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PNG to ICO converter

Convert PNG to ICO in your browser with the transparency intact: your files are never uploaded, there is no limit on how many you convert, and you choose the sizes from 16 to 256 pixels. Drop in one PNG or a whole batch and download the ICO files straight away.

Drag your PNG files here

Choose files

Several files allowed · or paste with Ctrl+V

    PNG to ICO

    Sizes in the icon

    Everything happens in your browser. Your files are not uploaded.

    How it works

    1. Choose your PNG files

      Drop them into the box, choose them on your device or paste with Ctrl+V.

    2. Converted automatically

      Each file is converted to ICO straight away in your browser.

    3. Download

      File by file, or everything at once as a ZIP file.

    PNG is the best source for an icon

    A favicon or Windows icon almost always has a transparent background, and PNG is the format that keeps it. This converter copies the alpha channel into each size of the icon, soft edges included, so a round logo stays round on any tab or desktop colour. If your logo only exists as a JPG, the background is part of the picture; remove it first with the background remover.

    Export your PNG from your design tool as a square of 512 × 512 pixels with some padding around the shape. The converter scales that one file down to 16, 32, 48 and 256 pixels, so there is no need to prepare each size by hand.

    Tips for small sizes

    • Keep it simple. At 16 × 16 pixels you have 256 dots to draw with. A single letter or a bold shape survives, a detailed illustration does not.
    • Use contrast. Thin lines in a light colour disappear next to the browser's own interface. Thicker shapes and a clear colour read better.
    • Check both tab colours. Transparent icons take on the colour of the tab, so a dark logo can vanish in dark mode.
    • Fill the square. Empty margins make the icon look smaller than the icons next to it. Leave only a thin border.

    If the image is not square, the converter fits it in the middle of the square with transparent bars. Use crop image with the 1:1 ratio first when you want to decide yourself which part is kept.

    Which sizes to include

    For a website, 16, 32 and 48 pixels are enough. Add 256 for Windows shortcuts and program icons. The default selection holds all four, which is a good fit for one file that has to do both jobs. The file gets bigger with every extra size, but a favicon is still only a few kilobytes. For the other files a modern site needs, such as the 180 pixel iPhone icon and the manifest sizes, see how to make a favicon.

    Your PNG already is the right format for the other icon files. Only the ICO needs converting, and shrink image can scale a 512 pixel file down to 35% for the 180 pixel iPhone icon.

    Frequently asked questions

    Is the transparency of my PNG kept?

    Yes. Transparent and semi-transparent pixels are carried over into every size of the icon, including soft edges. Nothing is flattened onto a white background.

    Is my PNG uploaded?

    No. The ICO is made in your browser, so the PNG stays on your device. There is no limit on the file size or the number of files, apart from your device's memory.

    My PNG is 512 × 512. Do I need to resize it first?

    No. Every size in the icon is scaled down from your original, so you can start from the biggest version you have. A square source of 256 × 256 pixels or more gives the sharpest result.

    Will my logo be visible on a dark browser tab?

    A transparent icon takes the colour of the tab behind it. A dark logo can disappear on a dark tab and a white logo on a light one. Test your icon on both, or give it a solid or coloured background shape that works on either.

    Can I use the same ICO for the iPhone home screen?

    No. iOS uses a separate 180 × 180 PNG (apple-touch-icon) and fills transparent areas with black, so give that file a solid background. The ICO is for browsers and Windows.