Purplelink
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Free web tool

PNG to ICO

Turn a PNG, JPG or WebP into an .ico file. Choose every size from 16 to 256 pixels for a Windows icon, or 16, 32 and 48 for a website's favicon. The file is built on your device. Nothing is uploaded.

Options
Sizes

Bytes of your files sent anywhere: 0

Files are read and converted in this tab, in a background worker. The only requests the page makes are for its own scripts. Your files are never sent anywhere.

How it works

An .ico file holds several copies of one picture at different sizes. Windows picks the one that fits the place it is shown, from 16 pixels in a title bar to 256 pixels in a large Explorer view, and browsers pick the one that fits a tab.

This page draws each size from your picture, halving it step by step so the small sizes stay clean, stores each one as a PNG with transparency, and writes the .ico directory byte by byte. It reads the file back and checks every entry before it offers the download.

For a website, put the file at the root of the site as /favicon.ico. Browsers ask for that address on their own, so it works even without a link tag. Most sites also add a 180 pixel PNG for iPhones with <link rel="apple-touch-icon">.

How to convert PNG to ICO

  1. Start from a square picture. Use a PNG of 256 by 256 pixels or more, with a transparent background if the icon should have one.
  2. Pick the sizes. Choose All sizes for a Windows program or shortcut icon, or Favicon for a website.
  3. Add the picture. Drop it on the box, or click the box to choose it.
  4. Download. Download the .ico file from its row.

Limits

Questions

Are my files uploaded?
No. The page reads each picture with your browser and converts it in a background worker in this tab. There is no server step. The meter under the drop zone counts the bytes the page and its worker send while they work, so you can check this yourself. No library is downloaded; the browser draws the sizes and this page writes the file.
Which sizes should a favicon have?
16 and 32 pixels cover browser tabs and bookmarks, and 48 pixels covers Windows site shortcuts. That is the Favicon set. Larger sizes make the file bigger without being used in a tab.
How do I add the favicon to my site?
Upload favicon.ico to the top folder of the site, so it loads at yoursite.com/favicon.ico. Browsers look there by default. To be explicit, add <link rel="icon" href="/favicon.ico" sizes="any"> to the page head.
How do I use the icon for a Windows shortcut?
Right-click the shortcut, choose Properties, then Change Icon, and browse to the .ico file. Keep the file where it is; the shortcut points to it.
Does it keep transparency?
Yes. Every size is a 32-bit PNG with its alpha channel. A JPG source has no transparency, so its icon is opaque.
Is it free?
Yes. There is no account and no watermark.

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