TIFF vs PSD

PSD and TIFF are largely interchangeable now. Both can store practically all Photoshop layer types and features including editable text, vector shapes, masks, Smart Objects, video layers, and channels. It doesn’t matter whether you’re doing graphics for print, web, or video; you can save that work in either TIFF or PSD. Also, either way, for web graphics you’ll still need to export a copy to a web-compatible format in the end (such as JPEG, PNG, or GIF).

Both formats use lossless compression, but TIFF offers the additional option of ZIP compression. However, ZIP is very slow and may not save more space for some file configurations.

PSD has some definite advantages if you work with other Adobe applications. For example, Adobe InDesign can control layer visibility of a layered PSD file placed on a layout. But if the same file is saved as layered TIFF, InDesign can’t control the layers. I think the same is true for Adobe After Effects: You have options for importing a layered PSD file, but not a layered TIFF file.

In favor of TIFF, Camera Raw can edit TIFF files, but not PSD files.

So it all depends on your workflow.

Now, if a Photoshop document takes up so much storage space that it exceeds the file size limit of PSD or TIFF, then you can’t use either. You’ll need to use PSB instead (Photoshop Large Document format).

The only current functionality difference that I am aware of is that PS cannot save to TIFF when in duotone mode.

I can’t find a definitive answer as to how to choose between TIFF and PSD file formats and I am definitely no expert, however, these are my thoughts –

Both TIFF and PSD files can store layers and therefore allow historical layer edits/adjustments to be re-visited.

I get the impression that there is little difference between the information in TIFF and PSD files. The PSD format may have some benefits when transferring data between Adobe programs/apps.

TIFF is a universal format. PSD is a propriety format used by Adobe apps - it is accessible by only Adobe apps and a few other apps such as Coral Draw and Gimp. For me this is quite important because it is possible that the freestanding, permanent licence versions of Adobe Photoshop/Premier/Organizer Elements might become unavailable/unusable at a future date. Also, for me, the subscription version of the Adobe apps may become unaffordable in the future.

Windows Explorer/View and the Windows Photos app can display previews of JPEG, RAW and TIFF file content, but cannot display previews of PSD file content. Other apps are needed for this, Adobe Organizer, for example. If you import media into Adobe Organizer’s “Catalog”, Organizer displays previews of JPEG, RAW, TIFF and PSD files allowing you to choose files by content, and to direct those files into the Adobe editing apps.

Catalogues seem to be popular, these days, to tag photos with locations, names, faces etc. They are used by Windows Photos, Nero Media, Panasonic PhotoFunStudio, etc. - it’s not something I have ever felt the need for. By default, Windows Photos tags everything. I was surprised the first time I used Photos - OCP usage went off the scale, disc utilisation shot up and cooling fans went into overdrive ….. I switched off the tagging. I was pleasantly surprised when Adobe Organizer quickly and silently catalogued my media …….. then the trouble started - the laptop went wild when Organizer’s tagging kicked in ….. I switched off tagging. Organizer then asked if I wanted to back-up the “Catalog”. This seemed a good idea except that it wasn’t only the “Catalog” Organizer wanted to backup, it was every bit of media too. This was duplicating my existing backup procedures ….. I switched off backup too. So, for me, Organizer was only useful for previewing PSD files and directing them to my Adobe editors. Much as I like the Organizer display, Organizer is something I can work without.

I have used the Adobe Elements apps for years using the same group of editor commands. Recently I viewed some tutorials on editing with layers which highlighted the advantages of being able to revisit the edits at a later date. This required saving the files and edit/adjustment layers to TIFF or PSD files and this is what got me thinking about the differences between the two file formats.

I have saved to PSD files in the past but I have never used layer edits/adjustments. I suspect this rules out revisiting my edits on these files.  

For standardisation and future support I am inclined to save to TIFF files.

2020 Update opinion. 

1. The https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/file-formats.html still offers great info from Adobe. If you read the TIFF section it'll tell you that Tiff does store and layer/adjustment info.
2. Second as of now Lightroom not just defaults to TIFF but when setting up export preferences recommends the TIFF format within the program.

This comes up a couple of times a year in this forum, and we have had input from the likes of Chris Cox and Jeff Schewe.  IIRC Chris came down on the side of PSD, but Jeff is a strong advocate for TIFF in this Luminous Landscape thread.  Personally I prefer PSD, but I have no specific reason other than it being a native Adobe format.  PSD also works with Displacement Maps (so long as you have backward compatibility set to Always in Preferences).  TIFF is not mentioned in that respect in Preferences, so I assume it is not relevant.

Other threads on the subject from one year ago

PSD/PSB vs TIFF

Three years

Saving as tiff vs psd?

Seven Years

.TIFF vs. .PSD for archiving

I can't find the thread with Chris Cox and Jeff Schewe, but if anyone else can track it down I'd appreciate it.

I think it's probably a toss-up. I settled on PSD at some point and just continued.

More important than file type, is the distinction between archive master files and targeted copies for specific purposes. Keep the former, discard the latter when done. Make new copies as needed from the master files.

It's always a good idea to keep your master files as open and future-editable as possible, which means keep layers, masks, high bit-depth, sufficiently large color space - any property you might or might not need later on. You never know. Within reason, of course. It's no crime to flatten files if you're confident you won't lose anything.

I'm sorry, I know about exports to .jpg, .png etc.

But I need to save original file too, for later changes. And I don't know which is better for this purpose - TIFF or PSD. I read that TIFF doesn't support some Photoshop stuff, but lots of people say that doesn't matter. So do you thing I lose something when I save image made in Photoshop, with layers, in TIFF?

By the way, Photoshop automatically save as .tif and not .tiff - is it OK?

Thanks.

You may get various answers to this!

I suggest you work in PSD in RGB color mode, and keep your layered file in case you have to do more work on it subsequently (i.e. don't flatten it).

Safe the PSD as a JPG and make copies for use in other applications – vary the size and resolution depending on the image use, e.g. whether it's for printing or for the web.

Hi Jiri,

The main difference between a psd and a tiff is based on the size limit.
PSD size limit is 2GB,

Tiff can handle more than 2GB.

You can use both files for both web graphics and photos but it depends on the size document on which format you should use.

Regards,

Sahil