JPG to ICO Converter
Make an .ico icon from a JPG photo, logo or avatar. One file holds every size from 16 to 256 px, so a browser tab, a bookmark bar and a Windows desktop each pick the size they need.
Image Converter
or drop JPG, JPEG, JPE … files here ·
Max 95 MB per file· Up to 20 files· Deleted after 30 minutes
Files are processed on our servers and deleted after 30 minutes.
85 keeps photos visually identical to the original. Lower it only when you need a smaller file.
JPG, BMP and EPS have no transparency. Transparent pixels are filled with this color.
Hex color used behind transparent pixels, e.g. #FFFFFF.
This format holds a single image. Choose GIF or WebP output if you want to keep the animation.
A multi-size icon contains several resolutions in one file; browsers and operating systems pick the one they need.
Keep the original dimensions, or enter one side and the aspect ratio is kept.
Pixels for the side you chose above.
Percentage of the original dimensions.
sRGB is right for screens and the web. Keep the original for print workflows; grayscale discards color.
Metadata only, 0 keeps the original value. Printers and some portals read this number; it does not change pixel dimensions.
How to use this tool
- 1
Upload a square JPG
Use an image at least 256 × 256 px, cropped square. Up to 20 JPGs per batch if you are making icons for several sites or programs.
- 2
Choose the sizes
Icon sizes is set to All sizes (16–256). Pick a single size such as 32 px under Advanced settings if a program asks for exactly one.
- 3
Press Convert to ICO
Download the .ico, rename it favicon.ico for a website, or point a Windows shortcut at it.
Convert JPG to ICO for a favicon or a Windows shortcut
Icon files have been part of Windows since its early versions, and ICO is still how Windows stores program and shortcut icons. Websites adopted it in 1999, when Internet Explorer 5 began requesting /favicon.ico from every site added to Favorites, and browsers still ask for that file today. Windows Vista raised the largest size to 256 × 256 px and allowed those big entries to be stored as compressed PNG data.
An ICO file is a small directory of images, one per size. That is the main difference from just resizing a JPG: a browser tab can use the 16 px entry, a high-density tab or the taskbar the 32 px one, and the Windows desktop at large icon view the 256 px one. Each entry is scaled separately from your source, so a JPG of a logo stays crisp at every size instead of being stretched from a single small picture.
Who asks for an ICO file, and at what size
| Organisation | Requirement | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Browsers (Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari) | favicon.ico at the site root or a <link rel="icon">; 16 and 32 px are used in tabs | — |
| Google Search | Square favicon at a multiple of 48 px (48, 96, 144 …) for the icon next to search results; ICO is an accepted format | — |
| Windows shortcut Change Icon dialog | An .ico file; 256 px gives a sharp large-icon view | — |
| WordPress Site Icon setting | Square image of at least 512 × 512 px; it generates its own sizes from a JPG or PNG | — |
JPG
JPEG image
JPEG (or JPG) is the most widely used photo format, standardised by the Joint Photographic Experts Group in 1992. It uses lossy compression that discards fine detail the eye is unlikely to notice, which keeps photos small enough for the web, email and phone storage. It handles smooth gradients and natural scenes well, but sharp text, line art and flat colours pick up visible blocky or fuzzy artefacts. JPEG has no transparency and no animation, and every re-save loses a little more quality. Every browser, phone, camera and image editor can open it.
- Compression
- Lossy
- Transparency
- No
- Animation
- No
- Introduced
- 1992 · Joint Photographic Experts Group
ICO
Windows icon
ICO is the Microsoft icon format used for Windows program icons and website favicons. One .ico file can contain several images at different sizes, such as 16×16, 32×32, 48×48 and 256×256 pixels, so the system can pick the best fit. Each image can be stored as a bitmap or as PNG data and supports full alpha transparency. ICO is not meant for photos or large artwork. Browsers, Windows and most icon editors can read it.
- Compression
- Lossless
- Transparency
- Yes
- Animation
- No
- Introduced
- Microsoft
People convert JPG to ICO when the only picture they have of a logo or avatar is a photo-style JPG and a website, theme or Windows shortcut wants a multi-size .ico file.
Turning a JPG photo into an icon that reads at 16 px
Photos make weak icons for one reason: detail disappears below 32 px. A logo exported as JPG with a flat background is the best case and converts cleanly. A photo of a product or a person needs a tight crop around one recognizable shape first. Square it with the crop image tool, or read how to crop an image to a ratio for exact 1:1 framing.
The background of the JPG stays as it is. On a white browser tab a white square is invisible, but in dark mode it shows as a bright tile. If that matters, cut the subject out in an editor, save a transparent PNG and convert that instead.
Before you convert
- Square source, 256 × 256 px or larger
- Flat or simple background
- One clear shape, not a scene
- Check the 16 px size in a real browser tab
JPG to ICO questions
Can a JPG become an icon with a transparent background?
Not by converting alone. JPG has no alpha channel, so whatever surrounds your subject, often a white or colored square, ends up in every icon size. If you want the shape to float in the browser tab, remove the background, save it as PNG and use PNG to ICO.
Which sizes end up inside the ICO made from my JPG?
With All sizes (16–256), the file contains 16, 32, 64, 128 and 256 px versions, each scaled from your JPG. Choose one value under Icon sizes if a program or theme asks for a single size, such as 32 px for a classic favicon.
How large should the JPG be before converting to ICO?
At least 256 × 256 px and square. Smaller sources are scaled up for the large sizes and look soft on a Windows desktop, while a much larger source is fine because it only gets scaled down.
Where does favicon.ico go on a website?
Upload it to the root of the site so it loads at /favicon.ico; browsers request that address on their own. Adding a <link rel="icon" href="/favicon.ico"> line to the page head makes the choice explicit.
Can a photo of a face work as a tiny icon?
Barely. At 16 × 16 px a face becomes a few colored blocks. Crop tightly around the head first, raise contrast, or use an initial or simple symbol for the small sizes instead.
Is a JPEG file different from a JPG for this converter?
No. Both extensions hold the same JPEG data and convert the same way. The JPEG to ICO page exists only for people who search with that spelling.