Image tool

PNG to ICO Converter

Turn a PNG into a multi-resolution .ico favicon containing every size browsers and Windows ask for.

PNG ICO
PrivConvert
Privacy-first conversion
No files stored
In-memory processing
Deleted instantly
No sign-up needed

Complete the security check to begin

About Converting PNG to ICO

A favicon is not one image. A browser tab wants roughly 16 pixels, a bookmark bar wants 32, a pinned Windows tile wants 256, and a high-DPI display wants double whatever it asks for. The .ico format exists precisely to solve this: it is a container that holds several complete bitmaps at different resolutions inside a single file, and the operating system picks whichever one fits the slot it is filling.

This converter builds that multi-resolution icon for you. Give it a square PNG of at least 256 by 256 pixels and the resulting .ico contains seven separate bitmaps — 16, 24, 32, 48, 64, 128 and 256 pixels square — each downscaled with high-quality Lanczos resampling rather than crude pixel dropping. Smaller sources produce the subset of sizes that actually fit, so a 64 pixel PNG yields the 16, 24, 32, 48 and 64 pixel entries.

Common use cases

  • Creating the favicon.ico that browsers request from the root of every website
  • Producing an application icon for a Windows executable or installer
  • Setting a custom icon on a Windows shortcut, folder or drive
  • Generating an icon for a desktop tool built with Electron, .NET or Qt
  • Replacing a blurry favicon that was made by renaming a single small PNG

Tips for best results

  • Start from a square image of 256 by 256 or larger to get the complete set of seven sizes. That single file then covers everything from a browser tab to a pinned Windows tile.
  • Non-square input stays non-square: a 300 by 120 banner produces entries like 16 by 6 pixels, which will look wrong in an icon slot. Crop to a square before converting.
  • Transparency is preserved, so a logo on a transparent background keeps its shape instead of sitting inside a visible rectangle.
  • Anything larger than 256 pixels is scaled down to 256, which is the largest size the ICO format supports.
  • Fine detail disappears at 16 pixels no matter how good the source is. Icons that read well at tab size are simple, high-contrast shapes rather than detailed illustrations.

How to Convert PNG to ICO Online

Turning a PNG file into ICO is straightforward here — upload, convert, download. What you gain with ICO: holds multiple resolutions in one file.

1
Upload your PNG file

Drag and drop your file into the upload area, click to browse your device, or paste a URL to a file hosted online. You can upload files up to 250 MB and batch convert up to 20 files at once.

2
Automatic conversion

Once uploaded, the conversion from PNG to ICO starts automatically. The process runs entirely in an isolated environment - your data never leaves the secure pipeline.

3
Download your ICO file

Your converted file is ready instantly. Click the download button to save it to your device. The file is deleted from memory immediately after download.

What makes this PNG-to-ICO converter different

Privacy here is not a checkbox. Every PNG-to-ICO conversion is engineered so your data never lingers, leaks or gets reused.

No account required

Convert instantly with no sign-up, no email and no profiling cookies. We never build a profile around you or the files you convert.

Works on any device

Runs in any modern browser on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS — no install, plugin or desktop software needed.

Fast in-memory processing

Each job runs in an isolated in-memory sandbox, so most conversions finish in seconds instead of waiting in a queue.

Nothing is stored

We never keep a copy. Once your ICO is delivered, both the original and the result are gone — there is nothing left to leak or misuse.

PNG vs ICO - Format Comparison

FeaturePNGICO
File extension.png.ico
Supported by PrivConvertYes (as input)Yes (as output)
Privacy-safe conversionIn-memory, zero storage
Max file size250 MB per file
Batch supportUp to 20 files simultaneously

Trusted by thousands of users

Professionals reach for PrivConvert when the image they are converting is sensitive and cannot be left sitting on someone else’s server.

250 MB Max file size
450+ Conversion tools
0 sec File retention
100% Free to use

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I convert several PNGs at once?
Yes. Drop up to 20 PNG files into the upload area and each one becomes its own multi-resolution .ico file.
Do I need to sign up?
No. The converter is free to use with no account, no watermark and no limit on how many icons you create.
Is it private?
Yes. Conversion runs entirely in memory - your images are never written to disk, never stored and are deleted the moment your download is ready.
How many sizes does the icon contain?
Up to seven: 16, 24, 32, 48, 64, 128 and 256 pixels square. You get every size that fits inside your source image, so a 256 pixel PNG produces all seven and a 64 pixel PNG produces the first five.
Does my PNG need to be square?
It should be. The aspect ratio is preserved, so a wide or tall image produces correspondingly wide or tall icon entries, which display incorrectly in most icon slots. Crop to a square first.
Will transparency be kept?
Yes. The ICO format supports a full alpha channel, so a transparent background stays transparent instead of being filled in with white or black.
Where do I put the file on my website?
Upload it as favicon.ico in the root directory of your site. Browsers request that path automatically, so no HTML change is strictly required, though an explicit link tag in the page head is still good practice.

Further Reading