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Convert an image to ICO

Build an .ico — the favicon format — holding several sizes at once, from a PNG, a JPG or a logo. Nothing is uploaded.

Your image

Drop a logo or image

JPG, PNG, WEBP or HEIC

Options

Sizes to include

An .ico holds several sizes and the browser picks one: 16 in a tab, 32 in a shortcut, 48 in a file list. The image is fitted whole, padded rather than cropped.

Add an image to get started.

Why use this tool

  • No file size limit

    Full-size photos straight from your phone or camera.

  • Nothing is uploaded

    Processed entirely in your browser. Your files never leave your device.

  • No signup needed

    Open the tool and go. No account, no email.

An .ico is not a single image: it is a container holding the same picture at several sizes, and whatever is drawing it picks the one that suits. A browser takes 16 pixels for the tab, Windows takes 32 for a shortcut and 48 for a file list.

That is why a favicon made from one resized PNG looks worse than it should: the system has to shrink a large image on the fly. Putting the right sizes inside the .ico makes that decision in advance.

How to convert an image to ICO

  1. Drop in your image

    A logo, an icon or any picture. JPG, PNG, WEBP and HEIC all work; a PNG with a transparent background is ideal for a favicon.

  2. Choose the sizes

    16, 32 and 48 are ticked, which is what a favicon actually needs. Add 256 if the file will double as a desktop icon.

  3. Download the .ico

    One file comes back with every size inside, ready to upload to the root of your site as favicon.ico.

Which sizes are needed

16 × 16 is the browser tab and the bookmarks bar: the size seen most often, and the least forgiving of detail. A logo with fine lettering simply disappears at it.

32 × 32 is used by shortcuts, by tabs on high-density screens and by a good deal of the operating system. 48 × 48 shows up in Windows file listings.

256 × 256 is only needed if the file will also serve as an application or desktop icon. It adds weight, so it is not ticked by default.

Fitted whole, not cropped

An .ico is square and many logos are not. Rather than cropping the edges to force a square, the image is fitted whole and the remainder padded: for an icon, losing part of the mark is worse than a little margin.

If the original has a transparent background, that margin stays transparent. If not, it is worth preparing a PNG with transparency first — remove the background or crop it round are the usual steps.

For a favicon, simpler is better. An initial, a shape or a symbol reads at 16 pixels; a full logo with a tagline does not.

Nothing is uploaded

It all happens in your browser: the image is resized on a canvas, each size is encoded as PNG, and those PNGs are packed into the .ico container right there.

The file never reaches a server, so there is no queue, no account and no daily limit, and the page keeps working offline once loaded.

It is the same packer that builds this site's own favicon, so the output format is exactly the one in use here.

What each size is for

Where each one ends up being shown.

SizeWhere it is usedTicked by default?
16 × 16Browser tab and bookmarksYes
32 × 32Shortcuts and high-density screensYes
48 × 48Windows file listingsYes

When people convert an image to ICO

  • A favicon for a website

    The classic favicon.ico, carrying the three sizes browsers ask for, at the site root.

  • A desktop icon

    A Windows shortcut with an icon of its own rather than the generic one.

  • A logo adapted for the tab

    A simplified mark so it still reads at 16 pixels.

  • An icon for an application

    An .ico with 256 included, for installers and shortcuts.

Frequently asked questions

Is converting an image to ICO free?
Yes, completely: no account, no signup, no watermark and no daily limit.
Is my image uploaded?
No. The resizing and the packing happen in your browser; the file never leaves your device.
What sizes should a favicon have?
16, 32 and 48 cover what browsers and Windows ask for, and they are ticked. Add 256 only if the file will also serve as an application icon.
How do I use the file as a favicon?
Upload it to the root of your site named favicon.ico. Most browsers find it there without needing any tag.
Is transparency kept?
Yes. Each size is stored as a PNG inside the container, so the alpha channel survives intact.
What if my image is not square?
It is fitted whole inside the square and the rest padded, rather than having its edges cropped. For an icon a little margin beats losing part of the mark.
Can I convert a PNG to ICO?
Yes, and it is the ideal starting point: a PNG with a transparent background makes the best favicon.
Why does it look blurry at 16 pixels?
Because there are barely any pixels to draw with at that size. Simplify the image: an initial or a shape reads; a logo with fine lettering does not.
Do I need to install anything?
No. It runs in the tab you already have open.

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