PNG to ICO Converter — Free Favicon Maker
You are adding a favicon to a website, or giving a Windows shortcut a proper icon. Convert it here — in your browser, with nothing uploaded anywhere.
Why convert PNG to ICO?
ICO is not really an image format; it is a small archive that holds the same picture at several square sizes, and the system picks whichever it needs. That is why one favicon.ico can serve a 16 px browser tab and a 256 px desktop tile without either looking wrong. This writes 16, 32, 48 and 64 px — plus 128 and 256 where the source is large enough — into a single file.
The catch worth knowing about
Icons are square and your PNG probably is not. Rather than stretching the picture or cropping part of it away, the whole image is scaled to fit and centred, leaving transparent bars. If you want the artwork to fill the icon edge to edge, crop it square before converting.
One tip before you start
Fine detail disappears completely at 16 px. Icons that read well are usually a single bold shape with one or two colours — if you cannot tell what your icon is at thumbnail size on this page, neither will anyone else.
PNG vs ICO — quick comparison
| PNG | ICO | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Lossless format with transparency support. Larger files but pixel-perfect — ideal for logos, screenshots and graphics. | The Windows icon container. Not a single image but an archive holding several square sizes at once, which is how one file can be both a 16 px tab favicon and a 256 px desktop icon. |
| File size | Large for photographs, efficient for flat colour | Small — it holds several icon-sized images |
| Transparency | Yes, full 8-bit alpha | Yes, full 8-bit alpha |
| Where it opens | Universal | Windows and every browser's favicon slot |
How to convert PNG to ICO
- Drop your PNG files into the box above (or click to browse).
- Press Convert — it happens instantly on your device.
- Download each converted file, or grab them all as a ZIP.
Frequently asked questions
Why would I convert PNG to ICO?
You are adding a favicon to a website, or giving a Windows shortcut a proper icon. ICO is not really an image format; it is a small archive that holds the same picture at several square sizes, and the system picks whichever it needs. That is why one favicon.ico can serve a 16 px browser tab and a 256 px desktop tile without either looking wrong. This writes 16, 32, 48 and 64 px — plus 128 and 256 where the source is large enough — into a single file.
What should I watch out for when converting PNG to ICO?
Icons are square and your PNG probably is not. Rather than stretching the picture or cropping part of it away, the whole image is scaled to fit and centred, leaving transparent bars. If you want the artwork to fill the icon edge to edge, crop it square before converting.
Any tips for getting the best ICO out of a PNG file?
Fine detail disappears completely at 16 px. Icons that read well are usually a single bold shape with one or two colours — if you cannot tell what your icon is at thumbnail size on this page, neither will anyone else.
Will I lose quality converting PNG to ICO?
The icon sizes are lossless PNGs internally, so no compression is applied. The images are scaled down to icon dimensions though, and detail that small simply cannot be represented.
Do my PNG files get uploaded?
No. The conversion runs on your device, in the browser tab you are reading this in. You can prove it: disconnect from the internet and convert anyway.
Is it free, and how many PNG files can I do at once?
Free, with no sign-up, no watermark and no daily limit. Up to 200 files per batch, downloadable individually or as one ZIP.
Related conversions
ICO is not the only thing a PNG file can become, and PNG is not the only thing that converts to ICO. These run on the same converter, on your device, with the same 200-file batch limit.