WebP to ICO

An .ico file is still what Windows uses for program and shortcut icons, and what many content systems and older browsers look for as a website favicon. If your logo only exists as a WebP, perhaps exported from a design tool or downloaded from your own site, this converter turns it into a proper multi-size icon in one step.

What is inside an ICO file

An icon file is a small container with several pictures of the same artwork at different pixel sizes. Windows and browsers pick the size that fits the place where the icon appears, so a 16-pixel tab icon and a 256-pixel desktop icon both look sharp. Each size here is stored as a PNG inside the ICO, which keeps the file compact and supports full transparency.

Choosing sizes

Click the size chips to include or remove sizes. The default 16, 32, 48 and 256 pixels is a sensible all-round set. Add 24 and 64 for Windows toolbars and list views, and 128 for some macOS and Linux file managers. The icon keeps at least one size, so the last chip cannot be switched off. More sizes make the file slightly larger, but even a complete set stays small.

Square artwork works best

Every icon size is square. A wide or tall WebP is scaled down until it fits and centered with transparent padding, so nothing gets cut off. For the boldest result, start from a square image where the subject fills most of the area. At 16 pixels, fine details and thin text vanish; a simple symbol or a single letter reads much better than a full wordmark.

Transparency

Transparent areas of the WebP stay transparent in every icon size, so the icon sits cleanly on light and dark browser themes and on the Windows desktop. If the WebP has a solid background you want to remove first, use the Transparent Background Maker.

Quality of small sizes

The image is reduced in halving steps with high-quality smoothing, which keeps edges cleaner than a single big jump down. Even so, very detailed artwork can look soft at 16 pixels. If that happens, simplify the artwork for the small sizes, or draw a dedicated tiny version and convert it separately.

Using the icon as a favicon

Name the file favicon.ico and place it in the root folder of your website, where browsers request it automatically, or reference it with a link tag in the page head. Many site builders also have a favicon upload field that accepts ICO files.

Browser caching of favicons

Browsers hold on to favicons stubbornly. After replacing the icon on your site, the old one may keep showing for days. A hard refresh, opening the favicon URL directly once, or adding a version query to the link tag, such as favicon.ico?v=2, makes browsers fetch the new file.

Using it on Windows

Right-click a shortcut, open Properties, choose “Change Icon” and browse to the .ico file. Folder icons are changed the same way under the folder’s Customize tab.

Related tools

For a complete favicon package with PNG sizes and an Apple touch icon, the Favicon Generator builds all files at once. To make icons from other formats, see PNG to ICO, JPG to ICO and SVG to ICO.