BMP to ICO Converter
To convert BMP to ICO, add your bitmap and press Convert with ICO selected. The result is one ICO file containing square icons of 16, 32 and 48 pixels, with 64, 128 and 256 pixels added for larger images. A BMP has no transparency, so the icon is a filled square, and a non-square bitmap is fitted into a square. The conversion runs in your browser and the BMP stays on your device.
- Free, no sign-up
- Your file never leaves your device
- Up to 50 MB per file
ICO is lossless, so there is no quality setting. The file holds square icons of 16, 32 and 48 pixels (plus 64, 128 and 256 when the image is large enough).
Your file never leaves your device; images are processed in your browser. EXIF and location data are not added to the output.
How to convert BMP to ICO
Add your BMP files
Drag the images onto the upload area or browse for them; you can add several files at once.
Keep ICO as the output
ICO is already selected. For formats with a quality setting the slider starts at a default that suits the format (JPG 90%, WebP 80%, AVIF 60%); lower it if you want a smaller file.
Convert and download
Press “Convert”. Every file is processed in your browser, and you can download the results one by one or as a ZIP.
What is preserved?
Kept
- The image proportions (a non-square image is fitted inside a square)
- The correct photo orientation (EXIF orientation is applied)
- Colors (adapted to sRGB)
Changed
- The image does not stay at a single size: it is scaled to square icons of 16, 32 and 48 pixels (plus 64, 128 and 256 when it is large enough) and packed into one ICO file; a non-square image leaves empty space on the sides
Not carried over
- EXIF, location and camera data: left out of the output for privacy
When to use it
Icons for your own Windows program
Developers of small Windows tools often draw icons in Paint as BMP. Converting to a multi-size ICO lets Windows show the right size in Explorer and on the taskbar.
Shortcut icons from old artwork
Old icon artwork kept as bitmaps can be turned back into usable ICO files for desktop shortcuts or folders.
Limitations to know
- ICO is at most 256 × 256 pixels, so larger images are scaled down. If you need a full set for a website (Apple and Android icons, manifest), use the Favicon generator.
- Up to 50 MB per file; the output can be at most 16,384 pixels on one side.
- On iPhone and iPad, images above roughly 16 megapixels may not be processed because of a browser limit.
About the formats
What is BMP?
BMP is a bitmap format that stores pixels with little or no compression, so files are large. It is simple and widely supported by Windows software but rarely used on the web; PNG gives the same pixel-exact result in a much smaller file.
What is ICO?
ICO is an icon format that stores several square sizes (for example 16, 32 and 48 pixels) in a single file. It is used for Windows icons and for a website's favicon.ico; when a browser needs a small tab icon it picks the matching size from the file. It supports transparency, but cannot be larger than 256 × 256 pixels.
Frequently asked questions
Can the icon have a transparent background?
Not from a BMP, because the format stores no transparency. For a see-through icon, remove the background and convert from a PNG.
What happens to the empty space around a wide BMP?
A wide or tall bitmap is shrunk to fit inside the square icon without distortion, leaving empty bands on two sides. Crop the BMP to a square first to avoid them.
Is a 16 pixel icon readable?
Only for very simple shapes. Draw or choose artwork with bold outlines and few colors, and check how it looks at the smallest size.
Is converting BMP to ICO free?
Yes, completely free. There is no account, subscription or watermark; just add your files and convert them.
Are my files uploaded anywhere?
No. Images are processed in your browser and never leave your device, so the waiting time depends on the file size and your device. EXIF and location data are not added to the output.