Image format comparison

ICO vs PNG

ICO packages Windows icon sizes; PNG is the better general-purpose source and web graphic.

At a glance

FeatureICOPNG
CompressionEmbedded BMP or PNG imagesLossless
TransparencySupportedFull alpha transparency
SupportStrong for favicons and Windows iconsUniversal

Choose ICO when

  • A Windows application requires ICO
  • You need several icon sizes in one container
  • You are supplying a legacy favicon
Read the ICO guide

Choose PNG when

  • You need a reusable source graphic
  • The image is not specifically a Windows icon
  • Modern web delivery is the target
Read the PNG guide

Convert between the formats

Keep the original file, then inspect the converted result at its intended display size. Toolvoya processes supported conversions locally in your browser.

ICO to PNGPNG to ICO