Convert ICO to BMP
Convert ICO icons to BMP format – lossless extraction for editing, archiving, or legacy use.
ToFormat — free online converter
Upload your files
Max file size: 30MB · Up to 20 files at once
Why ToFormat?
Lossless Extraction
Extract icons from ICO to BMP without any quality loss. BMP stores every pixel exactly, perfect for editing or archiving your icon collection.
Multi‑Size Support
ICO files often contain multiple sizes (16×16 to 256×256). Choose the size you need or convert all sizes separately – we handle it.
Batch Processing
Upload up to 20 ICO files at once. We'll convert each to BMP (select size per file or use the largest) and package in a ZIP.
About the Formats
🖍️ What is ICO?
ICO (Icon) is the native icon format for Windows. It can contain multiple images of different sizes and color depths (including 1‑bit, 4‑bit, 8‑bit, 24‑bit, 32‑bit with alpha). ICO files are used for program icons, favicons, and file type associations.
All ICO conversion tools →🖼️ What is BMP?
BMP (Bitmap) is a raster graphics format developed by Microsoft. It stores pixel data uncompressed (usually), resulting in large files but exact fidelity. It's the simplest format, supported everywhere, but impractical for web use due to size. BMP can store up to 24‑bit color and rarely supports alpha transparency.
All BMP conversion tools →How to Convert
Upload your ICO
Click or drag and drop your ICO files. You can select up to 20 at once.
Choose BMP size
If your ICO contains multiple sizes, select which one to convert (usually the largest). Optionally, convert all sizes separately.
Download BMP
Your BMP files are ready. Download individually or as ZIP. Files auto‑delete in 10 minutes.
When to Convert ICO to BMP
🎨 Icon Editing
Extract icons to BMP for editing in legacy graphics software that doesn't support ICO. BMP is universally readable.
💡 Need PNG for web? Try ICO to PNG →💾 Archival
Archive your icon collection in BMP format – a simple, lossless format that will never become obsolete.
💡 Smaller archive: ICO to TIFF →📱 Legacy Projects
Older software may require BMP icons. Convert modern ICOs to BMP for compatibility with vintage applications.
💡 For web use: ICO to WebP →🔄 Format Conversion Chain
Use BMP as an intermediate format before converting to other raster formats. BMP is a reliable lossless source.
💡 Back to ICO: BMP to ICO →Format Comparison
| Format | ICO | BMP |
|---|---|---|
| Compression | Lossless | Lossless |
| Transparency | Yes | No |
| File Size | Larger | Larger |
BMP is a simple lossless format but produces large files. For web or storage, consider ICO to PNG (lossless with compression) or ICO to WebP (modern). Need to revert to ICO? Use our BMP to ICO converter.
💡 Pro Tips
- If your ICO contains multiple sizes, convert the largest size (usually 256×256) for best quality, then resize if needed.
- BMP is uncompressed – files will be large. For long‑term storage, consider adding ZIP compression manually.
- Alpha transparency (common in 32‑bit icons) is not supported in standard BMP. We will blend alpha onto a black background; if you need transparency, use PNG instead.
- Convert in batch mode – upload multiple ICOs and download all BMPs as a ZIP archive. Great for converting entire icon sets.
- We strip metadata by default. ICO rarely contains EXIF, but any present is removed.
- BMP is ideal as an intermediate format for further processing in tools that don‘t handle ICO well.
- For maximum compatibility with very old software, use 24‑bit BMP (no alpha).
How ICO to BMP Conversion Works
ICO files often contain multiple images at different resolutions and color depths. When converting to BMP, you typically extract a single image (usually the largest) or convert all sizes separately. Our server decodes the chosen ICO image to raw pixels, then writes them as a BMP file with standard header and pixel data. BMP is a simple format – no compression, no metadata – ensuring perfect pixel‑by‑pixel reproduction of the original icon (except alpha, which is blended).
All processing is done in memory, and your files are permanently deleted after 10 minutes.
ICO vs BMP: Key Differences
Purpose: ICO is specifically for icons; BMP is a general‑purpose raster format.
Multi‑image support: ICO stores multiple sizes; BMP stores a single image per file.
Compression: ICO may use PNG compression; BMP is usually uncompressed (large files).
Transparency: ICO supports 32‑bit alpha; BMP has no standard alpha (except rare extensions).
Use cases: ICO for Windows icons; BMP for editing, archiving, and legacy compatibility.
When to Convert ICO to BMP
Convert ICO to BMP when you need a simple, universally compatible raster format for editing or archiving. BMP is supported by virtually every image editor and operating system. It’s also useful as an intermediate step in complex workflows. Keep the original ICO if you need multi‑size capability or transparency, but for lossless pixel‑perfect extraction, BMP is a solid choice.
Our BMP to ICO converter lets you go back to ICO when needed.