Image
What is a .iff file?
A .iff file is an Interchange File. This is an image format — a picture, drawing or graphic. Confusingly, this extension has been used by 4 different formats over the years — they're all listed below.
This extension has been used by more than one format
4 different formats have claimed .iff over the years, so two files with the same extension aren't necessarily the same kind of thing.
How to open a .iff file
- GIMP (free) and IrfanView open a very wide range of image formats, including obsolete ones.
- XnView MP is the best bet for unusual or legacy image types.
- Your operating system's built-in viewer may work for mainstream formats.
The registry records this extension against Interchange File, Interchange File Format Interleaved Bitmap, Interchange File Format 8-bit Sampled Voice and others, so software from that family is the most likely match.
How to convert a .iff file
- Open it in GIMP or XnView and export as .png (lossless) or .jpg (smaller).
The technical record
For archivists, developers and the merely curious: these are the PRONOM registry entries for .iff.
| Format name | Version | MIME type | PUID |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interchange File | — | — | x-fmt/157 |
| Interchange File Format Interleaved Bitmap | — | — | fmt/338 |
| Interchange File Format 8-bit Sampled Voice | — | — | fmt/339 |
| Maya IFF Image File | — | — | fmt/1169 |