Convert ICNS to TIFF on Mac
Select the ICNS files in Finder, press ⌥ F, choose TIFF and press Return. FileFlip saves each TIFF next to its original and works without an internet connection.
How to convert ICNS to TIFF with FileFlip
Select the ICNS files
In Finder or on the Desktop. One file, or a whole folder with ⌘ A.
Press ⌥ F
FileFlip opens next to the selection and lists the formats it can make from ICNS. Type “TIFF” to jump to it.
Choose TIFF and press Return
The TIFF files appear next to the originals with the same names. The ICNS files stay as they are.
ICNS and TIFF
The icon format of macOS. One ICNS file holds the same icon at several sizes, up to 1024 × 1024 pixels. TIFF is lossless and accepted by print shops and archives.
What changes when you convert
- Both formats are lossless, so the image itself doesn’t change. Only file size and compatibility do.
| Property | ICNS | TIFF |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Apple Icon Image | Tagged Image File Format |
| Made by | Apple | Aldus, now Adobe |
| Compression | Usually PNG inside | Usually lossless or uncompressed |
| Transparency | Yes | Yes |
| Best for | Mac app, folder and file icons | Printing, scanning and archiving |
| Opens in | macOS; rarely anything else | Preview, Photoshop and most image editors; most web browsers don’t display it |
| File extension | .icns | .tiff, .tif |
| In FileFlip | Opens and saves | Opens and saves |
Other ways on a Mac
For one file now and then you may not need FileFlip. These work with what’s already on your Mac.
Preview
Open the ICNS in Preview, choose File → Export, pick TIFF from the Format menu and click Save. For several files, open them together, select all thumbnails in the sidebar and choose File → Export Selected Images.
Good for a few files now and then.
Terminal
The sips command converts images in place or into a new file.
sips -s format tiff icon.icns \
--out icon.tiffBuilt into macOS and good for scripts. Run sips --formats to see what your macOS version can read and write.
Questions about ICNS and TIFF
Does converting ICNS to TIFF lose quality?
Both formats are lossless, so the image itself doesn’t change. Only file size and compatibility do.
Can I convert many ICNS files at once?
Yes. Select them all in Finder, press ⌥ F and choose TIFF. Progress moves to the menu bar, so you can close the panel and keep working.
Where is the TIFF file saved?
Next to the original, with the same name and the .tiff extension. The ICNS file isn’t changed. In Settings you can choose a different folder instead.
Can I convert TIFF back to ICNS?
Yes, FileFlip converts TIFF to ICNS as well.
Are my files uploaded anywhere?
No. FileFlip converts files on your Mac and works with the internet turned off.
Convert a whole folder of images at once
FileFlip also handles video, audio, PDFs, documents and data files. Requires macOS 14 Sonoma or later.
Coming soon for Mac