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Convert PNG to ICO Online Free

One .ico file, many sizes inside. Windows picks the right one.

An ICO isn't a single picture: it's a small folder of the same icon at several sizes. A browser tab uses 16 pixels; a desktop shortcut on a high-resolution screen uses 256. Choose which sizes to include and see where each one appears.

sizes inside the .ico

FaviconWindows appMinimal

16 px1.1 KB

24 px2.3 KB

32 px4.2 KB

48 px9.4 KB

64 px16.8 KB

128 px22 KB

256 px48 KB

Sizes 128 and 256 are stored as compressed PNG inside the ICO; smaller ones as classic bitmaps, which older Windows versions need.

what's inside favicon.ico

16 × 16bitmap + mask1.1 KB2%32 × 32bitmap + mask4.2 KB7%48 × 48bitmap + mask9.4 KB15%256 × 256PNG, compressed48 KB77%

where each size shows up

tabBrowser tabneeds 16 / 32 pxcheck_circle16 px

bookmarkBookmarks barneeds 16 pxcheck_circle16 px

view_weekTaskbarneeds 24 / 32 / 48 pxcheck_circle32 px

folderFile Explorer listsneeds 16 / 32 pxcheck_circle16 px

desktop_windowsDesktop shortcutneeds 48 / 256 pxcheck_circle48 px

view_moduleExplorer large iconsneeds 128 / 256 pxcheck_circle256 px

sizes4 imagesfavicon.ico≈ 63 KB

appsBuild ICO with 4 sizes

70 formats in and out, from JPG and HEIC to Photoshop, camera RAW and 1980s Unix bitmaps. JPG, PNG, WebP and AVIF use your browser's encoders, and GIF, BMP, ICO and TIFF are written by this page. The other 62 go through ImageMagick compiled to WebAssembly, which downloads once when you pick one and runs on your device. Every result is decoded again and compared with the original before you save it.

collections

Drop images or click to chooseany of 70 formats · several at once · nothing leaves your device

photo_libraryTry 3 samples

inboxno images yet

downloadSaveremove

Converted on this device · nothing uploaded

folder_zipswap_horizAdd images first

1Save as70 formats · 8 built in

language.webpWebsitesmall, every browser

photo_camera.jpgPhoto for anyoneopens on any device

layers.pngKeep transparencylossless logos, screens

compress.avifSmallest fileAV1 compression

print.tiffPrint & scanslossless master

brush.psdPhotoshopopen in PSD apps

searchAll 70 formats9 familiesexpand_more

No format matches “”.

.webpUsually the smallest lossy file browsers all open, and it keeps transparency.written by browser encoder

2Quality80Passed to the WEBP encoder as 0.80. Each browser maps it to its own quantiser, so 80 in Chrome and 80 in Safari differ slightly.

3Longest side

original2048 px1280 px640 px

4Fill transparency

whiteblacklight grey

Used where the output can’t hold transparency (JPG) and as the backdrop when accuracy is measured.

~/sixteen-pixels

Shrink a detailed logo to 16 pixels and it turns to mush.

Scaling down averages neighbouring pixels, so thin lines and small text blur into grey. For the tiny sizes, a simplified version usually reads better: just the mark, thicker strokes, no wordmark. Upload a separate PNG for the small sizes if you have one.

Nearest pixelSmooth shrinkSimplified mark

16 × 16, zoomed

at real size, in a tab

FileFormer · ConvertInbox (3)Docs

Averaging keeps every stroke but blurs them into pink-grey; the tiny wordmark is just a smudge.

~/for-a-website

For a website, the .ico is only the fallback.

Browsers still look for favicon.ico in the site root, but modern ones prefer an SVG or PNG, and iPhones want their own 180-pixel icon. Tick what you want and copy the tags into your page's head.

favicon.icoFallback for every browser and Windows shortcuts.icon.svgSharp at any size in modern browsers; supports dark mode.apple-touch-icon.png180 × 180 for iPhone home screens.Web app manifestAndroid home screen and installable web apps.

<head>content_copyCopy

<link rel="icon" href="/favicon.ico" sizes="16x16 32x32 48x48"><link rel="icon" href="/icon.svg" type="image/svg+xml"><link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="/apple-touch-icon.png">

files in the download

favicon.icoicon.svgapple-touch-icon.png

~/who-still-asks

ICO is a Windows format. Here's who still asks for it.

Everywhere else, PNG or SVG is the norm. Before converting, check which your destination wants.

languageWebsite faviconICO + PNGfavicon.ico in the site root is still requested by every browser, even if you declare others.

desktop_windowsWindows app or shortcutICOInstallers, .exe files and custom shortcuts need a multi-size ICO.

usbUSB or drive iconICOAn autorun.inf can point to an ICO to brand a drive in Explorer.

phone_iphoneiOS or Android appPNGApp stores want sets of PNGs, never ICO.

laptop_macmacOS appICNSMacs use their own ICNS format with similar size sets.

brushDesign handoffSVGSend the vector original; export ICO at the very end.

~/other-routes

Getting the source image right.

Neighbouring tools, with a typical result for each.

drawPNG to SVGHave only a PNG logo? Trace it to a vector first, for the SVG favicon.logo.pngarrow_forwardicon.svg imageSVG to PNGExport the exact square PNG an ICO is built from, at 256 or 512 px.icon.svgarrow_forwardicon-512.png cropImage editorCrop to a square and add padding so the icon isn’t cramped.logo-wide.pngarrow_forwardlogo-square.png

Sources

[1]ICO file formatHow several images are stored in one file.Wikipedia ↗[2]Windows app icon constructionRecommended sizes for Windows icons.Microsoft Learn ↗[3]Link types: iconDeclaring favicons in HTML.MDN Web Docs ↗

Frequently Asked Questions

Is converting PNG to ICO free?

Yes, PNG to ICO conversion is completely free with no signup, no watermark, and no usage limit. Convert as many files as you need.

Are my files uploaded to a server?

No. The PNG to ICO converter runs in your browser when your file is supported there, so the file stays on your device for that workflow, reducing server exposure for that workflow. Look at the processing mode before putting anything confidential through it.

How long does PNG to ICO conversion take?

Most PNG to ICO conversions finish in under a minute. A large file takes longer in proportion, though the work happens on your machine, so nothing waits on a sign-up.

Will the conversion reduce file quality?

Depends which formats. Lossless in, lossless out, and the file you get back is identical. Convert to something compressed and you trade a little quality for a smaller file, which is usually the trade you wanted.

Does this work on mobile devices?

Yes. The PNG to ICO converter works on phones, tablets, and desktops in any modern browser including Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Edge.