GIF to ICO converter
Turn a GIF image into a real multi-size .ico for a favicon or Windows icon. Pick the sizes, fit or crop to square, and download. It all happens in your browser.
GIF to ICO: what to know
GIF icons date back to the early web, when animated favicons were a novelty. An .ico holds still images only, so the converter takes the first frame of an animated GIF.
Transparency
GIF transparency is on/off per pixel (one transparent palette colour). That carries over, but edges can look jagged against dark tabs. Tick “Solid background” if the outline looks rough.
Tips for a sharp icon
- GIFs have at most 256 colours. Gradients may show banding at 48 px and above.
- Only Firefox ever animated GIF favicons. Today no major browser animates them, so the first frame is what visitors would see anyway.
- If you have the original artwork, a PNG source gives smoother edges.
Need the whole favicon set (SVG, Apple touch icon, Android icons, manifest)? Drop the same file into the favicon generator. Other converters: PNG to ICO, JPG to ICO, SVG to ICO, WebP to ICO, BMP to ICO, AVIF to ICO.
Questions people ask
How do I convert GIF to ICO?
Drop the GIF into the converter, choose sizes and click Download .ico. Animated GIFs are converted from their first frame.
Can a favicon be an animated GIF?
Browsers no longer animate GIF favicons in tabs (Firefox was the last to do it). Animated favicons today are made with JavaScript that swaps the icon link, which is distracting and best avoided.
Why does my GIF icon have jagged edges?
GIF stores transparency as a single on/off colour, so there is no soft anti-aliased edge. Use a PNG source or tick “Solid background” to fill the transparent area.