Convert PNG to ICO Online Free
Turn PNG images into Windows icons and favicons. Perfect for branding and web development.
ToFormat — free online converter
Upload your files
Max file size: 30MB · Up to 20 files at once
Why ToFormat?
Multi-Size ICO
Generate ICO files with multiple resolutions (16×16 to 256×256) from a single PNG. All sizes stored in one file — ideal for Windows icons.
Transparency Support
ICO supports transparency (alpha channel). If your PNG has transparent areas, they'll be preserved in the icon thanks to PNG's full alpha channel.
Favicon Ready
Create favicon.ico for your website. Browsers automatically pick the right size from the multi‑resolution ICO.
About the Formats
🖼️ What is PNG?
PNG (Portable Network Graphics) is a lossless raster format created in 1996. It supports full alpha transparency, 24‑bit color, and is widely used for web graphics, logos, and screenshots. PNG is excellent for source images because it preserves every pixel.
All PNG conversion tools →🖱️ What is ICO?
ICO is the icon format used by Microsoft Windows and for website favicons. It can store multiple image sizes in one file, with support for transparency (1‑bit and 8‑bit alpha). Created in the 1980s, it remains essential for branding.
All ICO conversion tools →How to Convert
Upload PNG
Drag and drop your PNG files. You can upload up to 20 at once.
Choose icon sizes
Select which resolutions to include (16, 32, 48, 64, 128, 256). Default includes all standard sizes.
Download ICO
Your ICO files are ready. Download individually or as ZIP. Files auto-delete in 10 minutes.
When to Convert PNG to ICO
🌐 Website Favicon
Every website needs a favicon.ico. Convert your PNG logo to ICO and place it in your site root — works in all browsers.
💡 For modern formats: try PNG to WebP →💻 Windows Applications
Desktop apps require ICO icons for executables and shortcuts. Convert PNG to ICO for professional software packaging.
💡 macOS icon: PNG to ICNS →📁 Folder Icons
Customize folder icons on Windows. Convert any PNG image to ICO and assign it via folder properties.
💡 Linux icon: PNG to PNG →🎨 UI Design
Designers often need ICO exports for mockups and prototypes. Convert PNG to ICO for client deliveries.
💡 Vector source: PNG to SVG →Format Comparison
| Format | PNG | ICO |
|---|---|---|
| Compression | Lossless | Lossless |
| Transparency | Yes | Yes |
| File Size | Larger | Larger |
ICO is specialized for icons. For general purpose images, PNG to JPG or PNG to WebP are better choices. For macOS icons, try PNG to ICNS.
💡 Pro Tips
- Include 16, 32, and 48px sizes at minimum — they cover most Windows display settings and favicon use.
- For highest quality, start with a square PNG image. ICO works best with square proportions.
- ICO supports 8-bit transparency (256 levels) in 32‑bit mode. We preserve full alpha from your PNG.
- If your PNG is animated (APNG), only the first frame will be used — ICO is static.
- Browsers request favicon.ico automatically. Place the file in your root directory for instant branding.
- For Retina displays, include 64×64 or 128×128 sizes — they scale better on high‑DPI screens.
- You can also convert ICO back to PNG with our ICO to PNG converter for web use.
How PNG to ICO Conversion Works
ICO files are containers holding one or more bitmap images in different resolutions. When you convert PNG to ICO, our servers decode the PNG image, resize it to your chosen dimensions (preserving aspect ratio), and encode each size as a BMP‑like image inside the ICO container.
Transparency is handled via an alpha channel in 32‑bit icons. Because PNG supports full alpha transparency, we can perfectly map that to the ICO’s alpha (if you choose 32‑bit). The result is a crisp icon with the same transparent background as your original PNG.
The process is fast and server‑side. Files are automatically deleted after 10 minutes.
PNG vs ICO: Different Purposes
PNG is a compression‑focused format for web images. ICO is a container format specifically for icons and favicons. While PNG offers better compression and full alpha transparency, ICO is the only format universally recognized for Windows icons and website favicons.
Converting PNG to ICO bridges the gap: you keep the source in a modern, lossless format, but deliver in the required legacy format where needed.
Best Practices for ICO Creation
Always include multiple sizes: 16×16 (small icons), 32×32 (standard), 48×48 (high‑DPI), and optionally 64×64, 128×128 for very high resolution. Modern Windows can scale down larger sizes, so including a 256×256 master ensures quality everywhere.
For favicons, 16, 32, and 48 are sufficient. Browsers will pick the best size automatically. Explore our ICO tools for more icon utilities.