PNG to ICO Converter - Make a Favicon

Upload any image and convert it into a multi-resolution .ico favicon file. Choose from six standard sizes — 16 px through 256 px — preview each rendered size, and download a single favicon.ico ready to drop into your project. The entire conversion runs in your browser using the Canvas API and a hand-written ICO binary encoder. Your image never leaves your machine.

What is an ICO file?

The .ico format is a Windows icon container that bundles multiple image sizes into a single file. When a browser renders your favicon, it reads the container and selects the most appropriate size for the context — 16×16 for browser tabs, 32×32 for the Windows taskbar, 48×48 or larger for high-DPI displays and bookmarks. Storing all sizes in one file means you only need a single <link> tag to cover them all.

Modern .ico files support PNG-compressed entries, so each size is stored as a lossless PNG inside the container. This keeps file sizes small while preserving full transparency — ideal for logos on both light and dark backgrounds.

How to use this tool

Drop or upload your source image (PNG, JPEG, WebP, or SVG).
Tick the sizes you want. 16, 32, and 48 are pre-selected as a sensible default.
Click Convert to .ico and preview each rendered size.
Click Download favicon.ico to save the file.
Place favicon.ico in your project root and add <link rel="icon" href="/favicon.ico"> to your <head>.

Which sizes should I include?

16×16 — browser tab favicon (universal)
32×32 — Windows taskbar, browser toolbar buttons
48×48 — Windows desktop shortcuts, some bookmark managers
64, 128, and 256 px — high-DPI displays, Windows icon caches, legacy Windows Explorer

For Apple touch icons and PWA app icons, you'll also want separate PNG files. Our Favicon Generator can create those with custom shapes, borders, and padding all at once. If your source image isn't in the right format to begin with, try the Image Format Converter to convert it first.

Privacy and browser compatibility

All processing is 100% client-side — no upload, no server, no account required.
PNG-in-ICO is supported by all modern browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge) and Windows Explorer.
The favicon.ico is served by web servers automatically when browsers request /favicon.ico — even without a <link> tag.
For best cross-platform coverage, pair your favicon.ico with a 180×180 apple-touch-icon.png and a 192×192 PNG referenced in your Web App Manifest.

Frequently asked questions

What is an .ico file and why does it need multiple resolutions?

An .ico file is a container format that holds several icon sizes in a single file. Windows and browsers pick whichever size fits best — a 16×16 version for browser tab favicons, 32×32 for taskbar icons, 48×48 for desktop shortcuts, and larger sizes for high-DPI displays. Packing multiple resolutions into one .ico ensures your favicon always looks sharp regardless of where it is displayed.

Which favicon sizes do I actually need?

For a basic favicon that works everywhere, 16×16, 32×32, and 48×48 are the essential sizes. Adding 128×128 covers older Windows icon caches. For Apple devices and Android, separate PNG files (typically 180×180 for apple-touch-icon and 192×192 for PWAs) are recommended in addition to the .ico. This tool lets you select exactly the sizes you want to include.

How do I add the favicon to my website?

Place the downloaded favicon.ico in your site's root directory, then add this tag inside your HTML <head>: <link rel="icon" href="/favicon.ico">. Modern browsers also support PNG favicons via <link rel="icon" type="image/png" href="/favicon.png">. For full browser and device coverage, use both.

Is my image uploaded to a server?

No. Everything happens entirely in your browser. Your image is loaded locally using the File API, each size is drawn onto an HTML canvas, and the .ico file is assembled in memory using a hand-written binary encoder. Nothing is ever sent to any server.

How is this different from a favicon generator?

A favicon generator (like the Favicon Generator tool on this site) creates icons from scratch — letting you customize shape, border, padding, and background color. This PNG → ICO Converter works the other way: you bring your own finished image and simply repackage it into the .ico format at the sizes you choose. It's ideal when you already have a polished logo or icon and just need it as an .ico file.

PNG → ICO Converter