ICO to GIF Converter
To convert ICO to GIF, add your icon file, choose GIF and press Convert. The largest size inside the ICO is mapped to at most 256 colors and saved as a GIF; fully transparent pixels stay transparent, while soft edges become hard. GIF has no quality slider. Icons are small, so the GIF will be too. Everything runs in your browser and the ICO stays on your device.
- Free, no sign-up
- Your file never leaves your device
- Up to 50 MB per file
GIF uses at most 256 colors, so there is no quality setting.
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 ICO to GIF
Add your ICO files
Drag the images onto the upload area or browse for them; you can add several files at once.
Keep GIF as the output
GIF 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 resolution (pixel dimensions)
- The correct photo orientation (EXIF orientation is applied)
- Colors (adapted to sRGB)
Changed
- Semi-transparent areas become on/off transparency, so edges can look jagged
- Colors are reduced to at most 256
- Only the largest size inside a multi-size ICO file is used
Not carried over
- EXIF, location and camera data: left out of the output for privacy
When to use it
Icons for old forum signatures and pages
Classic forums and hand-made HTML pages often use small GIF icons. Converting an ICO lets you reuse a program or site icon there.
A favicon for very old browsers
If you maintain a legacy page that references a GIF icon, converting the current favicon.ico keeps both files in sync.
Limitations to know
- 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 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.
What is GIF?
GIF is an image format from 1987 limited to 256 colors per image. It supports simple on/off transparency and short animations, which is why it is still used for small graphics and looping clips. For photographs it is a poor choice, because the color limit causes visible banding.
Frequently asked questions
Will icon shadows look right in GIF?
Usually not. Modern icons use soft, semi-transparent shadows, which GIF turns into either solid pixels or nothing. Choose PNG if the icon has shadows or glow effects.
Do icons lose colors as GIF?
Simple icons rarely use more than 256 colors, so most look unchanged. Detailed 256 pixel icons with gradients can show slight banding.
Is only one size converted?
Yes, the largest size in the ICO becomes the GIF; the smaller embedded versions are skipped.
Is converting ICO to GIF 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.