ICO Converter
Use this ICO converter to turn an existing image into a proper icon file, the format Windows and older browsers expect. Choose which sizes to include and download a single ICO with all of them packed in.
Quick answer: Drop in an image, tick one or more sizes from 16 to 256 pixels and select Generate ICO to get one .ico file holding every size you ticked. Each size is stored inside it as PNG data, and HEIC and TIFF files are not accepted here.
Drop images here or click to browse
Most image formats up to 50 MB each
Your images never leave your device
Most image formats, up to 50 megabytes each Your images never leave your deviceHow to use the ICO Converter
- Drop in your image, ideally square.
- Choose which sizes to include: 16, 32 and 48 pixels by default.
- Download the ICO file, named after your image.
Features
- Packs multiple sizes, 16 up to 256 pixels, into one ICO file.
- Pads to a square canvas automatically if your source image is not square, keeping the whole image with a transparent border.
- Warns you if the source is smaller than the largest size you selected.
- Also lets you download the individual PNG sizes as a ZIP.
Why does an ICO file need more than one size?
An ICO file can store several sizes of the same image in one package, and Windows or a browser picks whichever fits the context, a small taskbar icon versus a larger shortcut icon. Including a range from 16 up to 256 pixels means the icon looks sharp everywhere it appears.
What still specifically requires an ICO file rather than PNG?
A Windows desktop shortcut, an installed Windows application's icon and some older browsers still specifically expect the ICO format and will not accept a plain PNG in its place. Most modern browsers now read favicon.ico or a PNG favicon equally well, which is why the site's Favicon Generator produces both; this converter exists for the cases, mostly Windows software and desktop shortcuts, where ICO specifically is still the required format.
Which sizes are worth including beyond the default three?
16, 32 and 48 pixels, the defaults, cover a browser tab, a taskbar icon and a desktop shortcut. Add 64 or 128 pixels if the icon needs to look sharp in a larger file browser view, and 256 pixels specifically for a Windows application icon shown at full size in Explorer's large icon view, since Windows scales a smaller size up rather than down if the exact size it wants is missing from the file.
Which of the four icon pages fits your job?
This page takes whichever image you have and packs it into an ICO. If you already know the file type, a narrower page says more about it: a transparent PNG keeps its soft edges and shadows, while a JPG photo is centered on a transparent square. If a website is the goal, the full favicon pack gives you the ICO, the PNG sizes and a web manifest in one ZIP.
Frequently asked questions
What if my image is not square?
The tool pads it onto a square canvas, or you can crop it to square first with the Image Cropper for tighter control over what gets kept.
Do I need the full Favicon Generator instead?
Only if you also want the PNG sizes, Apple touch icon and web manifest that a full modern favicon setup uses. This tool is for when you specifically need just an ICO file.
Will the ICO open on a Mac?
Yes, macOS Preview and most image viewers can open an ICO file and show every size packed inside it.
Can I convert a JPG as well as a PNG?
Yes, this tool accepts most common image formats as a source; PNG is the better starting point if you need transparency in the final icon, since JPG never has any.
Does selecting more sizes make a noticeably bigger file?
The size difference is small in absolute terms, typically a few kilobytes even with every size selected, since icons are simple, low resolution images to begin with.
Can I get the individual PNG files instead of just the combined ICO?
Yes. When you pick more than one size, a button called Also download the PNG sizes (ZIP) appears after you generate the ICO. It saves a ZIP with a separate PNG for each size. The ICO itself always downloads as its own file.
Guides for this tool
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