conversion

1. Check how many pages your file contains

TIFF can be multi-page. A scanned contract, a book chapter or a fax printout can carry dozens of pages inside a single .tif file. JPG does not work that way; every JPG file is a single image.

There are two scenarios in the conversion: either only the first page is taken, or each page is exported as a separate JPG. Know which result you want from the outset. If the pages have to stay in a single file, JPG is not the right destination — in that case converting to PDF makes more sense.

2. Upload the file

Drag and drop your .tif or .tiff file onto our TIFF to JPG conversion tool. Both extensions denote the same format; the duplication is a historical leftover from Windows' three-letter extension limit.

3. Choose the quality setting according to your purpose

In JPG, quality is a slider and it determines the balance between file size and image quality:

Photographs, website images, social media: the 80-90% range is ideal in most cases. There is almost no visible loss and the file shrinks considerably.
Scanned text documents: prefer a higher quality. JPG compression produces grey shadowing known as "ringing" around sharp letter edges. A scanned page at low quality is still readable but does not look professional, and OCR accuracy drops.
Only a preview or thumbnail is needed: lower values can be used, since this copy already serves a temporary purpose.

4. Pay attention to the colour space

TIFF files prepared for print may be in the CMYK colour space. JPG works with RGB in practice; a conversion from CMYK to RGB happens during the process, and that conversion does not preserve colours exactly. A visible shift on screen can occur particularly in saturated reds and blues.

This is not a fault of the conversion tool but the natural consequence of the two colour models having different gamuts. If colour accuracy is critical in print work, always use the original CMYK TIFF as the print file; produce the JPG only to show the client for approval or to share on the web.

5. Download the result and check it

Open the JPG you downloaded at full screen and look particularly at text regions and flat colour transitions. If the quality is not sufficient, convert again at a higher setting — because the original TIFF is still in your hands you can repeat this as many times as you like. That, after all, is the most practical benefit of keeping the TIFF.

When is JPG not the right destination?

Not every TIFF has to become a JPG. Consider another route in these situations:

The image contains transparent areas: JPG does not support transparency. If your TIFF has an alpha channel, the transparent regions will be filled with a solid colour (usually white or black) during conversion. If transparency must be preserved, convert the TIFF to PNG.
The image is a sharp-edged graphic, drawing or screenshot: JPG was designed for photographs. It produces artefacts with sharp-edged content; PNG is both cleaner and usually smaller with this kind of content.
The document contains multiple pages and must stay whole: PDF is more appropriate.
The image is going to be archived: let it stay as TIFF. There is no point converting the archive copy; convert the sharing copy.

In summary

Converting from TIFF to JPG is the process of producing a shareable working copy from an archive-quality file. The conversion is one-way: discarded data does not come back, so keeping the original is essential. Choosing the right quality setting for your purpose, checking the page count on multi-page files, and expecting a colour shift from CMYK sources — those are the three things to watch. Do it knowing these, and the conversion is a fast and trouble-free operation.