TIFF to HDR Converter
Convert TIFF to HDR in your browser. TIFF files usually come from scanners, print and publishing workflows, photo archives and tethered camera capture; HDR is the better fit for 3D lighting and environment maps. You get a Radiance RGBE (.hdr) file, with the 8-bit sRGB values converted to linear light. Nothing is uploaded.
- Processed locally
- No upload, no wait
- No sign-up
- No watermark
Drop images here
or choose files · paste with Ctrl/⌘ V
TIFF expected · other image formats also work
How to use TIFF to HDR
- 1
Add your TIFF files: drop them here, choose them, or paste from the clipboard.
- 2
Pick the colour that replaces transparent areas, since HDR has none.
- 3
Click Convert. Each file is decoded and encoded in a background thread on this device.
- 4
Download the .hdr files one at a time or together as a ZIP.
Why use Aback Images for tiff to hdr
Where the HDR goes next
HDR opens in Blender, Photoshop, Houdini, Unreal Engine, Unity and Affinity Photo.
HDR next to TIFF
Both sides are lossless, so the size depends on how well the HDR encoder handles this picture compared with the TIFF's none, LZW, PackBits, Deflate or JPEG, chosen per file.
Written without a lossy pass
The HDR is written losslessly, so the pixels decoded from the TIFF arrive unchanged, apart from precision beyond 8 bits per channel.
Processed on your device
Your images are decoded, edited and encoded inside this browser tab by Web Workers. Nothing is uploaded to a server.
TIFF vs HDR
What changes from TIFF to HDR
Encoding: the TIFF uses none, LZW, PackBits, Deflate or JPEG, chosen per file; HDR uses run-length encoded RGBE scanlines, and the download is a Radiance RGBE (.hdr) file, with the 8-bit sRGB values converted to linear light.
Bit depth: 1 to 16 bits per channel, or 32-bit floating point in the TIFF; HDR allows an 8-bit mantissa per channel sharing an 8-bit exponent (RGBE), 32 bits per pixel, and the HDR written here has RGBE, 32 bits per pixel. 16-bit and floating-point TIFFs are reduced to 8 bits per channel.
Colour: RGB, CMYK, Lab, greyscale or palette, often with an ICC profile in the TIFF; HDR supports linear RGB (or XYZ in the XYZE variant), written here as linear-light RGB.
Transparency: the TIFF stores it as an extra sample declared in the ExtraSamples tag; the HDR has none, so transparent areas are filled with the colour you choose.
Other images: the TIFF can hold several pages, each in its own image file directory; only the main image is converted.
Metadata: the TIFF can carry EXIF, XMP, IPTC and ICC, all stored as tags; HDR can carry a text header with FORMAT, EXPOSURE and optional comments, but nothing is copied across.
About TIFF
TIFF is the professional archive and print format. It can hold multiple pages, high bit depths and lossless data, and is common in scanning, publishing and GIS.
A TIFF begins with 'II' or 'MM' for the byte order and the number 42, then an offset to the first image file directory (IFD): a table of tags giving the size, compression, colour model and the location of the strips or tiles of pixels. Each further page is another IFD.
TIFF files usually come from scanners, print and publishing workflows, photo archives and tethered camera capture.
About HDR
Radiance .hdr stores high dynamic range light values, widely used for 3D environment maps and HDRI lighting.
A Radiance file starts with '#?RADIANCE' (or '#?RGBE'), text lines such as FORMAT=32-bit_rle_rgbe and EXPOSURE, a blank line, a resolution line like '-Y 2048 +X 4096', then the scanlines.
When converting TIFF to HDR makes sense
HDR is the better choice for 3D lighting and environment maps, while TIFF suits printing, scanning and archival masters.
HDR strengths: True high dynamic range; Standard for HDRI environment maps. Drawbacks to weigh: Needs tone mapping to view on normal screens.
Limitations
- Only the first page of a multi-page TIFF is converted; split the file first if you need every page.
- CMYK TIFFs from print workflows are converted to RGB, which changes how a print shop's colours are described.
- No range is added: the HDR holds the 8-bit picture in linear light, and nothing in it is brighter than the original white.
- 3D software treats the file as linear light, so an ordinary photo used as an environment map may need its exposure raised to light a scene well.
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Frequently asked questions
Does converting TIFF to HDR lose quality?
HDR is written losslessly, so the pixels are stored exactly as decoded. 16-bit and floating-point TIFFs are reduced to 8 bits per channel. Not carried over: any several pages.
What happens to transparency when converting TIFF to HDR?
TIFF stores transparency as an extra sample declared in the ExtraSamples tag. HDR has no alpha channel, so transparent pixels are composited onto a solid colour, white unless you pick another. To keep transparency, convert to PNG, WebP or AVIF instead.
Does saving as HDR make a real HDRI?
No. A real HDRI is merged from several exposures. This file holds an 8-bit image in linear light, so 3D software reads it correctly, but it has no more range than the source.
Which apps open HDR files?
Blender, Photoshop, Houdini, Unreal Engine, Unity and Affinity Photo. It does not open in web browsers.
Are my images uploaded anywhere?
No. Processing happens inside your browser with WebAssembly and Web Workers. The site only downloads the app code and codecs; your files never leave your device. You can confirm this with the live upload counter on the tool, or in your browser's network panel.
Can I process many files at once?
Yes. Drop a whole selection or folder. Files are processed in parallel on several worker threads, each result can be downloaded on its own, and everything can be saved as one ZIP.
Is it free? Is there a file limit or watermark?
It is free with no account, no watermark and no daily limit. The only limit is your device's memory: very large images (over roughly 100 megapixels) may be refused to keep the tab from crashing.