How to use it
- Drop in your PNGs.
- Each is saved as an uncompressed TIFF, transparency included.
- Download, and set the DPI afterwards if the printer requires it.
Both lossless, different audiences
PNG and TIFF both store images without loss, so nothing about the picture changes. The difference is who expects which. Web and screen workflows run on PNG; print, publishing and archival workflows have run on TIFF since the 1980s, and many submission guidelines simply say “TIFF, 300 DPI”.
About the TIFFs made here
Files are uncompressed 8-bit RGB with an alpha channel, which every TIFF reader understands. They are large, roughly four bytes per pixel, but predictable. They do not carry a DPI tag. Printers work from pixel dimensions, so this rarely matters; if a submission checker insists on a 300 DPI tag, the DPI changer can set one on a PNG or JPG version instead.
CMYK
Some printers want CMYK TIFFs. Converting to CMYK properly needs the printer's colour profile and a design application. Most digital printers happily accept RGB files and convert them themselves; ask if unsure.
PNG and TIFF compared
| PNG | TIFF | |
|---|---|---|
| First released | 1996 | 1986 |
| Compression | Lossless | None, lossless, or JPEG inside |
| Transparency | Yes, including soft edges | Yes |
| Animation or pages | Only as APNG, rarely used | Multiple pages |
| Best for | Screenshots, graphics, text and transparency | Scanning, print and archives |
| Support | Universal | Professional software; Safari is the only major browser |
Questions people ask
Is PNG to TIFF lossless?
Yes. The pixels are identical.
Does the TIFF keep transparency?
Yes, as an alpha channel.
Does the TIFF have a 300 DPI tag?
No resolution tag is written. What matters for print is having enough pixels; see DPI is mostly a label.