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Example icon sizes

256 by 256 icon preview256px
48 by 48 icon preview48px
32 by 32 icon preview32px
16 by 16 icon preview16px
One ICO can contain several sizes. Example artwork: Van Gogh's The Starry Night (public domain).
Transparent artwork

Keep the shape of your logo.

PNG is a useful starting point for an icon because it can store transparent pixels around a logo. Upload the original PNG, keep the default 16, 32, 48 and 256 px sizes or choose your own, then download the ICO. The checkerboard in the previews marks transparency; it is not added to the file.

Fit or crop a non-square PNG

Fit preserves the whole image and adds transparent space on the shorter sides. It usually suits logos whose edges must remain visible. Crop fills every side of the square and cuts equally from the center, which can suit a photo or a design with room around the subject.

Prepare a PNG for small icons

Use a clear silhouette and leave a little room around it. A detailed wordmark can become unreadable at 16 px even when the 256 px preview looks sharp. Transparent padding inside the original PNG also counts as image space, so trim excessive empty borders before converting.

This tool accepts PNG on this page. For another source, use JPG to ICO, SVG to ICO or the ICO converter. Each selected size is stored as PNG data inside the ICO; check your destination's encoding requirements.

Questions

Good to know.

How do I convert PNG to ICO without losing transparency?

Choose your PNG, select the icon sizes and download the ICO. The converter draws onto a transparent canvas and stores each size as PNG data, so transparent areas remain transparent.

Why does my transparent PNG have a white box?

A white area may already be part of the source image rather than transparency. This converter preserves existing transparency but does not remove a white background. The checkered previews help you see transparent pixels.

Can I turn a small PNG into a 256 px icon?

Yes, but enlarging it cannot restore missing detail. Start with a source at least as large as your biggest selected icon size when possible.

Will converting PNG to ICO make the file smaller?

Not necessarily. An ICO with several sizes contains several images plus a directory. Choose only the sizes you need if file size matters.

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