What is MIME type "image/tiff"?

A MIME type is a string that tells browsers and other tools how to handle a particular kind of file.

image/tiff is the MIME type that signals a file follows the Tagged Image File Format standard.
It is used for storing high-quality images with detailed metadata and lossless compression. This makes it popular in professional photography, scanning, and printing.
Main features:

High Quality: Retains full image detail with lossless compression.
Multi-Image Support: Can hold several images or pages in one file.
Metadata-Rich: Embeds data like resolution and color profiles.
Special Variants: Some versions support georeferencing and fax transmission.

Files using this MIME type include variants such as TIF, TIFF, DNG, TFW, BTF, TFX, FGD, COG, GTIFF, and TF8.
This format is ideal for tasks that demand precision and detailed imagery. For more on its technical background, visit Wikipedia: TIFF.

Associated file extensions

.tif, .tiff, .dng, .tfw, .btf, .tfx, .fgd, .cog, .gtiff, .tf8

Usage Examples

HTTP Header

When serving content with this MIME type, set the Content-Type header:


    Content-Type: image/tiff

HTML

In HTML, you can specify the MIME type in various elements:


    <a href="file.dat" type="image/tiff">Download file</a>

Server-side (Node.js)

Setting the Content-Type header in Node.js:


    const http = require('http');
    
    http.createServer((req, res) => {
      res.setHeader('Content-Type', 'image/tiff');
      res.end('Content here');
    }).listen(3000);

Associated file extensions

.tif, .tiff, .dng, .tfw, .btf, .tfx, .fgd, .cog, .gtiff, .tf8

FAQ

What is a MIME type?

A MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions) type is a standard that indicates the nature and format of a document, file, or assortment of bytes. MIME types are defined and standardized in IETF's RFC 6838.

MIME types are important because they help browsers and servers understand how to process a file. When a browser receives a file from a server, it uses the MIME type to determine how to display or handle the content, whether it's an image to display, a PDF to open in a viewer, or a video to play.

MIME types consist of a type and a subtype, separated by a slash (e.g., text/html, image/jpeg, application/pdf). Some MIME types also include optional parameters.

How do I find the MIME type for a file?

You can check the file extension or use a file identification tool such as file --mime-type on the command line. Many programming languages also provide libraries to detect MIME types.

Why are multiple MIME types listed for one extension?

Different applications and historical conventions may use alternative MIME identifiers for the same kind of file. Showing them all helps ensure compatibility across systems.