P: Can't open Tiff files

Report · Aug 08, 2018

I can't open Tiff files in Photoshop CC 2018, I get error message "Could not complete your request as it is not the right kind of document". I am editing the images for a friend and they don't want to convert them to jpg. Please can anyone help with a solution.
Thank you.

Report · Aug 08, 2018

Ask them how they created those documents. People do crazy things, like saving a file as jpeg and then changing the file extension...

-- Johan W. Elzenga

Report · Aug 08, 2018

I encounter this when I get TIFF files created by the all-in-one printer, copier, scanner and fax machine that one of my clients uses.

If you’re running macOS, try opening the TIFF in Apple Preview. If that works, you can export to a file format that Photoshop will open (you can drag and drop to the Desktop or a folder as well). If the TiFF has layers, I have found drag and drop to be the quickest way to get the them into PS.

Report · Aug 29, 2018

What John and Warren said is very true and having a bogus extension can really cause problems. But, like Warren pointed out, if you can view the document in your OS, then you can usually figure out what kind of file it is. If dragging and dropping doesn't allow you to open the document, you can also try to change the file extension to see if that works.

Report · Feb 14, 2019

I am getting the same error.

I have just created 3 HDR images using Photoshop's Merge to HDR Pro feature and saved them as 32-bit TIFFs.

The first one opens OK, but the other 2 give the error "Could not complete the request because it is not the right kind of document."

Very odd.

Photoshop CS6 on Windows 7-64

Report · Oct 01, 2019

I getting the same response on open or drag and drop.
With tif extension these will open in CS4 and earlier, but not in CC.

Here is the file report from the header...
Output from Display Header
File Name: D:\NAME001.tif
File Information:
Standard : : TIFF File
Format : : JPEG Compressed 24 bit RGB data, Q= 10
Pixels per Line : 20000
Number of Lines : 20000
Samples per pixel : 4
File bits per sample : 8
Actual bits per sample : 8
Tiled file, tile dimension : 128
Number of tiles along a row : 157
Number of tile rows : 157
Number of overviews : 10
Overview sampling method: Subsampled
Scanning device resolution : 2032 : lines/inch
Orientation : 4 : Row major order, origin at top left
NO scan line headers : non-scannable file
Packet size (16-bit words) : 0
Free vlt space (16-bit words) : 2000000000
Free packet space (16-bit words) : 2000000000
Raster to UOR matrix:
Unspecified or All Zero Matrix

Report · Oct 01, 2019

Hi Jack,

Would you send me the file to look at? And to confirm, this file is NAME001.tif and opens fine in CS4 but not CC, right? Just respond and I'll answer you with my email address.

Thanks,
David

Report · Oct 01, 2019

I can send a file.

Report · Oct 02, 2019

Check your email...8-)

Report · Oct 08, 2019

I am having the same trouble. TIFF files that will not open in Photoshop on a MAC or PC.
They were generated by a microfilm scanner.

I tried opening them in preview, dragging and dropping them into photoshop and copying the file and changing the extension to .JPG. The file size of each of these files is big enough that I would expect a good file to be there.

I don't know what else to try. They were made on a library's microfilm reader and to return to do it again would be a 3-1/2 hour drive.

I'm hoping someone has a suggestion.
Thank you

Report · Oct 08, 2019

Hey Scott,

Feel free to send me your document and I'll take a look. In Jack's case, the file wasn't correctly formed. That might be the case here too. Email on it's way...

Thanks,
David

Report · Oct 17, 2019

Here is a list of TIF files that Photoshop can and cannot read in my tests. The original image is 19200 x 25200 px 8-bit = 1.35 gb uncompressed.

Photoshop CAN read:

ACDSee uncompressed, FastStone LZW, FastStone uncompressed, Gigapixel uncompressed, Photoshop LZW, Photoshop uncompressed, Photoshop ZIP

Photoshop CANNOT read:

ACDSee LZW, ACDSee ZIP, FastStone ZIP, Gigapixel LZW, Gigapixel ZIP

ACDSee and Topaz Gigapixel maybe use the same libraries to create their files, their respective files sizes also match closely.

FastStone Image Viewer has similar problems, albeit partly with different combinations of file source and compression. All these files can be read by various other third party software, like IrfanView, XnViewMp, Paint.Net, ACDSee, Windows Photos and Windows Photo Viewer!

Adobe's support chat is no help and the "wishlist" (feature requests and bug reports) page forwards to this "community" powered support. I have yet to find a support form/ticket system to report the problem, any hint is welcome.

Report · Dec 06, 2019

Hi Dave
I'm having the same problem. I was able to drag and drop once, but can't do it again. Are you able to help?
Paula

Report · Dec 06, 2019

Can you post a zip file of each of the files you list above? I can investigate.

Report · Dec 06, 2019

Howdy Paula,

Sure. You can send me a couple of SMALL examples at david . MOHR @ a d o b e . C o M (yeah, I get a LOT of SPAM already...8-P).

I'll take a look and let you know what I come up with, hopefully Tuesday.

Thanks,
David

Report · Dec 07, 2019

Hello Jeffrey,

thanks for getting back to us. My test files are all 0.5 to 2 gb large, so not exactly easily shared. As far as I remember the problem is size dependent, so I have to see how small I can make a Topaz Gigapixel TIFF and still not be able to open it in PS.

ACDSee tests were using the trial version, so I don't own that anymore. But as far as I can tell every software that had issues with ACDSee TIFF files also had the same issues with Topaz files. So the latter might suffice.

Report · Dec 26, 2019

Jeffrey, how do I send you files?

Both Photoshop and FastStone cease to open ACDSee (and Gigapixel) compressed TIF files once certain dimensions (or maybe pixel-count) are reached.
I can send you two files in an archive, one can be opened in PS, the other cannot. There is only 1 px different in both directions between the two.

While PS flips at 17270 x 13815 px, Faststone flips around 21139 x 16911, but it's not so clear-cut there (sometimes files open, sometimes not). This means that Faststone can open larger ACDsee created images than Photoshop, but both ultimately fail at some point.

Both can open larger Deflate compressed TIFF files from other sources than ACDSee
/Gigapixel.

Report · Jan 06, 2020

David, since I don't know how to reach Jeffrey, mind if I send you my ACDSee produces TIFF files?

Report · Jan 09, 2020

jtranber at adobe dot com (send a dropbox or CC files link)

Sorry, getting caught up from the holiday.

Report · Jan 10, 2020

I can repro the case for the ACDsee and Faststone files that Timur has sent me. I've asked engineering to take a look.

Report · Mar 27, 2020

This issue should be addressed by the 21.1.1 update. Let us know if you're still having trouble.

Report · Mar 27, 2020

Indeed, loading the formerly unloadable formats does work now. It takes a bit longer (especially LZW) and the progess bar is mostly missing (comes only up right before loading if finished), but it does load the files. Thanks for looking into this.

Report · Mar 27, 2020

Thanks for confirming.

Report · Jul 16, 2020

We are experiencing the same problem. A client has sent us 5 large files (Over 1 GB each).. three of the files opened with no issues but two of them will not open.
They are tif files created on a Mac. We are using Windows Photoshop CC.
Can anyone advise me what I can try?

Report · Jul 16, 2020

Open them in XnView or GIMP and save them as three versions: uncompressed, LZW and ZIP/FLATE. One of these might work.

Report · Oct 06, 2020

Jeff....I am having this same problem with paperstream capture generated tif files, but not all of them. After a great deal of experimentation it appears that if they are saved in tif and have any compression at all PS won't open them, gives me that error code. If I take that tif file and resave it in paint as another tif it then will open in PS. What is going on here? I have more details but let's start here....I've spent a LOT of hours sorting this out and talking with Fujitsu about this. Every other windows software like paint, photos, snip and sketch will open it. What's interesting is that GIMP gives me error codes as well and paralells what I experience with PS and PSE ( same exact thing). Thanks, Greg

P: Can't open Tiff files

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