PNG to ICO Converter
Convert an image to a multi-size Windows .ico file.
File
Result
Your converted file will appear here.
About the PNG to ICO converter
An .ico is not one image but a small container holding the same icon at several sizes, so Windows can pick the right one for a tab, a taskbar or a desktop shortcut.
Choose the sizes you want and get a single file with all of them inside, with transparency intact.
Which sizes to include
16, 32 and 48 covers browsers and Windows Explorer, and is the sensible default. Add 256 if the icon will appear as a large desktop tile.
Every size you add makes the file bigger for no benefit if nothing requests it, which is why the default stops at 48.
PNG inside, not BMP
Each size is stored as a PNG within the icon. That is what preserves the alpha channel cleanly — the older BMP form needs a separate one-bit mask, which is where the jagged edges on old icons came from.
Windows has read PNG-in-ICO since Vista, and every browser handles it. Only genuinely ancient software needs the BMP form.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use an SVG as the source?
Yes, and it gives the best result — each size is rendered from the vector rather than resampled, so the small sizes stay crisp.
Does my source image need to be square?
It should be. A non-square image is fitted inside the square and letterboxed rather than cropped, because guessing which part to cut off usually removes the wrong thing. Crop it square first for a tighter result.
Is 256 pixels really the maximum?
For a single entry, yes. The ICO directory stores each edge length in one byte, and 256 is written as 0 by convention. Anything larger belongs in a PNG.
Is my logo uploaded anywhere?
No. The image is drawn to a canvas in your browser and the archive is assembled there too. Nothing is sent to a server, which matters when the file is an unreleased brand mark.