Online Tool Store
PNG to ICO
Convert a PNG image into a multi-resolution Windows .ico icon file, with the sizes you choose. Runs entirely in your browser — nothing is uploaded.
🔒 This tool runs entirely in your browser. Your files are never uploaded to a server.
Sample image — choose your own PNG to replace it.
How it works
- Choose a PNG image.
- Pick which sizes to include — 16×16, 32×32, 48×48, and 256×256 are selected by default.
- Click Download .ico to save a single icon file containing every size you picked.
How a multi-size .ico file is built
A .ico file isn't one image — it's a small directory (which sizes exist and where their data starts) followed by one PNG-encoded image per size, all packed into a single file:
.ico file = header + one directory entry per size + PNG data for each size, back to back
Whatever application opens the icon — Windows Explorer, a browser tab, an installer — picks whichever size inside the file best matches where it's displaying the icon, instead of scaling up a single small image and getting a blurry result.
FAQ
What sizes should I include?
16×16, 32×32, and 48×48 cover the classic Windows use cases (taskbar, file explorer, desktop shortcuts), and 256×256 covers modern high-DPI displays and the Windows 11 Start menu. That's the default selection — 64×64 and 128×128 are there if a specific app you're targeting asks for them.
My source image is rectangular — what happens to it?
Each size is filled with a centered square crop of your image, not a stretched version — stretching a non-square image to fit noticeably distorts it, especially at small sizes. Crop or pad your image to square yourself first if you need exact control over what gets kept.
Why is the file a modern PNG-based .ico instead of the old format?
Windows Vista and every version since read PNG-compressed image data directly inside a .ico file — it's smaller and simpler than the legacy uncompressed bitmap format, and every current use case (favicons, desktop apps, installers) supports it fine.
Can I use this to make a favicon for a website?
Yes — a .ico file with 16×16, 32×32, and 48×48 is exactly what browsers look for at /favicon.ico. Some modern setups use a plain PNG or SVG favicon instead, but .ico remains the most universally supported option.
Is my image uploaded anywhere?
No. Every size is rendered and the .ico file assembled locally in your browser using the Canvas API — your image is never sent to a server.
How we compare
| Feature | Online Tool Store | Desktop icon editors | Other online ICO converters |
|---|---|---|---|
| No file upload — runs in your browser | ✓ | N/A — local software | ✗ |
| No install required | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Free, no watermark, no daily limit | ✓ | One-time purchase, typically | Daily limit on many free tiers |
A desktop icon editor is overkill for a one-off conversion, and most online converters upload your image to their server first. PNG to ICO gets you a multi-size .ico file without either.