Free online TIF to BMP converter

Some Windows programs, embedded devices, and older graphics tools accept BMP but cannot open TIFF files. Converting is also useful when a simple raster image is needed for basic editing or software compatibility, although BMP output is often larger.

What the TIF format is

TIF, also written TIFF, is a tagged raster-image format used for scanned documents, photography, publishing, cartography, microscopy, and print workflows. Scanners, image editors, and document-management systems commonly create TIFF files.

TIFF supports lossless compression such as LZW and Deflate, high color depths, multiple pages, transparency in supported configurations, and extensive metadata. It is therefore used when retaining image data and document information matters. TIFF features vary by file; not every application supports every compression method, page structure, or metadata type.

What the BMP format is

BMP is a bitmap format historically associated with Microsoft Windows and basic raster graphics. Windows Paint, older applications, device software, and many programming libraries support it.

BMP stores pixel data with little processing overhead. It can be uncompressed or use limited RLE compression, so decoding is straightforward, but files are usually larger than compressed TIFF or PNG files. Use BMP when the destination specifically requires it, or when simple pixel access and legacy compatibility matter more than file size.

How to convert the file

Using 101convert

1. Open the TIF-to-BMP converter on 101convert.com; it runs in a browser without installed software.
2. Select or drop the source file with a .tif or .tiff extension.
3. Choose BMP as the output format and start the conversion.
4. Download the .bmp file and open it in the intended program to verify compatibility.

Do not upload confidential scans or images to any online service unless its handling of uploaded files meets your requirements; use a desktop application for sensitive material.

Using GIMP

1. Open the TIFF through File → Open.
2. Choose File → Export As.
3. Set the output filename to end in .bmp, select Windows BMP image, and choose Export.
4. Choose the color depth or other BMP options required by the destination, then confirm the export.

GIMP is free and supports TIFF input and BMP export. Photoshop and other image editors use a similar workflow, typically File → Save As or File → Export, followed by the BMP format.

Using ImageMagick

After installing ImageMagick, run the following command in a terminal opened in the source-file folder:

magick input.tif output.bmp

For a multipage TIFF, write one BMP per page with a numbered filename pattern:

magick input.tif page-%03d.bmp

For a broadly compatible 24-bit RGB BMP without transparency, use:

magick input.tif -alpha off -type TrueColor BMP3:output.bmp

The BMP3: prefix requests the older Windows BMP version 3 structure. Use the default export when the receiving software supports newer BMP variants or when retaining supported color channels is necessary.

Quality and compatibility limits

Conversion cannot restore detail already lost in the source. A TIFF using lossless compression normally retains its pixel values during conversion, while a JPEG-compressed TIFF may contain artifacts that remain in the BMP.

BMP does not preserve every TIFF feature. A multipage TIFF must be exported as separate BMP files, and advanced TIFF metadata, page structure, layers from the editing application, and some color information may be discarded. Transparency and high-bit-depth channels depend on the BMP variant and the software opening it.

24-bit RGB is broadly compatible. A 32-bit BMP may contain an alpha channel, but many older programs ignore it or display the image without transparency. Indexed or grayscale BMP output may also be unsuitable if the destination expects full-color RGB.

BMP output is commonly much larger than the source TIFF, particularly for photographs and scans. If the destination does not specifically require BMP, PNG is usually a smaller lossless alternative with better support in modern software.