Convert PNG to ICO
To convert PNG to ICO, add your file (.png, .jpg, .webp) below and press the button: it's processed on your own device and you download the result, with nothing uploaded. It's free, needs no account, and works with files up to 500MB.
About converting PNG to ICO
PNG (.png) files can be converted to ICO entirely in your browser — no software to install, no file upload, and no account required. The conversion runs on the browser's own Canvas API directly on your device.
Technical comparison
| PNG | ICO | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | image | image |
| Compression type | Lossless (DEFLATE) | Lossless (PNG or uncompressed bitmaps inside) |
| Typical file size | Moderate — larger than JPEG for photos, smaller for flat-color graphics | Small — a few KB to a few hundred KB, depending on how many sizes it holds |
| Transparency support | Yes (full 8-bit alpha channel) | Yes (full alpha channel) |
How to convert PNG to ICO privately
Every step below runs on the browser's own Canvas API inside this browser tab. Your .png file is never uploaded to a server — there's no network request carrying it anywhere.
Add your PNG file
Drag and drop, or click to select, a file (.png, .jpg, .webp). It's read straight from disk into browser memory — no upload step exists.
Convert locally
FreePrivateConvert converts it to ICO using the browser's own Canvas API, entirely within this browser tab.
Download the result
Save your converted .ico file. It only ever existed in this tab's memory — closing the tab without downloading discards it completely.
Convert PNG to ICO with ffmpeg (command line)
Prefer the terminal? This page uses your browser's built-in image engine; the equivalent ffmpeg command is:
ffmpeg -i input.png -vf scale=256:256 output.ico- -i input.png
- Your PNG file.
- -vf scale=256:256
- Scale the image to 256×256 pixels, the largest standard icon size.
- output.ico
- The ICO file to create. ffmpeg picks the container from this extension.
Desktop ffmpeg writes a single 256×256 size; this page can put several sizes in one .ico.
Don't have ffmpeg installed? You don't need it: use the converter at the top of this page. It runs this conversion on your own device, and your file is never uploaded.
FAQ
- Is my file uploaded anywhere?
- No. Your file is read and processed inside this browser tab and never leaves your device. You can confirm it in your browser's developer tools: the Network tab shows no upload.
- Does converting PNG to ICO reduce quality?
- Each icon size is a scaled-down, lossless PNG copy of your image, centred on a transparent square. Very small sizes like 16×16 lose fine detail, so simple, bold artwork works best.
- Is there a file size limit?
- Yes: 500MB per file. There's no account and no limit on how many files you convert.
- What's the difference between PNG and ICO?
- PNG (Portable Network Graphics) and ICO (Windows Icon) store data differently. PNG: lossless (DEFLATE). ICO: lossless (PNG or uncompressed bitmaps inside). ICO is the Windows icon format — one file that holds the same picture at several sizes (16×16 up to 256×256), used for app icons and website favicons.
- Why convert PNG to ICO?
- Common uses for ICO: Website favicons (favicon.ico); Windows application and shortcut icons; Desktop folder icons. One file carries several sizes, so Windows and browsers pick the sharpest one for each place the icon appears.
- What MIME type does a .ico file use?
- image/x-icon, the standard type for Windows Icon.
- What is the ffmpeg command to convert PNG to ICO?
- Run: ffmpeg -i input.png -vf scale=256:256 output.ico. This page does the same conversion with your browser's built-in image engine, so you don't need to install ffmpeg. Desktop ffmpeg writes a single 256×256 size; this page can put several sizes in one .ico.
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