ICO is Windows' native icon format - a single file containing multiple resolutions (typically 16, 32, 48, 256 pixels). Used as favicon.ico for websites, application icons for Windows .exe files, and file-type icons in Windows Explorer. Drop a PNG / JPG / SVG and we generate the multi-resolution .ico file ready for either web or Windows desktop use.
When to use this
Use when: setting up a website favicon (older browsers prefer .ico over PNG), building a Windows app and need the application icon as .ico, creating custom file-type icons for Windows Explorer, replacing the default icon of an .exe file using a tool like Resource Hacker.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which resolutions should I include?
For favicons: 16 + 32 (modern browsers handle PNG at larger sizes). For Windows app icons: 16, 24, 32, 48, 256 (Windows uses different sizes in different contexts: taskbar = 32, jump list = 16, app launcher = 256). The generator defaults to a sensible set; you can customize before generating.
What's the max ICO size?
256x256 is the spec maximum for a single resolution inside an .ico. Total file size depends on how many resolutions you include - typical multi-res favicon.ico is 5-30 KB; full Windows app icon set (256 + smaller) can be 50-150 KB.
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