How do I convert PNG to ICO?

Upload your PNG file above. It is converted to ICO automatically (change the output format or quality in the Settings tab if you need to), then click Download. There is nothing to install.

Does converting PNG to ICO lose quality?

Each icon size is scaled down from your image and stored without further compression, so small sizes stay crisp.

Will the ICO keep the transparent background?

Yes. ICO supports smooth, partial transparency, so transparent areas stay transparent.

PNG or ICO: which should I use?

Use PNG for screenshots, logos, text graphics and cut-outs. Use ICO for website favicons and Windows app or shortcut icons. Keep in mind the main drawback of ICO: icons are square and at most 256 × 256 pixels.

PNG stores every pixel exactly and supports smooth transparency, which makes it the go-to format for screenshots, logos and graphics, at the cost of large files for photos.

What sizes does the ICO file include?

The standard icon sizes of 16, 32, 48, 64, 128 and 256 pixels, skipping any larger than your image. Browsers and Windows pick the best size automatically.

Is the PNG to ICO converter free?

Yes. Convert, preview and download a single result without creating an account. Premium adds batch conversion (many files into one ZIP) and larger uploads.

Convert PNG to ICO — Favicons and Windows Icons

Convert PNG to ICO online to make a favicon or Windows icon in several sizes. No software to install. Preview one free or batch-convert with Premium.

Drop your PNG file or click to browse

Why convert PNG to ICO?

Transparent areas stay transparent: ICO supports smooth, partial transparency just like PNG.
One ICO bundles the standard 16 to 256 px icon sizes (up to the size of your image), ready for a favicon.ico or a Windows shortcut.

What to expect when converting PNG to ICO

Icons are square, so a non-square image is centred on a transparent square. Sizes larger than your image aren’t created, so start from at least 256 × 256 pixels.
Your original PNG file isn’t changed: you download a new ICO copy.

PNG vs ICO

Feature	PNG	ICO
Full name	Portable Network Graphics	Windows Icon
Origin	Published as a W3C standard in 1996	Created by Microsoft for Windows icons
Compression	Lossless	Lossless images at several sizes
Transparency	Yes — smooth, partial transparency	Yes — smooth, partial transparency
Animation	No	No
Colour	Up to 16 bits per channel	Full colour with transparency
Where it opens	All browsers, phones, computers and image editors	Browsers (as favicon.ico), Windows and icon editors
Best for	screenshots, logos, text graphics and cut-outs	website favicons and Windows app or shortcut icons
Main drawback	large files for photographs	icons are square and at most 256 × 256 pixels

In short: choose PNG for screenshots, logos, text graphics and cut-outs; choose ICO for website favicons and Windows app or shortcut icons.

Turning a transparent PNG logo into a favicon.ico

PNG is the best starting point for an icon because its transparency passes straight through: the ICO stores each size as a full-color image with an alpha channel, so a round or irregular logo sits cleanly on a browser tab or the Windows desktop. Use a square PNG of at least 256 × 256 pixels and all six sizes, from 16 up to 256, are created.

Design matters more than conversion here. At 16 × 16 pixels, wordmarks, thin strokes and small details turn into a smudge, while a bold symbol or a single letter stays readable. A long horizontal wordmark gets shrunk to fit the square and looks tiny, so crop to the symbol part of the logo first.

To use it on a site, save the download as favicon.ico in your site's root folder or reference it from the page head. Need a single size, or one file per size? The ICO converter lets you pick the embedded sizes. Phones and home screens use PNG icons rather than ICO, which the favicon generator packs alongside a web manifest.

Frequently asked questions

How do I convert PNG to ICO?: Upload your PNG file above. It is converted to ICO automatically (change the output format or quality in the Settings tab if you need to), then click Download. There is nothing to install.
Does converting PNG to ICO lose quality?: Each icon size is scaled down from your image and stored without further compression, so small sizes stay crisp.
Will the ICO keep the transparent background?: Yes. ICO supports smooth, partial transparency, so transparent areas stay transparent.
PNG or ICO: which should I use?: Use PNG for screenshots, logos, text graphics and cut-outs. Use ICO for website favicons and Windows app or shortcut icons. Keep in mind the main drawback of ICO: icons are square and at most 256 × 256 pixels.
What is a PNG file?: PNG stores every pixel exactly and supports smooth transparency, which makes it the go-to format for screenshots, logos and graphics, at the cost of large files for photos.
What sizes does the ICO file include?: The standard icon sizes of 16, 32, 48, 64, 128 and 256 pixels, skipping any larger than your image. Browsers and Windows pick the best size automatically.
Is the PNG to ICO converter free?: Yes. Convert, preview and download a single result without creating an account. Premium adds batch conversion (many files into one ZIP) and larger uploads.

What you can do with PNG to ICO

Review the main capabilities before you begin.

Convert PNG files to ICO online
Bundle standard icon sizes from 16 to 256 px in one file
Switch to any other output format in Settings
Batch-convert many PNG files into one ZIP
Preview the result before you download

Use this tool

Settings reference

Available controls for PNG to ICO.

Settings

Output formatDropdown: Chooses the file type you download. The page opens on its own output format; switch to any other format before converting.Options: JPGPNGWebPAVIFGIFTIFFBMPICOPDF
QualitySliderRange: 20–100 · Default: 90: For JPG, WebP, AVIF and image-to-PDF output: higher keeps more detail but makes a bigger file; 60–80 suits most photos. Documents (Publisher, XPS, EPS…) become PDFs with every page and sharp text, with no quality setting.
Lossless modeOn / Off: For WebP and AVIF output: keeps every pixel exactly (best for logos, graphics and transparency) at the cost of a larger file.
Background fillColor picker: For JPG, BMP and image-to-PDF output, which can’t store transparency: the colour that fills transparent areas (white by default).