Convert TIFF to ICO
Output is typically about 100% smaller.
- Files stay on your device
- Free, no sign-up
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Will converting TIFF to ICO make the file smaller?
Usually, yes. A 12-megapixel photo is around 36 MB as TIFF and around 100 KB as ICO — about 100% smaller. Because ICO is lossless the result depends entirely on the image content — flat colour and text compress far better than photographic detail.
Does converting TIFF to ICO lose quality?
No. ICO is lossless, so every pixel decoded from your TIFF file is stored exactly. Both formats are lossless, so the conversion is pixel-for-pixel identical.
Is transparency preserved when converting TIFF to ICO?
Yes. Both TIFF and ICO support an alpha channel, so transparent and semi-transparent pixels carry across unchanged — a logo with a cut-out background stays cut out, and soft drop shadows keep their gradient rather than picking up a white halo. Because ICO is lossless, the alpha channel is stored exactly as it was.
Why won't my browser display a TIFF?
No major browser supports TIFF — it was designed for print and archival workflows, not the web, and its many optional variants make it awkward to implement. Scanners and professional cameras still produce them, which is why conversion is usually the fastest route. Note that a multi-page TIFF holds several images; only the first page is converted here.
What sizes are in the ICO file?
Four — 16, 32, 48 and 256 pixels — packed into a single file, each stored as PNG. That is the point of the format: the browser or operating system picks whichever size it needs, so one favicon.ico covers tab icons, bookmarks and Windows shortcuts. Non-square images are centred rather than stretched, so start from a square source if you can.
How it works, and more about tiff to ico
How it works
- Add your TIFF file. Drag a TIFF file onto the drop zone, or click to browse. You can select several at once.
- Choose your settings. ICO is lossless, so there is nothing to configure — the output matches the input pixel for pixel.
- Download the ICO. Conversion runs on your device as soon as each file is added — no upload, no queue. Download each result when it is ready.
TIFF and ICO side by side
| TIFF | ICO | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Tagged Image File Format | Windows Icon |
| Compression | Lossy or lossless | Lossless |
| Transparency | Yes — alpha channel | Yes — alpha channel |
| Animation | No | No |
| Browser support | None — no major browser can display TIFF | Universal for favicons |
| Typical 12 MP photo | ~36 MB | ~100 KB |
| Usually used for | Professional print, document scanning and long-term archives | Website favicons and Windows application icons |
On a typical 12-megapixel phone photo, the ICO output comes out about 100% smaller than the TIFF original. These are order-of-magnitude figures for one kind of image — your own results will vary a great deal, because flat colour, text and line art behave nothing like photographic detail.
What this tool actually produces
Not estimates. Each row below was produced by running the file through this page in a real browser and measuring the result, at the default quality of 82.
| Test image | TIFF in | ICO out | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smooth gradient 1600 × 1200, broad tonal transitions — where banding and blocking show | 5.5 MB | 82 KB | -99% |
| UI screenshot 1440 × 900, dense text on flat panels — the hardest case for JPEG | 3.7 MB | 22 KB | -99% |
| Line-art diagram 1200 × 800, hard edges and large flat areas | 3.7 MB | 12 KB | -100% |
Every test image got smaller, though by very different margins — flat colour and text behave nothing like photographic detail, so treat the closest row to your own content as the useful one. Measured in Chrome 150.0.7871.46; other browsers encode slightly differently.
What to watch out for
- Only practical at small icon sizes
- Obsolete for general imagery
- Modern sites increasingly prefer SVG or PNG favicons
About the two formats
TIFF is the archival and print standard: lossless, capable of 16 bits per channel, CMYK colour and multiple pages in a single file. It is also completely unsupported by web browsers, which is the usual reason people need to convert one — a scanner or a printer handed them a TIFF and nothing will open it.
ICO is a container rather than a codec: it bundles the same icon at several sizes — typically 16, 32, 48 and 256 pixels — so the operating system or browser can pick the right one. Its remaining job is the favicon at the root of a website, and Windows application icons.
Other conversions
Everything runs on your device — nothing is uploaded, so there is no size limit, no queue and no copy left on a server afterwards. There is more on how browser-based conversion works if you want the detail. Otherwise, browse every image tool.