The Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) invites public comment on the candidate BigTIFF Standard, which defines an extended internal structure for image files exceeding 4 GB in size.
The candidate Standard describes an extended internal structure for image files that exceed 4 GB. While maintaining the general structure of the TIFF Specification Version 6, it replaces two essential data structures, the Image File Header and the Image File Directory, with new versions that support longer integer values used as internal file offsets. It also introduces three new data types for very long integers.
It is expected that other OGC Standards, such as GeoTIFF, will depend on this Standard in the near future.
Why BigTIFF Matters
Originally developed in the mid-1980s, the TIFF format was designed as an extensible image format. At the time, 32-bit offsets, limiting file size to approximately 4 GB, were sufficient. However, evolving data needs now require open, flexible formats capable of handling much larger datasets.
BigTIFF is very similar to the original TIFF format and only modifies certain internal headers to support 64-bit offsets and data types. Because of this close alignment, existing TIFF libraries can be extended with minimal effort to support BigTIFF.
All established features of TIFF are retained, including existing tags, supported bit depths and datatypes, multiple compression schemes, tiling and striping approaches, and the use of private tags. These characteristics continue to support a wide range of applications, including pre-press workflows and scientific data storage.
Background and Contributors
The basic BigTIFF design was first proposed in 2004 and refined through discussions on the Aware Systems mailing list. Contributors to the design included Lynn Quam, Frank Warmerdam, Chris Cox, Rob Tillaart, Dan Smith, Bob Freisenhahn, Andrey Kiselev, Phillip Crews, and Gerben Vos.
The BigTIFF format was proposed and maintained by Joris Van Damme and has remained stable in recent years. Additional contributions were made by Ole Eichhorn, and the work was released into the public domain, in recognition of contributions from Sam Leffler, Silicon Graphics, Joris Van Damme, Aware Systems, Frank Warmerdam, Andrey Kisley, Mike Welles, and others who supported libtiff development.
These contributions were published on an “as is” basis, and neither Ole Eichhorn nor Aperio made any warranty as to their fitness for any intended use. In recent years, most of the web pages related to these activities have been removed and are only available on web.archive.org.
The intention of this Standard is to elevate the work of all previously cited contributors to the category of an International Standard, recognizing and respecting their contributions. This document is an adaptation of their original specification to an OGC Standard format, following the OGC Modular Specification.
It has been done with the intention of preserving their valuable work through a transcription with no practical modifications, ensuring that existing BigTIFF implementations remain immediately compatible with this Standard.
As the BigTIFF format is based on TIFF, readers are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the current TIFF specification.
How to Comment
The candidate BigTIFF Standard is available for review and comment for a period of 30 days. Comments are due by 24 May, 2026.
Comments can be submitted in the OGC GitHub repository for a period ending on the “Close request date” listed above. Comments received will be consolidated and reviewed by OGC members for potential incorporation into the document.
About OGC
The Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) is a membership organization dedicated to using the power of geography and technology to solve problems faced by people and the planet. OGC unlocks value and opportunity for its members through Standards, Innovation, and Collaboration.
OGC’s membership represents a diverse and active global community drawn from government, industry, academia, international development agencies, research and scientific organizations, civil society, and advocates.
Visit ogc.org for more information about OGC’s work.
OGC Seeks Public Comment on Candidate BigTIFF Standard
Request Open:
From April 24, 2026 3:21 PM
To May 24, 2026 12:00 AM
The Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) invites public comment on the candidate BigTIFF Standard, which defines an extended internal structure for image files exceeding 4 GB in size.
The candidate Standard describes an extended internal structure for image files that exceed 4 GB. While maintaining the general structure of the TIFF Specification Version 6, it replaces two essential data structures, the Image File Header and the Image File Directory, with new versions that support longer integer values used as internal file offsets. It also introduces three new data types for very long integers.
It is expected that other OGC Standards, such as GeoTIFF, will depend on this Standard in the near future.
Why BigTIFF Matters
Originally developed in the mid-1980s, the TIFF format was designed as an extensible image format. At the time, 32-bit offsets, limiting file size to approximately 4 GB, were sufficient. However, evolving data needs now require open, flexible formats capable of handling much larger datasets.
BigTIFF is very similar to the original TIFF format and only modifies certain internal headers to support 64-bit offsets and data types. Because of this close alignment, existing TIFF libraries can be extended with minimal effort to support BigTIFF.
All established features of TIFF are retained, including existing tags, supported bit depths and datatypes, multiple compression schemes, tiling and striping approaches, and the use of private tags. These characteristics continue to support a wide range of applications, including pre-press workflows and scientific data storage.
Background and Contributors
The basic BigTIFF design was first proposed in 2004 and refined through discussions on the Aware Systems mailing list. Contributors to the design included Lynn Quam, Frank Warmerdam, Chris Cox, Rob Tillaart, Dan Smith, Bob Freisenhahn, Andrey Kiselev, Phillip Crews, and Gerben Vos.
The BigTIFF format was proposed and maintained by Joris Van Damme and has remained stable in recent years. Additional contributions were made by Ole Eichhorn, and the work was released into the public domain, in recognition of contributions from Sam Leffler, Silicon Graphics, Joris Van Damme, Aware Systems, Frank Warmerdam, Andrey Kisley, Mike Welles, and others who supported libtiff development.
These contributions were published on an “as is” basis, and neither Ole Eichhorn nor Aperio made any warranty as to their fitness for any intended use. In recent years, most of the web pages related to these activities have been removed and are only available on web.archive.org.
The intention of this Standard is to elevate the work of all previously cited contributors to the category of an International Standard, recognizing and respecting their contributions. This document is an adaptation of their original specification to an OGC Standard format, following the OGC Modular Specification.
It has been done with the intention of preserving their valuable work through a transcription with no practical modifications, ensuring that existing BigTIFF implementations remain immediately compatible with this Standard.
As the BigTIFF format is based on TIFF, readers are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the current TIFF specification.
How to Comment
The candidate BigTIFF Standard is available for review and comment for a period of 30 days. Comments are due by 24 May, 2026.
Comments can be submitted in the OGC GitHub repository for a period ending on the “Close request date” listed above. Comments received will be consolidated and reviewed by OGC members for potential incorporation into the document.
About OGC
The Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) is a membership organization dedicated to using the power of geography and technology to solve problems faced by people and the planet. OGC unlocks value and opportunity for its members through Standards, Innovation, and Collaboration.
OGC’s membership represents a diverse and active global community drawn from government, industry, academia, international development agencies, research and scientific organizations, civil society, and advocates.
Visit ogc.org for more information about OGC’s work.
Centre national d’études spatiales
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Natural Resources Canada
United States Geological Survey
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