PNG to ICO converter
Turn a PNG into a real multi-size .ico file: 16, 32 and 48 px for a favicon, or up to 256 px for a Windows icon. Transparency is kept, several files convert at once, and nothing leaves your device.
What actually happens when you convert
An .ico is a container. It starts with a tiny directory that lists each image inside (its width, height and where its bytes begin), followed by the images themselves. This converter resizes your PNG to each size you tick, re-encodes each one as a PNG, and writes them one after another behind that directory.
Because every size is resized separately from your original, the 16 px image isn’t just the 256 px one squashed by the browser at display time. You get the sharpest possible result for each slot.
Getting a crisp 16 px icon
- Start from a square PNG of 512 px or more. Use “Crop to square” for wide logos.
- Simplify: drop wordmarks, taglines and thin outlines. A single bold symbol or letter reads best.
- Check the preview on the dark plate at real size before downloading. If it smudges, try the favicon generator with a letter instead.
Need every other format too (Apple touch icon, Android icons, manifest)? Upload the same PNG to the favicon generator to get the full package in one zip.
Questions people ask
How do I convert a PNG to ICO?
Drop your PNG into the converter, keep the sizes you need (16, 32 and 48 px is right for a favicon), and click Download .ico. The file is built in your browser; nothing is uploaded.
Does the ICO keep my PNG’s transparency?
Yes. Each size is stored as a 32-bit PNG inside the .ico, with the full alpha channel. Tick “Solid background” only if you want to fill the transparent areas.
What sizes should a favicon.ico contain?
16×16, 32×32 and 48×48. Browsers use 16 or 32 in tabs and bookmarks, Windows uses 32 and 48 for shortcuts, and Google’s search result icon needs a multiple of 48. Add 256 only for a Windows application icon.
Is ICO the same as PNG?
No. PNG is a single image. ICO is a container that holds one or more images at different sizes, and since Windows Vista those images may themselves be PNGs. Renaming a .png to .ico does not make a real icon file; a converter writes the ICO directory and packs the sizes.
Can I use a PNG as a favicon without converting?
Yes, modern browsers accept <link rel="icon" type="image/png" href="/favicon-32x32.png">. Keep a favicon.ico at the site root anyway, because many tools and crawlers request /favicon.ico directly.
Can I convert several PNGs at once?
Yes. Select or drop up to 30 files. Each becomes its own .ico with the same sizes, and they download together in a zip.
Will a PNG-based ICO work in old browsers?
PNG-compressed icons are understood by Windows Vista and later and every current browser. Only Internet Explorer 10 and older needed the classic bitmap format, and those browsers are long retired.