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Convert ICO to PNG free, without uploading
ICO to PNG turns an ICO of up to 256×256 pixels into an ordinary PNG you can edit or upload. PNG is lossless, so nothing more is lost. Drop the ICO (.ico) on the tool below and download the PNG; nothing is uploaded.
ICO to PNG
PNG · no file-size limit · original pixel size
No file-size limit is set: PixelFit saves at high quality and changes only the format and any pixel size you set.
Fit, background and padding white background
Saving presets is part of Pro.
The result appears here: the exact byte count, pixel size and quality, the size before and after, a preview and a download button.
The batch kit (one ZIP for up to 500 photos, several photos merged into one PDF) is part of Pro.
What changes from ICO to PNG
2 of these 4 points lose or alter something on the way from ICO to PNG; the rest carry over.
- Kept: Transparency survives: PNG keeps the alpha channel of the ICO.
- Kept: Both formats are lossless here: every pixel of the ICO is stored exactly in the PNG.
- Lost or changed: An ICO file can hold several icon sizes (16 to 256 pixels); the browser decodes one of them and PixelFit converts that one.
- Lost or changed: Metadata is not carried over: the ICO's icon directory entries are dropped by the canvas.
Measured file size: ICO vs PNG
sharp 0.35.5 / libvips 8.18.7, 31 October 2026, long edge 1600 px; PNG saved as lossless, zlib level 6, RGBA.
| Sample | PNG | PNG settings |
|---|---|---|
| flat chart with a transparent background (1600×1000 px) | 39.7 KB (40,653 bytes) | lossless, zlib level 6, RGBA |
| flat chart with a transparent background (1600×1000 px) | 12.5 KB (12,846 bytes) | palette of up to 256 colours, zlib level 9 |
What the numbers mean for ICO to PNG
An icon is at most 256×256 pixels, which is 262,144 bytes (256 KB) of raw 32-bit pixels before compression, so the PNG of an icon stays small whatever the settings; the chart rows show how PNG behaves on flat colours at a larger size.
How to convert ICO to PNG
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Add the ICO file
Drop the .ico file on the tool at the top of this page, tap to choose it, or paste it.
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Keep PNG selected
PNG is pre-selected and saved in full colour. Type a maximum size in KB only if the destination sets one; PixelFit then tries fewer colours (a palette PNG) and, if that is not enough, fewer pixels.
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Download the PNG
Save the file ending in .png; its size in KB shows before you save.
ICO and PNG side by side
ICO (undated) next to PNG (1996); browser figures checked 31 October 2026.
| Property | ICO | PNG |
|---|---|---|
| File extensions | .ico | .png |
| MIME type | image/x-icon | image/png |
| Compression | lossless | lossless |
| Transparency | yes | yes |
| Animation | no | yes |
| Largest size | 256 px per side | 2,147,483,647 px per side |
| Colour depth | up to 32 bits per pixel | 1 to 16 bits per channel |
| Metadata | icon directory entries | text chunks, eXIf and ICC data |
| First published | not dated here | 1996 |
| Opens in | Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari (every current browser) | Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari (every current browser); about 97.49% of browsers in use |
| Good for | favicons and Windows program icons | screenshots, logos, signatures on white and images with transparency |
| Weak for | anything bigger than 256 pixels | large photos, which come out several times bigger than a JPEG |
| Specification | Icons (Microsoft Learn, Win32 icon format) | Portable Network Graphics (PNG) Specification, Third Edition (W3C) |
When not to change ICO to PNG
- If the destination already accepts ICO, upload the original: every change of format re-encodes the pixels.
Browser support for ICO and PNG (October 2026)
Reading ICO (.ico): Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari (every current browser).
Writing PNG from that ICO: Chrome 50+, Edge 79+, Firefox 18+, Safari 11+ (MDN compatibility data for canvas.toBlob, checked 31 October 2026).
Upload forms that ask for PNG
10 of the 61 application portals we checked accept PNG photos, 1 of them with a limit of 50 KB or less. A few of them, for this ICO file (verify with the official notice before you upload):
- Canada PR portal: PNG photo, up to 4 MB, 715–2000 × 1000–2800 px (also takes JPG).
- Singapore ICA: PNG photo, up to 8 MB, 400 × 514 px (also takes JPG, HEIC).
- ICSI student: PNG photo, 20–50 KB (also takes JPG, GIF, BMP, PDF).
- Indonesia e-Visa: PNG photo, up to 2 MB, 400 × 600 px (also takes JPG).
Where ICO files come from
ICO files are icons, mostly website favicons (favicon.ico) and Windows program icons, at most 256×256 pixels. Changing one to PNG gives an image you can edit, paste into a document or upload.
Sources
- Icons (Microsoft Learn, Win32 icon format), Microsoft Learn, checked 31 October 2026: learn.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/ms997538(v=ms…)
- Portable Network Graphics (PNG) Specification, Third Edition (W3C), W3C, checked 31 October 2026: w3.org/TR/png-3/
- MDN Web Docs, Image file type and format guide (which browsers decode ICO), checked 31 October 2026: developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/Media/Guides/Formats…
- MDN browser-compat-data, HTMLCanvasElement.toBlob (which browsers write PNG), CC0, checked 31 October 2026: github.com/mdn/browser-compat-data/blob/main/api/HTMLCanv…
- Test chart with a transparent background, drawn as SVG by PixelFit's measuring script (CC0 1.0) and measured by PixelFit with sharp 0.35.5 / libvips 8.18.7 on 31 October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Can I convert ICO to PNG for free?
Yes. The ICO to PNG change runs free on your device, with no sign-up and no upload, one file or up to 25 at a time; Pro raises the batch to 500 with one ZIP download.
How do I convert ICO to PNG?
Drop the ICO on the tool above, keep PNG selected, and download the .png file. Add a KB limit if the destination has one.
Does converting ICO to PNG reduce quality?
Both formats are lossless here: every pixel of the ICO is stored exactly in the PNG.
Why convert ICO to PNG?
PNG suits screenshots, logos, signatures on white and images with transparency; ICO is a poor fit for anything bigger than 256 pixels.
Related
More ICO format changes
- ICO to JPG same ICO input
Other files to PNG
- BMP to PNG also ends as PNG
- GIF to PNG also ends as PNG
- AVIF to PNG also ends as PNG
- SVG to PNG also ends as PNG
- TIFF to PNG also ends as PNG