What size should a favicon be?

32×32 is the modern standard used by most browsers, but 16×16 is still used in some places like browser tab bars on older systems. Larger sizes like 48×48 and 64×64 are useful for higher-resolution displays and app-style bookmarks.

How do I use the .ico file?

Upload it to your site's root directory and add a tag pointing to /favicon.ico in your HTML .

Does my source image need to be square?

Square images give the cleanest result since the favicon itself is square. Non-square images will be cropped or scaled to fit, which can crop out important parts of a wide or tall image.

Why would I want the PNG instead of the .ico?

Some modern setups (like certain app manifest icons or specific browser favicon implementations) prefer a plain PNG rather than the older .ico container format — having both options covers either case.

Can I use a photo, or does it need to be a logo?

Either works, but simple logos or icons tend to stay recognizable at small favicon sizes better than detailed photos, which can look muddy once scaled down to 16×16 or 32×32.

ICO Generator

Create .ico favicons from images.

TL;DR: ICO Generator is a free, browser-based tool that lets you create .ico favicons from images.

Drop your image here

or use the button below · PNG, JPG (square works best)

Favicon size

About the ICO Generator

ICO Generator converts PNG, JPG, and SVG logos into multi-resolution Microsoft Icon (.ico) files containing bundled 16x16, 32x32, 48x48, 64x64, and 128x128 pixel mipmap layers for web favicons and Windows desktop apps.

How to Use the ICO Generator

Upload your logo or icon image (square PNG with transparency recommended).
Select target icon resolution layers (16x16, 32x32, 48x48, 64x64, 128x128, 256x256).
Click 'Generate .ICO' to compile the binary icon package.
Download your `favicon.ico` file.

Expert Tips for ICO Generator

Multi-Size ICO Standard: Bundles 16x16 (browser tabs) and 32x32 (bookmarks) into a single `.ico` file.
Windows Software Icons: Includes 48x48 and 256x256 layers for Windows desktop application executables.
Transparent Backgrounds: Use transparent PNGs for clean icon rendering across light and dark browser themes.

Related Guides & Tutorials

Webp Vs Png Vs Jpg — Learn in-depth concepts, best practices, and expert tips.
Compress Images Without Losing Quality — Learn in-depth concepts, best practices, and expert tips.

100% Client-Side Privacy Guarantee

All processing runs locally inside your browser using JavaScript and HTML5 APIs. Your data, files, and inputs are never uploaded to any remote server. Complete privacy by design.

Frequently Asked Questions

: 32×32 is the modern standard used by most browsers, but 16×16 is still used in some places like browser tab bars on older systems. Larger sizes like 48×48 and 64×64 are useful for higher-resolution displays and app-style bookmarks.
: Upload it to your site's root directory and add a tag pointing to /favicon.ico in your HTML .
: Square images give the cleanest result since the favicon itself is square. Non-square images will be cropped or scaled to fit, which can crop out important parts of a wide or tall image.
: Some modern setups (like certain app manifest icons or specific browser favicon implementations) prefer a plain PNG rather than the older .ico container format — having both options covers either case.
: Either works, but simple logos or icons tend to stay recognizable at small favicon sizes better than detailed photos, which can look muddy once scaled down to 16×16 or 32×32.

Cite This Tool

Referencing this tool in a paper, article, or bibliography? Copy a ready-made citation below.

NexLove.org. (2026). ICO Generator [Software]. https://nexlove.org/tools/ico-generator.html

“ICO Generator.” NexLove.org, 2026, nexlove.org/tools/ico-generator.html.

NexLove.org (2026) ICO Generator. Available at: https://nexlove.org/tools/ico-generator.html (Accessed: 2026).

@misc{nexlove_ico_generator,
  title = {ICO Generator},
  author = {{NexLove.org}},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://nexlove.org/tools/ico-generator.html}
}

Embed This Tool

Add the live ICO Generator tool to your own website with this snippet — it loads the real, working tool in an iframe, not a static screenshot.

<iframe src="https://nexlove.org/embed/ico-generator.html" width="100%" height="600" style="border:1px solid #e2e8f0;border-radius:12px" title="ICO Generator — NexLove.org" loading="lazy"></iframe>

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