Image format
The TGA format
TGA is a simple raster format with an alpha channel, common in games and 3D work. Truevision designed TGA in 1984 for its TARGA video cards; it lives on in games, 3D rendering and video effects.
When to use TGA
Use TGA when a game engine, modding tool or 3D pipeline specifically asks for it.
It is best for textures and render passes in games and 3D software, and it opens on game engines, 3D software and pro editors — not browsers, phones or everyday photo apps.
How to open it: Photoshop, GIMP, Blender and game engines open TGA files; ordinary photo viewers usually don’t.
| Full name | Truevision TGA (TARGA) |
|---|---|
| Extensions | .tga, .icb, .vda, .vst |
| MIME type | image/x-tga |
| Introduced | 1984 |
| Compression | Lossless |
| Transparency | Yes |
| Animation | No |
| Support | Specialist format |
| Typical size | Roughly width × height × 4 bytes uncompressed |
Good at
- Straightforward alpha channel
- Fast for software to read and write
- Optional lossless run-length compression
Not so good at
- Large files
- No browser, phone or upload form supports it
The common mistake
TGA files have no reliable signature at the start, so a TGA with the wrong extension is easy to mistake for a broken file.
Questions
What is a TGA file?
TGA (Truevision TGA (TARGA)) is a simple raster format with an alpha channel, common in games and 3D work. Truevision designed TGA in 1984 for its TARGA video cards; it lives on in games, 3D rendering and video effects.
How do I open a TGA file?
Photoshop, GIMP, Blender and game engines open TGA files; ordinary photo viewers usually don’t.
How do I make a TGA file?
Open the Image Converter, drop your file and choose TGA. It converts in your browser, so nothing is uploaded.