HEIC to ICO Converter
You took a picture on an iPhone, perhaps a logo, a drawing or a product mark, and now you need an icon file for Windows or a website. This page converts the HEIC into an ICO with the sizes you choose, in your browser tab. The image stays on your device throughout.
How to convert HEIC to ICO
- Add your HEIC files by dropping them, clicking the drop zone or pasting.
- The output format is already set to ICO. Adjust quality or size if you need to.
- Press Convert and compare the original and new size for each file.
- Download each file or all of them as a ZIP.
When to convert, and when not to
- You photographed or exported a mark and want a favicon or shortcut icon from it.
- A program asks for an ICO file and rejects HEIC.
- You want several icon sizes inside a single file.
- Do not use a busy photo and expect it to look good at 16 pixels. Simple, centred shapes work best.
What changes
- The HEIC is decoded first, then drawn into square icon images for each size you tick, from 16 to 256 pixels. The default is 16, 32 and 48.
- The picture is fitted inside a square with its proportions kept. A rectangular photo leaves empty areas.
- Empty areas are transparent in the icon.
- Only the first image in the HEIC is used.
- Shooting details and location data are not copied.
Icons are tiny, so the source matters
At 16 or 32 pixels there is little room. Faces, scenery and small lettering turn into a blur, while a bold shape or a single letter stays readable.
If you only have a phone photo, crop it into a square around the main subject before converting. That uses the limited space better than letting the converter fit the whole frame.
A square crop focusing on the main subject beats a full frame. Most photo apps let you crop to a square in a couple of taps before you convert.
Only the first image in the HEIC is used. If the file holds a burst or a Live Photo, you get the main still picture, which is what an icon needs.
Choosing sizes
The ICO produced here contains one PNG-compressed image per selected size. Each image is drawn separately from your picture, so every size is as sharp as the source allows.
Include the sizes your use needs. A favicon is typically fine with the small sizes, while a desktop shortcut benefits from the larger ones.
Think about the background too. A subject that is cut out on a plain backdrop will look cleaner as a small icon than a busy scene behind it.
Phone photos and memory
A full-size phone photo is large to decode, even when the icon ends up small. If the conversion fails, reduce the picture with the resize option first, or work on a computer.
Nothing is uploaded; the HEIC decoder is fetched only when you add a HEIC file.
If the result looks poor at 16 pixels, try a different crop rather than a different setting. There is no quality slider for icons, because the shape and contrast of the source do most of the work.
To test the result, open it in a program that lists icon sizes, or set it as a shortcut icon and see how it looks at the sizes you chose. Convert again with different sizes if you need more.
Privacy: your files stay on your device
- The tool decodes, resizes and encodes your pictures with your browser. The files are never sent to a server.
- To check it yourself: open the browser developer tools (F12), open the Network tab, convert a file, and look for any request that carries your image. You will see none.
Frequently asked questions
What sizes are available?
From 16 up to 256 pixels. The default selection is 16, 32 and 48.
Will my photo be cropped to a square?
No. It is fitted inside the square, and the spare area is transparent.
Is the result a real ICO file?
Yes, it is a standard ICO with PNG-compressed images.
Why is my icon blurry?
Tiny sizes lose detail. Use a simpler, square, high-contrast source.
Is the file uploaded?
No, the icon is created in your browser.
Can I make a favicon from a selfie?
You can, but a face at 16 pixels is hard to read. A simple logo or letter works better.
Can I convert several photos into several icons?
Yes. Add them all and each one becomes its own ICO file, with the same sizes selected. Download them one by one or as a ZIP.