Images conversion
Convert ICO to AVIF
Updated Jul 2026
ICO is the format Windows uses for favicons and app icons, while AVIF is a newer image format built for the web. To convert, open the icon in a converter and export it as AVIF. Doing it on your own computer keeps the file off other people's servers entirely.
- Extension
- .ico
- Type
- Images
- Typically
- Favicons, app icons
- Transparency
- Supported
- Extension
- .avif
- Type
- Images
- Typically
- Next-gen web images
- Compression
- Lossy
- Transparency
- Supported
Convert ICO to AVIF on your own computer. Nothing uploads.
How to convert ICO to AVIF
- Open Morphjet and drag in the ICO file you want to convert. Add one file or a whole folder of icons at once.
- Choose AVIF as the output format.
- Convert. The AVIF is written next to your original, and nothing leaves your machine.
ICO vs AVIF: what actually changes
| ICO | AVIF | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical use | Favicons and Windows app icons | General web and photo images, not used as favicons |
| Multiple sizes in one file | Yes, one ICO can bundle several resolutions | No, an AVIF holds a single image |
| File size | Already small | Often smaller still at the same visual quality |
| Quality | Lossless, exact pixels | Lossy, a small compression loss on export |
| Transparency | Yes | Yes |
| Compatibility | Recognized by Windows and browsers as an icon format | Supported by modern browsers for regular images, but not accepted as a favicon |
When to convert, and when not to
Convert ICO to AVIF when you want to reuse an icon's artwork as a regular web image, like a small graphic or logo on a page, and you want it as compact as possible.
Keep the ICO if the file's actual job is being a favicon or a Windows app icon, since browsers and operating systems look for ICO or PNG in that slot, not AVIF.
Why not just use an online converter?
App icons are often tied to software that hasn't shipped yet, so sending one through an online converter means a stranger's server sees your icon art before it's public. Converting on your own computer keeps the file, and whatever it reveals about an unreleased app, on your machine the whole time.
Questions
Does converting ICO to AVIF lose quality?
A little. ICO stores pixels losslessly, and AVIF compresses the image on export. For icon-sized artwork the loss is usually invisible, but it's there.
Can I use the AVIF as my favicon afterward?
No. Browsers still look for ICO, PNG, or SVG for favicons, so an AVIF won't work in that role. Convert to AVIF only when you want the artwork as a normal web image, not as the site's favicon.
What happens to the other icon sizes bundled in the ICO?
An ICO can hold several resolutions in one file, but AVIF holds just one image. Pick the size you actually need before converting, since the rest won't carry over.
Will the transparent background be kept?
Yes. Both formats support transparency, so a transparent icon background stays transparent in the AVIF.
Can this be done without uploading the file anywhere?
Yes. A desktop app like Morphjet converts the file on your own computer, so it never travels over the internet. You could do it with your wifi off.
Morphjet converts ICO, AVIF, and 1,800+ other formats, all on your machine. Launching this July.