Free online TIFF to SVGZ converter

What the TIFF format is

TIFF (Tagged Image File Format) is a raster format used for photographs, scans, print production, maps, and archival images. It supports high bit depths, RGB, CMYK, grayscale, alpha channels, multiple pages, and lossless compression such as LZW or ZIP. Scanners, cameras, Adobe Photoshop, Affinity Photo, GIMP, desktop publishing applications, and document-management systems commonly create TIFF files.

TIFF stores pixels at a fixed resolution. A 300-dpi scan can be printed sharply at its intended size, but enlarging it does not create additional image detail.

What the SVGZ format is

SVGZ is a gzip-compressed SVG file. SVG itself is XML that describes vector paths, text, shapes, gradients, and embedded raster images; SVGZ normally uses the .svgz extension and contains the same XML after gzip compression.

SVGZ reduces transfer and storage size when the source SVG contains repetitive XML, making it useful for web graphics, diagrams, icons, and applications that specifically request compressed SVG. A TIFF converted to SVGZ remains raster content when the TIFF is embedded, so SVGZ does not provide automatic resolution independence or editable vector geometry.

How to actually convert TIFF to SVGZ

Inkscape is suitable when the TIFF should be embedded in an SVG container:

1. Open Inkscape and choose File → Import.
2. Select the TIFF and choose the default import option unless you need a specific DPI or color setting.
3. Position or scale the imported image on the page. Preserve the original aspect ratio if the image must not be distorted.
4. Choose File → Save As, select Compressed SVG (*.svgz) if that format is offered, and save as output.svgz.

If the installed Inkscape version does not offer SVGZ directly, export an ordinary SVG and gzip it from a Unix-like terminal:

inkscape input.tif --export-filename=output.svg
gzip -n -c output.svg > output.svgz

The resulting file is a gzip-compressed SVG. On Windows, use Inkscape's compressed-SVG save option or a gzip-capable archiver rather than renaming .svg to .svgz; changing the extension alone does not compress the file.

For a no-install conversion, use the free converter on 101convert.com, upload the TIFF, choose SVGZ as the output, and download the generated file.

Quality, compatibility, and limitations

Embedding preserves the TIFF's pixels, but the resulting SVGZ can be nearly as large as the original image if the TIFF is already compressed. SVGZ becomes substantially smaller mainly when gzip can compress the SVG wrapper or uncompressed image data.

A multipage TIFF may import only the first page. Convert pages separately when every page is required. Check the output dimensions and DPI because SVG uses document units and may display the raster at an unexpected physical size if the TIFF has missing or unusual resolution metadata.

To obtain genuine vector output, use tracing rather than ordinary conversion: Inkscape's Path → Trace Bitmap can create paths from high-contrast artwork, but photographs and detailed scans usually produce excessive paths and lose tonal detail. Inspect the traced result before saving it as SVGZ.

When publishing SVGZ on a web server, serve it with the image/svg+xml MIME type. Test the file in the target browser or application because current browsers generally support SVGZ, while some older software and file-preview tools do not.