Convert ICO to JPG, PNG, WEBP, AVIF, PDF or TIFF
Pull the icon or favicon out of a Windows .ico file and turn it into a standard image format you can actually open, edit, or resize.
Your files stay on your device — 100% client-side processing
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Drag ICO files here
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Accepts .ico · converts to JPG, PNG, WEBP, AVIF, PDF or TIFF
What each output format is actually good for
JPG
Universal compatibility. No transparency, so any transparent area in the icon is filled with a solid background.
PNG
Lossless, with full transparency support — the closest match to what's usually inside a modern .ico file, and the default here.
WEBP
Modern, broadly supported, transparency-capable, and typically much smaller than an equivalent PNG.
AVIF
The smallest files of the group, with transparency support, but browser encoding support is still uneven.
Wraps the icon as a single, full-page PDF sized exactly to its pixel dimensions.
TIFF
An archival raster format some print or asset-management workflows still expect. Output here is uncompressed.
ICO, in plain terms
The ICO format dates back to Windows 1.0 in 1985, originally a fixed 32×32 monochrome icon. Windows 3.0 added 16-colour support, and Windows 95/NT 4.0 introduced true-colour icons up to 256×256 — though at that size, an uncompressed 32-bit frame runs to around a quarter of a megabyte, which made large icons impractical for years. Windows XP added 8-bit alpha transparency for smooth drop shadows and anti-aliasing. Windows Vista, in 2006, solved the size problem by letting individual entries store a complete PNG image instead of raw bitmap data — which is how modern 256×256 icons stay small. An .ico file isn't one image; it's a small container that can bundle several sizes and colour depths side by side, so an operating system (or browser tab) can pick whichever one fits.
Why this converter doesn't need a special decoder
Every major browser engine has been able to decode ICO files for a very long time — it's exactly what makes a favicon show up in a browser tab in the first place, and that same decoding capability is available to canvas-based image tools, not just the <link rel="icon"> tag. So this converter loads your .ico file straight into the browser's own image pipeline, the same way the HEIC and WebP converters use native support where it exists.
| Capability | Support |
|---|---|
| Decoding an .ico file (this tool) | Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge — via the browser's built-in image decoding |
| Choosing which embedded size gets decoded | Not controllable — the browser picks automatically, usually the largest |
| Encoding to AVIF (this tool) | Depends on browser — detected automatically, with a clear error if unavailable |
Good to know before you convert
Multi-size .ico files are decoded the same way a browser tab loads a favicon — automatically, usually favouring the largest available image. There's no manual size picker here.
CUR shares almost the same binary format as ICO but is flagged differently and carries cursor hotspot data. This tool only accepts .ico.
Neither format supports an alpha channel, so any transparent area in the icon is filled with a solid background once converted.
That's a real limitation of the browser-side TIFF encoder we use, not a hidden setting — expect a larger file than you might assume.
Your files never leave your device
Your browser decodes the ICO file natively, and re-encoding into JPG, PNG, WEBP, AVIF, PDF, or TIFF happens locally too. There's no upload step and nothing is retained after you close the tab.
Frequently asked questions
Which icon size does this tool convert, if my ICO has several?
This tool loads the file the same way a browser tab loads a favicon, which automatically picks one embedded image — typically the largest available. You can't choose a specific size from a multi-size file here.
Can I convert a .cur cursor file here?
No. CUR files share nearly the same container format as ICO but are flagged differently and carry extra cursor hotspot data. This tool only accepts .ico files.
Will I lose transparency when converting?
Depends on the target. PNG, WEBP, and AVIF all keep transparency. JPG and PDF have no alpha channel, so any transparent area is filled with a solid background instead.
Why did my AVIF conversion fail?
AVIF encoding support varies by browser and version. This tool checks whether your browser can actually produce an AVIF image and tells you clearly if it can't.
Do you store or see my files?
No. Decoding and re-encoding both happen locally in your browser. Nothing is uploaded to a server, and nothing is retained once you close or refresh the page.
More converters
All eight run the same way: entirely in your browser, nothing uploaded.