ICO to PNG

Open a Windows icon (.ico) or cursor (.cur) file and see every image it contains, from 16 × 16 to 256 × 256 pixels. Save any size as a transparent PNG, or download them all in one ZIP. Files are read on your device, never uploaded.

How to use the ICO to PNG

1. Add your icon: drop one or more .ico or .cur files into the box, or click to choose them. You can also try the sample icon.
2. Look at the sizes: every image inside the file is listed with its dimensions, color depth and format.
3. Download a PNG with the button under the size you need.
4. Download all as ZIP to get every size from every file in one go.

What is inside an ICO file?

An ICO file starts with a small directory that lists each image it contains: its width, height, color depth and where its data is stored. Each image is saved in one of two ways:

• PNG: a complete, compressed PNG file. Windows Vista and later use this mainly for the 256 × 256 size, and modern favicon tools often store every size this way. The converter saves these bytes unchanged.
• BMP (DIB): an uncompressed bitmap with 1, 4, 8, 16, 24 or 32 bits per pixel, followed by a 1-bit AND mask that marks transparent pixels. 32-bit images also carry an alpha channel for soft edges. The converter combines the color data with the mask or alpha channel to build a transparent PNG.

Cursor (.cur) files use the same layout. Instead of color planes and bit count, their directory stores the hotspot: the pixel that acts as the mouse click point.

Common icon sizes and where they are used

To go the other way and build an icon from images, use PNG to ICO or the Favicon Generator.

Frequently asked questions

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