Images conversion
Convert ICO to HEIC
Updated Jul 2026
ICO files are small icon graphics used for favicons and app icons, while HEIC is the compressed photo format iPhones use. To convert ICO to HEIC, open the icon in a converter and export it as HEIC. It's an unusual pairing, but a converter that runs on your own computer can do it without sending the file anywhere.
- Extension
- .ico
- Type
- Images
- Typically
- Favicons, app icons
- Transparency
- Supported
- Extension
- .heic
- Type
- Images
- Typically
- Default iPhone photo format
- Compression
- Lossy
- Transparency
- None
- Metadata
- Carries EXIF
Convert ICO to HEIC on your own computer. Nothing uploads.
How to convert ICO to HEIC
- Open Morphjet and drag in the ICO file, or a whole folder of icons, you want to convert.
- Choose HEIC as the output format.
- Convert. The HEIC files are written next to your originals, and nothing leaves your machine.
ICO vs HEIC: what actually changes
| ICO | HEIC | |
|---|---|---|
| File size | Very small, often just a few KB | Larger, sized like a photo rather than an icon |
| Compression | Lossless, pixel data preserved exactly | Lossy, small quality loss on encoding |
| Transparency | Yes, supports transparent backgrounds | No, not used for transparency |
| Metadata | No, just holds the image | Yes, can carry EXIF like date and camera info |
| Recognized as an icon | Yes, by every OS and browser | No, not read as a favicon or app icon |
| Typical use | Favicons, app icons, desktop shortcuts | Photos taken on an iPhone |
When to convert, and when not to
Convert ICO to HEIC if you want to view an icon inside a photo app or library, or hand it off in a format that groups it with other images instead of app assets.
If the icon still needs to work as an actual favicon or app icon, keep it as ICO, since no browser or operating system reads HEIC as an icon format.
Why not just use an online converter?
Icon files rarely hold anything sensitive, but the principle is the same as any other conversion: an online tool still means uploading the file to a server you don't control and waiting for it to come back. Morphjet converts the ICO to HEIC entirely on your own computer, so even a simple icon file never leaves your machine.
Questions
Why would I convert an ICO icon to HEIC?
It's not a common conversion. People mostly do it to view an icon inside a photo app or library that only accepts photo formats, or to bundle an icon alongside other images. If it still needs to function as an icon, keep the ICO.
Does converting ICO to HEIC lose quality?
ICO is lossless, so the source image is exact. HEIC compresses on export, so there's a small quality loss, though it's usually invisible at the sizes icons come in.
Will the HEIC still work as a favicon or app icon?
No. Browsers and operating systems specifically look for ICO (or PNG in some cases) when loading favicons and app icons, so a HEIC version won't be recognized as one.
Does the HEIC keep the ICO's transparency?
No. HEIC isn't generally used with transparent backgrounds, so any transparent areas in the ICO typically get filled in, often with white or black, once converted.
Can I convert ICO to HEIC without uploading it anywhere?
Yes. A desktop app like Morphjet converts the file locally on your computer, so it doesn't get sent anywhere, even over a home network.
Morphjet converts ICO, HEIC, and 1,800+ other formats, all on your machine. Launching this July.