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Image formats

TIFF vs PDF for scanned documents: which to keep

By DeckleUpdated

For scanned documents you will share, read or search, PDF is the more practical format: every PDF reader shows all the pages, PDFs merge and split easily, and they can carry a searchable text layer. TIFF is a good master format for archives and print work, because it can store every scanned pixel losslessly. Many offices keep both: the TIFF as the master and a PDF for everyday use, made with TIFF to PDF.

TIFF to PDF

One file can hold several frames

Frame 1

Cover

Frame 2

Table

Frame 3

Signed page

3 included frames → 3 planned PDF pages

Example · count included decoded frames, not TIFF filenames.

TIFF vs PDF for scans at a glance

TIFF PDF
What it holds Images only, one or more frames Pages that can hold images, text, links and form fields
Several pages in one file Yes (multi-page TIFF) Yes
Opens everywhere with all pages No; some viewers show only the first frame Yes
Searchable text No Yes, once OCR adds a text layer
Lossless storage Usually (uncompressed, LZW, Deflate) Depends on how the images were stored
Easy to merge, split, reorder Needs specialist software Any PDF tool
Scanner metadata Kept in TIFF tags Depends on the tool

When TIFF is the better choice

  • Master copies for an archive. A lossless TIFF holds the scan exactly as captured, which is useful if you may need to reprocess it later.
  • Print and imaging work. TIFF is widely used for high-quality image exchange; Apple's Photos app describes TIFF as a lossless format that works well for transferring photos between computers and apps (Export photos on Mac).
  • Fax and document-imaging systems. Many expect TIFF, often in the fax profile described in RFC 2306.

When PDF is the better choice

  • Sharing. Recipients can open a PDF in any browser or reader and see every page, with page thumbnails and numbers.
  • Finding things. A PDF with a text layer can be searched; a TIFF cannot.
  • Editing the document. Reordering, removing, splitting and merging pages is routine with PDFs, using tools such as Organize PDF pages, Split PDF and Merge PDFs.
  • Mixing content. A PDF can combine scanned pages with typed pages, forms and attachments converted from other sources.

How to make a PDF copy of a TIFF archive with Deckle

  1. Open TIFF to PDF and choose Select files, or drop the TIFF files onto the page.
  2. Put the files in order with the arrows. Each TIFF is one row, and all its frames stay together.
  3. Choose Fit inside A4 so each scan lands on a real A4 page, not a page sized to its pixels.
  4. Name the PDF in Output PDF name and choose Create PDF.
  5. Compare the page count on the result screen with the pages in the archive record, then keep the TIFF as the master.

Each frame becomes one page, in stored order. How to convert a multi-page TIFF to PDF covers the steps in detail.

What changes when a TIFF becomes a PDF in Deckle

  • Image data. Each frame is decoded and saved as a quality-90 JPEG on a white background. Colour and greyscale scans look the same at normal zoom; crisp black-and-white text can soften slightly when zoomed far in. That is why the TIFF stays the master.
  • Bit depth. 16-bit frames become 8 bits per channel.
  • Tags. Scanner resolution, author, date and other TIFF tags are not carried into the PDF.
  • Size. A colour scan's PDF is often similar to the TIFF or smaller. A compact black-and-white TIFF can grow, since JPEG stores greyscale tones.

Deckle reads uncompressed, LZW and Deflate TIFFs in greyscale, RGB or palette colour. Fax (CCITT), PackBits and JPEG compression and CMYK colour are refused. A frame over 16 megapixels on a computer is scaled down to fit, and a frame over 64 megapixels is refused before you start.

A sensible arrangement for scanned records

Copy Format Use
Master TIFF, lossless Stored safely, rarely opened
Working copy PDF, A4 pages Shared, read, printed
Searchable copy PDF with OCR text layer Searched and quoted

If you scan new documents and do not need a lossless master, scanning straight to PDF saves a step.

Tips

  • Check the page count after converting. Some image viewers show only the first frame of a TIFF; the PDF shows every frame as a page, and the result screen states how many.
  • Keep file names stable. Name the PDF after the TIFF it came from, so you can always trace one to the other.
  • Scan text at 300 DPI. It is plenty for reading and printing, and keeps frames well within the pixel limit.
  • Do not delete the TIFF after converting. The PDF is a convenient copy, not a lossless replacement.

Frequently asked questions

Is TIFF or PDF better for archiving scans?

TIFF is a good lossless master; PDF is better for access. Keeping both is common.

Does converting TIFF to PDF lose quality?

Slightly, in Deckle. Frames are saved as quality-90 JPEG, which looks the same at normal zoom but is not lossless.

Why does my TIFF open with only one page?

Your viewer shows only the first frame. Convert the file with TIFF to PDF to get every frame as a page.

Can a PDF hold several scanned pages like a TIFF?

Yes. A multi-page TIFF converts to a PDF with one page per frame.

Related tools

Sources