Image to ICO Converter

Convert Image to ICO Online

ICO is the native Windows icon container, and it's exactly what a browser fetches when it asks a site for /favicon.ico. This tool turns almost any image — PNG, JPG, WebP, BMP, GIF, HEIC, SVG-rendered raster, even a RAW camera file — into a clean .ico at the icon size you need, for a website favicon, a Windows application or shortcut icon, or a desktop launcher. ICO is built for small square icons, so a square, simple, high-contrast source like a logo or mark gives the sharpest result.

How to Convert Image to ICO

1. Upload Your Image File: Drag and drop your image onto the page or click "+ Add Files". A square source works best — start from at least a 256x256 image so the icon stays sharp at every size.
2. Pick the Icon Size: Open Advanced Options and, under Image resolution, choose the pixel size from the preset selector. The values for ICO are 16, 24, 32, 48, 64, 128, 180, 192, and 256; the default is 256.
3. Keep Transparency (Optional): No setting is needed — ICO stores a 32-bit image (24-bit color plus an 8-bit alpha channel), so the transparency in a PNG or other alpha source is carried through automatically. Make sure the source already has a transparent background if you want one.
4. Convert and Download: Click "Convert" and download your .ico file. No sign-up, no watermark.

Favicon and Icon Size Guide

Microsoft's recommended Windows application-icon set is 16, 32, 48, and 256 pixels. A single ICO file can also bundle several of those sizes at once so the OS picks the right one per slot.

Frequently Asked Questions

What size should my favicon.ico be?

For a single-size favicon, 48 or 32 is the safe choice and downscales well; pick 256 if you want it crisp on high-DPI screens. Microsoft's recommended Windows icon set is 16, 32, 48, and 256 pixels, and a browser will scale a larger icon down to fit a tab, so you don't have to match the display size exactly. The two absolute essentials are 16 and 32 — without them browsers fall back to a generic globe.

Does image to ICO preserve transparency?

Yes. ICO stores a 32-bit image — 24-bit color plus an 8-bit alpha channel — so alpha from a PNG, WebP, AVIF, or other transparent source is carried through pixel for pixel. Semi-transparent edges and soft shadows survive, which keeps an icon looking clean against any tab color or desktop wallpaper. A JPG source has no transparency to keep, so its background stays opaque.

Why does my photo look like a blur as an icon?

Because ICO is for small square icons, not photos. A detailed photograph becomes an unreadable smear at 16-32px, and a rectangular photo gets cropped or squished into the square icon canvas. In our testing, a 512x512 square logo produced a noticeably cleaner 32x32 icon than a downscaled photo, because simple high-contrast shapes survive shrinking while fine detail does not. Start from a square logo or mark, crop it to 1:1 first with the Image Resizer if needed, and keep the design simple.

Which image formats can I convert to ICO here?

This is a generic image-to-ICO landing that accepts 36 input formats: common raster (JPG, JPEG, JFIF, BMP, GIF, PNG, WebP, AVIF, ICO), Apple/mobile (HEIC, HEIF), design files (PSD, EPS, TIFF, TIF, PPM, XCF, ODD, ODG, PUB), and RAW camera files (CR2, CR3, CRW, NEF, ARW, DNG, ORF, PEF, RW2, RAF, 3FR, DCR, ERF, MOS, MRW, X3F). If you want a full favicon package with all the HTML tags, the Favicon Generator builds the markup, and the Image Converter handles other image output formats.

Is the converter free, and what happens to my file?

It's free with no sign-up and no watermark. Your image is uploaded over an encrypted connection, converted on our servers, and the files are deleted automatically a few hours after conversion — never shared or made public.