Convert HEIC to ICO
Turn HEIC photos from your iPhone or iPad into ICO icons for favicons and Windows. Everything happens in your browser, so your photos never leave your device.
Why convert HEIC to ICO?
iPhones save photos as HEIC to save space, but Windows, most browsers and many websites can't open them. ICO is the format browsers look for at /favicon.ico and the one Windows uses for app and shortcut icons.
Favicons and Windows icons
Browsers still request /favicon.ico from websites, and Windows uses ICO for application and shortcut icons. Icons are square and the ICO format tops out at 256 × 256 pixels, so a square, simple HEIC works best; fine detail disappears at 16 × 16.
Where ICO files work
Every browser accepts favicon.ico, and Windows uses ICO for application and shortcut icons. Support in image editors is uneven.
HEIC and ICO compared
| Property | HEIC | ICO |
|---|---|---|
| Compression | Lossy | Lossless |
| Transparency | Supported, rarely used | Yes |
| Animation | No | No |
| Typical file size | Small (about half a JPG) | Tiny |
| Best for | Storing photos on Apple devices | Favicons, Windows icons |
| Support | Apple devices; limited elsewhere | Browsers (favicons), Windows |
Questions
Will converting HEIC to ICO reduce quality?
ICO stores icons losslessly, but the format tops out at 256 × 256 pixels, so start from a square HEIC at that size or below and keep the design simple enough to read at 16 × 16.
Can I convert several HEIC files at once?
Yes. Add as many HEIC files as you like and they're converted one after another on your device. There's no file-size or file-count limit beyond your device's memory, and you can download the results together as a zip.
Are my HEIC photos uploaded anywhere?
No. The conversion runs in your browser, on your own device, so your photos are never sent to a server. Once the page and converter have loaded, it keeps working even if your connection drops.