How to open a .ico file?

ICO files can be opened by most image viewers and editors. You can also convert ICO to other formats online using SquishConvert.

How to convert a .ico file?

Upload your .ico file to SquishConvert, select an output format, and click Convert. Your converted file will be ready to download in seconds.

Image format

.ico

Icon File Format

ICO is the icon file format used by Windows for application icons and website favicons. It can contain multiple image sizes and color depths in a single file.

MIME type

image/x-icon

Developer

Microsoft

Introduced

1985

Advantages

Multiple sizes in one file
Standard for Windows icons and favicons
Widely supported by all browsers
Small file sizes

Limitations

Limited to small image dimensions
Primarily Windows-focused format
Being replaced by PNG favicons in modern web
Complex internal structure for a simple purpose

When to use ICO

Website favicons

Windows application icons

Desktop shortcuts

Taskbar and system tray icons

Technical details

ICO files contain one or more BMP or PNG images at different sizes (typically 16x16, 32x32, 48x48, 256x256). Each image can have its own color depth from 1 to 32 bits per pixel.