Images conversion
Convert PNG to ICO
Updated Jul 2026
PNG is a general-purpose image format, and ICO is the icon format used for favicons and app icons, which need to hold several square sizes in one file. To convert PNG to ICO, open the file in a converter and export it as ICO. Doing it on your own computer keeps your logo or icon artwork off other people's servers.
- Extension
- .png
- Type
- Images
- Typically
- Screenshots, logos, UI assets
- Transparency
- Supported
- Extension
- .ico
- Type
- Images
- Typically
- Favicons, app icons
- Transparency
- Supported
Convert PNG to ICO on your own computer. Nothing uploads.
How to convert PNG to ICO
- Open Morphjet and drag in the PNG you want to convert, ideally a square image at a decent resolution like 256x256 or larger.
- Choose ICO as the output format.
- Convert. The ICO is written next to your original, and nothing leaves your machine.
PNG vs ICO: what actually changes
| PNG | ICO | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | General image use, screenshots, logos, UI assets | Icon file, favicons and app icons |
| Quality | Lossless | Lossless |
| Transparency | Yes | Yes |
| Holds multiple sizes in one file | No, one image per file | Yes, can bundle several sizes like 16x16, 32x32, and 256x256 together |
| Opens as a normal image | Yes, in any image viewer or browser | Limited, mainly recognized as an icon by operating systems and browsers |
| File size | Depends on dimensions | Similar or larger, since it can hold several sizes at once |
When to convert, and when not to
Convert PNG to ICO when you're building a favicon for a website or an icon for a Windows app and need the specific file format those systems expect.
Keep the PNG if you're just using the image on a webpage, in a document, or as general artwork, since ICO is meant specifically for icons and isn't a good general image format.
Why not just use an online converter?
A favicon or app icon is usually a piece of brand artwork, sometimes ahead of a launch you haven't announced yet. Uploading it to an online converter means that file sits on a stranger's server, even if only briefly. Converting on your own computer keeps the artwork on your machine the whole time.
Questions
Does converting PNG to ICO lose quality?
No. Both formats are lossless, so the pixels themselves aren't degraded. The main thing to get right is starting from a square PNG at a high enough resolution, since ICO files are typically built from a handful of fixed square sizes.
Does the ICO keep transparency from the PNG?
Yes. ICO supports transparency the same way PNG does, so a logo with a transparent background stays transparent in the icon.
What size should my PNG be before converting to ICO?
Square and at least 256x256 works well, since that covers the larger icon sizes Windows and browsers use. A smaller or non-square source image will just get scaled or padded, which can look soft.
Can I convert PNG to ICO without uploading it anywhere?
Yes. A desktop app like Morphjet converts the file locally, so your icon artwork never travels over the internet. It works with your wifi off.
Morphjet converts PNG, ICO, and 1,800+ other formats, all on your machine. Launching this July.