Make a favicon.ico From an Image
One .ico file holding every size a browser and Windows ask for.
Drop a file here
or click to choose a file
Runs on your device Your file is processed by your own browser and is never uploaded to a server.
Short answer
A favicon.ico can be generated from an ordinary image in a browser. The .ico format is a container that holds several square images at once, and each size inside it is rendered from the full-resolution source rather than scaled down from another icon, which is what keeps the 16 px version sharp. Modern .ico files store their images as PNGs, so transparency is preserved.
At a glance
| Accepts | PNG, JPG, WebP, GIF, BMP |
|---|---|
| Produces | ICO containing every size you chose |
| Processing | In your browser |
| Price | Free, no limits |
| Account | Not required |
A favicon is not one image, it is several. A browser tab uses 16 px, a bookmark bar or a pinned tab uses 32, and a Windows desktop shortcut uses 48. Putting all of them in one .ico is why the format has outlived every prediction of its death: the operating system picks the right one out of a single file at /favicon.ico.
The source is cropped to a square from the centre first, because an icon is square by definition and scaling a landscape image into that box would distort it. Start from something simple and high-contrast — at 16 px there are 256 pixels in total, and a detailed logo becomes mud.
How to use it
- 1
Add a square-ish image
A logo or mark works best. Anything not square is cropped from the centre.
- 2
Choose which sizes to include
16, 32 and 48 px covers browsers and Windows shortcuts.
- 3
Download favicon.ico
Put it at the root of your site, or link it from the page head.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I put the file?
At the root of your site, as /favicon.ico. Browsers look there without being told. You can also point at it explicitly with a link element in the page head if it lives elsewhere.
Which sizes do I actually need?
16 and 32 px cover browser tabs and bookmarks; adding 48 covers Windows shortcuts. The larger set is only worth it if the icon is also used for pinned tiles or high-density displays.
Does it keep transparency?
Yes. The images inside the container are PNGs with a full alpha channel, so a logo on a transparent background stays transparent.
Should I still use .ico in 2026?
For /favicon.ico, yes — it is the one file every browser will look for unprompted, and it is the only format that can carry several sizes at once. Sites often ship a PNG or SVG icon alongside it for other purposes, referenced from the page head.