What Is an ICO File and How Do You Open One?

You found a .ico file on your computer and aren't sure what program to open it with. This article answers that direct search question and explains everything about the ICO format.

What is an ICO file?

• A container format that stores one or more images at different sizes (16x16, 32x32, 48x48, 256x256).
• Used by Windows for application icons, taskbar, and desktop shortcuts.
• Also used for website favicons.

Can I open ICO in normal image viewers?

• Windows: Photos or Paint can open .ico.
• macOS: Preview may not fully support multi-size ICO.
• Linux: Most image viewers handle it.
• Web browsers: Cannot display .ico directly as an image.

How to convert ICO to PNG

1. Open a browser-based ICO to PNG converter.
2. Drag your .ico file into the dropzone.
3. See all extracted sizes as previews.
4. Download individual sizes or all as a ZIP file.

Extracting multiple sizes from one ICO

A single .ico file can contain 16x16, 32x32, 48x48, 64x64, 128x128, and 256x256 versions simultaneously. When you convert ICO to PNG, each size is extracted as a separate image. This is useful when you need a specific size for a particular use case.