A favicon.ico file is still the most reliable way to give your site an icon in every browser tab, bookmark and Windows shortcut. Drop a square PNG logo below and ConvertCove packs it into one ICO file containing all the sizes you need.
How to convert PNG to ICO
- Click Select PNG files or drag them onto the box above. You can add as many as you like.
- Check that the target says ICO. Click the slider icon next to a file to change its options.
- Press Convert. Each file shows its own progress, and the work happens on your device.
- Download files one by one, or use Download all (ZIP). Press Convert more to start a new batch.
Upload the result as /favicon.ico and keep a separate 180×180 PNG for the apple-touch-icon used by iPhones.
PNG vs ICO
What is PNG?
PNG is the best source for icons because it is lossless and keeps transparent corners and anti-aliased edges. Start from the largest, cleanest version of your logo you have. More about the PNG format.
What is ICO?
ICO is a Windows container that holds several images of different sizes in one file. Browsers and Windows pick the size that fits: 16 px for tabs, 32 px for taskbars and shortcuts, 48 px and above for desktop icons. More about the ICO format.
| PNG | ICO | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Portable Network Graphics | Windows Icon |
| Extensions | .png | .ico |
| MIME type | image/png | image/x-icon |
When to convert PNG to ICO
- You need a favicon.ico for the root of a website.
- You are building a Windows application or shortcut and need an .ico resource.
- A CMS or website builder asks for an ICO favicon upload.
- You want one file that looks sharp at every size instead of a single blurry image.
Quality and settings
Each size is rendered from your PNG with high-quality downscaling and stored as a compressed PNG inside the ICO, a method supported by Windows Vista and later and by all browsers. The default 16/32/48 set suits favicons; choose “all sizes up to 256 px” for Windows application icons. Non-square images are centred on a transparent square canvas rather than stretched. Very detailed logos lose clarity at 16 px, so a simplified mark often works better.