Images conversion
Convert TIFF to GIF
Updated Jul 2026
TIFF is the format scanners and archives use for high-quality, uncompressed images, while GIF is a small, widely supported format for simple graphics and animations. To convert TIFF to GIF, open the file in a converter and export it as GIF. Doing this on your own computer means the scan never has to leave your machine to reach someone else's server.
- Extension
- .tiff
- Type
- Images
- Typically
- Scans, print, archival
- Transparency
- None
- Metadata
- Carries EXIF
- Extension
- .gif
- Type
- Images
- Typically
- Animations, memes
- Transparency
- Supported
Convert TIFF to GIF on your own computer. Nothing uploads.
How to convert TIFF to GIF
- Open Morphjet and drag in the TIFF files you want to convert. Add a single scan or a whole folder at once.
- Choose GIF as the output format.
- Convert. The GIFs are written next to your originals, and nothing leaves your machine.
TIFF vs GIF: what actually changes
| TIFF | GIF | |
|---|---|---|
| File size | Large, often uncompressed | Much smaller, compressed |
| Color depth | Millions of colors, full detail | Limited to 256 colors, can show banding on photos |
| Compatibility | Poor in browsers and on the web | Opens everywhere, including web and email |
| Transparency | Supported, but rarely used in scans | Yes, simple on/off transparency |
| Keeps scan metadata | Yes | No, GIF doesn't store it |
| Multiple pages or frames | Can hold multiple scanned pages | Can hold multiple frames, but as animation, not pages |
When to convert, and when not to
Convert TIFF to GIF when you need a small file for the web or email, or you're working with line art, text, or simple graphics where 256 colors is plenty.
Keep the TIFF original if it's a photo or a detailed scan you're archiving, since GIF's 256-color limit can flatten subtle shading into visible bands you can't undo.
Why not just use an online converter?
TIFF scans often carry embedded metadata, like the date, the scanning software, or device details, tucked into the file alongside the image itself. Send that file to an online converter and both the scan and whatever's in its metadata travel to a server you don't control. Converting on your own computer keeps the scan, and anything embedded in it, on your machine the whole time.
Questions
Does converting TIFF to GIF lose quality?
Yes, if the image has more than 256 colors. GIF has to reduce the color palette, which shows up as visible banding on photos and detailed scans. For line art, text, or simple graphics, you won't notice a difference.
What happens to a multi-page TIFF when I convert it to GIF?
GIF doesn't handle multiple pages the way TIFF does, so a multi-page scan needs to be split into separate images rather than one continuous document.
Will the GIF keep the scan's metadata?
No. GIF isn't built to store the kind of metadata tags TIFF carries, so information like scan date or device details is dropped during conversion.
Why convert a TIFF to GIF instead of JPG or PNG?
GIF makes sense for simple graphics, logos, or line art where flat colors compress well into a small file. For photos or detailed scans, JPG or PNG usually keeps more detail at a similar or smaller size.
Can I convert TIFF to GIF without uploading the file anywhere?
Yes. A desktop app like Morphjet converts the file on your own computer, so it never has to be sent over the internet.
Morphjet converts TIFF, GIF, and 1,800+ other formats, all on your machine. Launching this July.