Print projects don’t fully optimize a PNG’s graphics. If that’s the case, then why aren’t they commonly used for print? You can expand PNG files to very large sizes - which means they can reproduce the image quality of a TIFF if needed. Learn more about the differences between PNG and JPEG Ultimately, this is one of the main reasons why JPEGs remain a more popular file type for online photos. They may be smaller than TIFFs, but they’re still larger than JPEGs. PNGs can be easier to manage between programs because they’re smaller files. This means they store a lot of information. TIFFs support high-resolution, multi-page design and transparency. However, TIFF files offer users a choice between lossy and lossless compression, which can help reduce the file size if this is a priority.Įven with a lossy compression option, a TIFF file is still likely to be larger than a PNG. Note that their large file sizes mean PNG photos can take a while to load - so JPEG is often the preferred format for online image sharing.īoth PNG and TIFF files benefit from lossless compression, meaning that no matter how often you save, open, or resize them, they’ll maintain their quality. They’re a standard format and one of the most popular file types for online images. Their lossless file compression makes their size manageable for online applications. PNGs, on the other hand, are a great choice for web graphics. Due to their size, however, they aren’t a good option for web use. Versatility and compatibility are both big selling points of the TIFF file type - they are compatible with a range of operating systems and programs. Web designers can even apply different degrees of transparency to their PNG images, which can help images integrate successfully into the different background colors of a webpage. They’re widely compatible with web and non-web-based programs. PNGs are one of the most common file types for transparent logos, graphics, graphs, and images. But at the same time, it can be time-consuming. Because TIFFs support layering, this is achievable. Generally, this means either editing out pixels entirely, or using a layer to hide them.
In some instances, you may need to edit a TIFF file to get the results you need. Only applications that fully support TIFF files will support TIFF transparency. While TIFF files do support transparency, they’re incompatible with many web-based programs. Let’s look at these differences in more detail.