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HEIC to TIFF Converter

Convert HEIC to TIFF in your browser. HEIC files usually come from iPhones and iPads since iOS 11, and many recent Android phones; TIFF is the better fit for printing, scanning and archival masters. You get an uncompressed 8-bit RGBA TIFF with the resolution recorded. Nothing is uploaded.

  • Processed locally
  • No upload, no wait
  • No sign-up
  • No watermark

Drop images here

or choose files · paste with Ctrl/⌘ V

HEIC expected · other image formats also work

Files are processed on this device. Nothing is uploaded.0 B uploaded

How to use HEIC to TIFF

  1. 1

    Add your HEIC files: drop them here, choose them, or paste from the clipboard.

  2. 2

    There is nothing to tune: the TIFF is written uncompressed. Resizing and rotating are under More options if you need them.

  3. 3

    Click Convert. Each file is decoded and encoded in a background thread on this device.

  4. 4

    Download the .tiff files one at a time or together as a ZIP.

Why use Aback Images for heic to tiff

Where the TIFF goes next

TIFF opens in Photoshop, Lightroom, GIMP, Affinity, macOS Preview, Windows Photos and print RIPs.

TIFF next to HEIC

The TIFF is written uncompressed, so expect it to be several times larger than the HEIC, which stores lossy HEVC (H.265) intra coding, on iPhones as a grid of 512×512 tiles.

No new artefacts

HEIC is already lossy, since it stores lossy HEVC (H.265) intra coding, on iPhones as a grid of 512×512 tiles; the TIFF keeps the decoded pixels uncompressed, so this step adds no compression damage of its own.

Processed on your device

Your images are decoded, edited and encoded inside this browser tab by Web Workers. Nothing is uploaded to a server.

HEIC vs TIFF

What changes from HEIC to TIFF

Encoding: the HEIC uses lossy HEVC (H.265) intra coding, on iPhones as a grid of 512×512 tiles; TIFF uses none, LZW, PackBits, Deflate or JPEG, chosen per file, and the download is an uncompressed 8-bit RGBA TIFF with the resolution recorded.

Bit depth: 8 or 10 bits per channel in the HEIC; TIFF allows 1 to 16 bits per channel, or 32-bit floating point, and the TIFF written here has 8 bits per channel. 10-bit HEIC photos are reduced to 8 bits per channel.

Colour: YCbCr, usually tagged Display P3 on iPhones in the HEIC; TIFF supports RGB, CMYK, Lab, greyscale or palette, often with an ICC profile, written here as 8-bit sRGB.

Transparency: the HEIC stores it as an auxiliary image item, rarely used by cameras; the TIFF keeps it as an extra sample declared in the ExtraSamples tag.

Other images: the HEIC can hold a thumbnail, depth map, HDR gain map and burst shots as extra items; only the main image is converted.

Metadata: the HEIC can carry EXIF, XMP and an ICC profile, stored as items; TIFF can carry EXIF, XMP, IPTC and ICC, all stored as tags, but nothing is copied across.

About HEIC

HEIC is the default photo format on iPhones and many Android phones. It is about half the size of JPEG, but Windows, many websites and older software cannot open it without converting.

A HEIC is a HEIF file (ISO base media boxes with the brand 'heic'). iPhone photos store the picture as a grid of 512×512 HEVC tiles that the decoder stitches together, with the thumbnail, depth map and HDR gain map as further items.

HEIC files usually come from iPhones and iPads since iOS 11, and many recent Android phones.

About TIFF

TIFF is the professional archive and print format. It can hold multiple pages, high bit depths and lossless data, and is common in scanning, publishing and GIS.

A TIFF begins with 'II' or 'MM' for the byte order and the number 42, then an offset to the first image file directory (IFD): a table of tags giving the size, compression, colour model and the location of the strips or tiles of pixels. Each further page is another IFD.

When converting HEIC to TIFF makes sense

TIFF is the better choice for printing, scanning and archival masters, while HEIC suits storing photos on Apple devices.

TIFF strengths: Lossless and print-ready; Multiple pages in one file; Preferred by print shops and archives. Drawbacks to weigh: Very large files; Browsers cannot display it; Many variants and compression schemes.

Limitations

  • iPhone photos are usually Display P3; colours are mapped to sRGB, so very saturated reds and greens can look slightly less vivid.
  • The TIFF is written uncompressed for maximum compatibility, so it is large; print shops and archives generally expect that.
  • Browsers other than Safari do not display TIFF, so it is not a format for the web.

Frequently asked questions

Does converting HEIC to TIFF lose quality?

TIFF is written uncompressed, so the pixels are stored exactly as decoded. Artefacts already in the HEIC stay, but nothing new is lost. 10-bit HEIC photos are reduced to 8 bits per channel. Not carried over: any a thumbnail.

Is transparency kept in the TIFF?

Yes. HEIC stores it as an auxiliary image item, rarely used by cameras, and the TIFF is written with an alpha channel, so transparent areas stay transparent.

Why can't I open HEIC photos on Windows or websites?

HEIC uses the HEVC codec, which is patent-encumbered and not built into most browsers, Windows apps and upload forms. Converting makes the photo open where HEIC does not, and the HEIC is decoded inside your browser to do it.

Which apps open TIFF files?

Photoshop, Lightroom, GIMP, Affinity, macOS Preview, Windows Photos and print RIPs. It opens in Safari only; other browsers do not display TIFF.

Are my images uploaded anywhere?

No. Processing happens inside your browser with WebAssembly and Web Workers. The site only downloads the app code and codecs; your files never leave your device. You can confirm this with the live upload counter on the tool, or in your browser's network panel.

Can I process many files at once?

Yes. Drop a whole selection or folder. Files are processed in parallel on several worker threads, each result can be downloaded on its own, and everything can be saved as one ZIP.

Is it free? Is there a file limit or watermark?

It is free with no account, no watermark and no daily limit. The only limit is your device's memory: very large images (over roughly 100 megapixels) may be refused to keep the tab from crashing.