From a PNG logo to an icon file
You have a logo or symbol as a PNG and need an ICO file, for example for a website favicon or a Windows program icon. Converting PNG to ICO creates that file.
Each ICO file from Pixcon contains one icon at a standard size. Your PNG decides that size and the shape of the icon.
How Pixcon picks the icon size
When you convert PNG to ICO, Pixcon chooses from six standard sizes: 16, 32, 48, 64, 128 and 256 px. Pixcon uses the smallest size that fits the longer side of the PNG. A PNG that is larger than 256 px on its longer side becomes a 256 px icon.
- 512 × 512 PNG
- 256 × 256 icon, scaled down
- 256 × 256 PNG
- 256 × 256 icon, not scaled
- 100 × 100 PNG
- 128 × 128 icon, scaled up
- 600 × 300 PNG
- 256 × 128 icon, proportions kept
Scaling up adds no detail, so an icon made from a small PNG can look blurry. For a sharp icon, start from a PNG that already has a standard size.
What the ICO file keeps from your PNG
- Transparency
- Kept. Transparent areas of the PNG stay transparent in the icon.
- Sizes in one file
- One. Pixcon does not create multi-size ICO files.
- Shape
- Same proportions as the PNG, so a PNG that is not square gives an icon that is not square.
A JPG logo can also become an icon, but JPG has no transparency, so the icon keeps the solid background of the JPG.
Prepare the PNG before you convert it to ICO
"Resize", "Crop" and "Optimize images" are not offered when "Convert to:" is ICO. Prepare the PNG in a separate step first. The Crop image and Resize image tools have "Optimize images" on. Turn it off there if the colors and edges of the logo must stay exactly the same.
- Open the Crop image tool, where "Crop" and "Keep Original Extension" are already selected. Enter the same value in "Width:" and "Height:", for example 256.
- Pixcon scales a larger PNG down until it covers the square, then trims the edges around the center. Pixcon never enlarges the PNG, so keep the logo in the middle and use values no larger than the shorter side.
- For a smaller icon, such as 32 × 32 or 48 × 48, resize the square PNG to that size with the Resize image tool.
- Then convert the prepared PNG to ICO on this page.
PNG to ICO: size, shape and transparency
What size will my ICO icon be?
A large square PNG gives a 256 × 256 px icon. A smaller PNG gets the smallest standard size that fits its longer side, so 100 × 100 px becomes 128 × 128 px.
Does the ICO file keep the transparent background?
Yes. Pixcon keeps the transparent areas of the PNG in the ICO file and does not fill them with a color.
Can I put several icon sizes into one ICO file?
No. Pixcon writes one icon size into each ICO file. For several sizes, resize the PNG to each size and convert every version to its own ICO file.
Why is my icon not square?
Pixcon keeps the proportions of the PNG, so a 600 × 300 px PNG becomes a 256 × 128 px icon. Crop the PNG to a square first, then convert it to ICO again.
How do I prepare a PNG for a favicon?
Start from a square PNG with a transparent background and a standard size, such as 32 × 32 or 256 × 256 px. Name the file favicon.png, and the converted file is called favicon.ico.