Convert JPG to ICO
Your files are processed on your device. We never upload them.
How to convert JPG to ICO
- 01A ▸Choose your JPG image, or drop it on the page. A square picture works best.
- 02A ▸Tick the icon sizes you need. The usual four are already ticked.
- 03A ▸Select Make ICO, then download the icon.
About JPG to ICO
Where JPG files come from
Logos sent by email and photos from phones are usually JPG. Windows shortcuts and folders, desktop programs, and the classic favicon.ico file need the ICO format, which most image editors can't save.
What changes
- The picture is drawn at each size you tick, from 16 to 256 pixels, and all sizes go into one .ico file.
- The JPG's background stays, because JPG has no transparency. Space added around a picture that isn't square is see-through.
- The picture is turned upright first, as the photo's orientation says.
- Each size is stored as a PNG inside the icon, which Windows Vista and later, and every browser, read.
Measured
A 1024 by 1024 pixel logo saved as JPG, made into an icon with the 16, 32, 48, and 256 pixel sizes in Chrome on a laptop. Phone timings are still to be measured.
| JPG file | 48 KB |
|---|---|
| ICO file (four sizes) | 21 KB |
| Time in Chrome (laptop) | 0.1 seconds |
In your browser
Every current browser reads JPG and draws each icon size itself. The icon file is put together by the page's own code, so nothing extra is downloaded.
Limits
- The largest size an ICO file holds is 256 by 256 pixels.
- JPG backgrounds can't be made see-through here.
- Programs older than Windows Vista can't read sizes stored as PNG.
Other options
- PNG to ICO: for icons with a see-through background.
- JPG to SVG: trace a logo into vector shapes that stay sharp at any size.
- JPG to PNG: a lossless copy to edit before making the icon.
Questions
Which sizes should my icon include?
16 and 32 pixels for browser tabs, 48 for Windows, and 256 for large Windows icons. Those four are ticked for you.
Are my images uploaded?
No. Your files are processed on your device. We never upload them.
My JPG has a white background. Will the icon too?
Yes. JPG has no transparency, so the background stays in the icon. For a see-through icon, start from a PNG with a transparent background and use PNG to ICO.
What happens to a photo that isn't square?
It is shrunk to fit the square and centred, with see-through bands filling the rest. Nothing is cropped. Crop it to a square first if you want it to fill the icon.
Can I make a favicon from a photo?
Yes, but at 16 pixels a photo becomes a few coloured dots. Faces and simple bold shapes work best; a close crop helps.
How do I use the icon in Windows?
Right-click a shortcut or folder, choose Properties, then Change Icon, and pick the .ico file you downloaded.