GIF to ICO Converter

Converting GIF to ICO produces a Windows icon file from a GIF source. The first frame becomes a static icon at standard Windows sizes. Useful for GIF-only legacy assets that need a favicon or desktop icon form.

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Drag & drop image files here, or browse

Drop your GIF files here

What changes when you convert GIF to ICO

Animation is lost; ICO is a static format. GIF's binary transparency transfers as proper alpha, but anti-aliased edges from the GIF may show color fringing due to the source's palette constraints. Start from large, high-quality GIFs for best results.

When to use this conversion

  • Creating a favicon from a legacy GIF logo
  • Producing Windows shortcut icons from GIF brand assets
  • Generating application icons from old GIF sources when no other format is available

Where the output plays

ICO is the standard Windows icon format and universal favicon format.

About these formats

GIF (Graphics Interchange Format)

GIF is a 1987 format limited to a 256-color palette. Its lasting relevance is support for simple animation, which kept it in the meme ecosystem after PNG replaced it for static images. GIF compression is lossless within its palette constraints but usually worse than PNG for the same image.

ICO (Windows Icon)

ICO is the Windows icon format. A single .ico file can hold multiple resolutions (16×16, 32×32, 48×48, 256×256) and color depths simultaneously, letting the OS pick the best for context. Every browser serves favicons as ICO, and Windows desktop icons use it natively.

How It Works

  1. Add your GIF files Drag GIF images onto the page or click to pick them from your file browser. Batch uploads are fine.
  2. Choose ICO settings Pick quality or compression settings for the ICO output. Defaults match common target use cases.
  3. Convert in your browser The converter runs locally via WebAssembly. Nothing uploads. Progress shows per file so you know exactly what's happening.
  4. Download ICO files Grab each converted file individually, or download the whole batch as a single ZIP.

Features

Supported Formats

FAQ

What about the GIF's animation?

Lost. ICO is static. Only the first frame is used.

How well does transparency transfer?

GIF's binary transparency maps to ICO's alpha channel, but edges that were anti-aliased in the GIF may look rough or show color halos.

What is GIF (Graphics Interchange Format)?

GIF is a 1987 format limited to a 256-color palette. Its lasting relevance is support for simple animation, which kept it in the meme ecosystem after PNG replaced it for static images. GIF compression is lossless within its palette constraints but usually worse than PNG for the same image.

What is ICO (Windows Icon)?

ICO is the Windows icon format. A single .ico file can hold multiple resolutions (16×16, 32×32, 48×48, 256×256) and color depths simultaneously, letting the OS pick the best for context. Every browser serves favicons as ICO, and Windows desktop icons use it natively.

Are my files private?

Yes. The converter runs entirely in your browser using WebAssembly. Your images are never uploaded, never sent to a server, and never leave your device.

Is there a file size limit?

There's no hard limit, but because everything runs in your browser you're bounded by available memory. Very large images (over a few hundred megapixels) can hit browser memory limits. Process in smaller batches if you run into issues.