How to convert PNG to ICO
- Choose a square PNG – ideally 256 × 256 pixels or larger – or drop it on the page.
- Tick the icon sizes you need; 16, 32, 48 and 256 are selected by default.
- Download the ICO file. Images that are not square are centered on a transparent background.
Which icon sizes do you need?
| Size | Used for |
|---|---|
| 16 × 16 | Browser tabs, bookmarks and small list views |
| 32 × 32 | Tabs on high-resolution screens, the Windows taskbar |
| 48 × 48 | Windows Explorer and the desktop at normal scaling |
| 64 × 64 and 128 × 128 | Large icon views and high-DPI displays |
| 256 × 256 | Extra-large icons in Windows Explorer |
For a website favicon, 16, 32 and 48 are enough. For a program or shortcut icon on Windows, include 256. Each size is stored as a PNG inside the ICO file – supported by all browsers and by Windows Vista and later – so transparency is kept.
Adding the favicon to your website
Upload favicon.ico to the root of your website, e.g. https://example.com/favicon.ico – browsers look for it there automatically. You can also reference it in the <head> of your pages:
<link rel="icon" href="/favicon.ico" sizes="any">- For iPhone and iPad home screens, a 180 × 180 PNG:
<link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="/apple-touch-icon.png"> - For Android and installable web apps, 192 × 192 and 512 × 512 PNGs listed in your web app manifest.
Frequently asked questions
What is an ICO file?
An ICO file holds several sizes of the same icon, so Windows and browsers can pick the sharpest one for each place – a tab, the taskbar or a large desktop icon.
Does the ICO keep transparency?
Yes. The sizes are stored as PNG images with full transparency.
Can I convert JPG or SVG to ICO?
Yes – drop any image. For small SVG icons, use the image converter and set a larger Width for SVG files, so that the 256-pixel size stays sharp.
Are my files uploaded?
No. The icon is created in your browser and never leaves your device.