Dedicated, format-locked workflow
Convert a TIFF image to PNG—with page limits explained
Create a lossless PNG for everyday software while preserving the TIFF original for print, archival, or multi-page use.
Conversion settings
Lossless raster output with alpha transparency support.
Locked: TIFF → PNG
Drop images here or choose files
TIFF input only · 50MB each · 20 files per batch
Why this workflow exists
PNG is easier to use in browsers, presentations, and general-purpose editors.
A lossless PNG is practical for scanned artwork and graphics that need broad raster support.
Browsers do not display TIFF inline, so a PNG derivative is needed for anything web-facing.
What PixelConvert does with a TIFF file
The server validates the TIFF signature, decodes the first frame in the file, applies any recorded orientation, and writes an optimized lossless PNG. Subsequent frames are not concatenated, exported as separate files, or combined into a document.
The first-frame policy is stated here before conversion and reported again in the response, because discovering that nine pages of a ten-page scan are missing after the fact is considerably worse than being told in advance.
One container, one image
A TIFF is organised as a chain of directories, each describing a complete image with its own dimensions, colour model, and compression. Three scanned pages in a TIFF are three complete images in one file. A PNG defines a single image and has no equivalent chain.
So the conversion is not a format translation; it is a choice about which page to keep. PixelConvert takes the first and says so. The alternatives a converter might choose silently — emitting page one without mention, stitching pages into one tall image, or returning a ZIP when a file was requested — are all worse when they happen without warning.
Colour and bit depth may not map cleanly
TIFF is widely used in print workflows where images are stored as CMYK — four ink channels rather than three light channels. PNG has no CMYK mode, so the colour must be converted to RGB, and the two models do not cover identical colour ranges. Some values have no exact equivalent.
High bit depths are the second gap. Scientific, medical, and high-end photographic TIFFs may store 16 or 32 bits per channel. PNG supports 16-bit channels but many downstream tools do not, and reducing to 8 bits discards tonal gradation permanently. For a proof, a press check, or anything colour-critical, the TIFF is the file that matters.
If you need every page
When the goal is a readable, shareable document, convert to PDF rather than to images. A PDF is a multi-page container by design, it is universally readable, and it stays one file. Most operating systems and scanner utilities can produce a PDF from a multi-page TIFF directly, and this is the right answer more often than people expect.
When you genuinely need separate image files, use software that enumerates frames explicitly — a desktop image editor or a command-line tool that can list the frame count and export each one. Checking the count first is worth doing, because files from fax gateways and older scanners often contain more pages than expected.
Verified format differences
| Property | TIFF source | PNG result |
|---|---|---|
| Pages | Can contain multiple | Single image |
| Colour model | May be CMYK or high bit depth | RGB, converted approximately |
| Metadata | May contain rich tags | Not carried into the new file |
| Compression | Varies | Lossless PNG |
How to use TIFF to PNG
- Step 1Add a TIFF and confirm which page should be represented.
- Step 2Convert the first frame to PNG.
- Step 3Compare dimensions and colors; retain the TIFF source.
Good use cases
- Opening a scan in browser-based software
- Adding an image to a presentation
- Creating a web-compatible preview of the first page
Limitations to check
- For multi-page TIFF files, PixelConvert exports only the first frame.
- Specialized print color spaces, layers, and TIFF tags do not map fully to PNG.
- Keep the TIFF original for archival and print workflows.
Questions answered
- Does it convert every TIFF page?
- No. The current converter exports the first frame only, and states that before and after conversion rather than dropping pages silently.
- How do I convert all the pages?
- For a readable document, convert to PDF — it holds multiple pages natively. For separate image files, use software that can enumerate and export each frame.
- Should I delete the TIFF?
- No. Keep it when pages, print data, or archival metadata matter. Scans are frequently the only copy of something that cannot be reproduced.
- Why did my colours change?
- Probably a CMYK source. PNG has no CMYK mode, so the colour is converted to RGB, and the two models do not cover identical ranges. Keep the TIFF for print work.
- Why is TIFF still used?
- It is lossless, supports CMYK and high bit depths, carries rich metadata, and has been stable for decades — good properties for an archival master, poor ones for delivery.
Troubleshooting TIFF to PNG
Only the first page converted
Why: A PNG holds one image and your TIFF holds several.
Fix: Convert to PDF for a readable document, or use software that enumerates and exports each frame separately.
The colours look wrong
Why: The TIFF is probably CMYK, and PNG requires a conversion to RGB that is an approximation.
Fix: Keep the TIFF for any colour-critical or print use. The PNG is a viewing derivative, not a colour-accurate copy.
The image looks flatter than the original
Why: A high-bit-depth source reduced to 8 bits per channel loses tonal gradation.
Fix: Keep the TIFF as the master. If your downstream tool supports 16-bit PNG, check whether it is reading the full depth.
The browser will not show my TIFF at all
Why: Browsers do not display TIFF inline; this is normal and not a file problem.
Fix: That is exactly what this conversion is for — the PNG derivative will display anywhere.