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APNG to ICO Converter

Convert APNG to ICO in your browser. APNG files usually come from animated stickers (LINE and Discord among others), UI animations and Firefox-era web graphics; ICO is the better fit for favicons and Windows icons. You get a multi-size ICO with PNG-compressed icons (16, 32, 48 and 256 px by default). Nothing is uploaded.

  • Processed locally
  • No upload, no wait
  • No sign-up
  • No watermark

Drop images here

or choose files · paste with Ctrl/⌘ V

APNG expected · other image formats also work

Files are processed on this device. Nothing is uploaded.0 B uploaded

How to use APNG to ICO

  1. 1

    Add your APNG files: drop them here, choose them, or paste from the clipboard.

  2. 2

    Choose the icon sizes to include.

  3. 3

    Click Convert. Each file is decoded and encoded in a background thread on this device.

  4. 4

    Download the .ico files one at a time or together as a ZIP.

Why use Aback Images for apng to ico

Where the ICO goes next

ICO opens in every browser (as a favicon), Windows and most Linux desktops.

ICO next to APNG

Both sides are lossless, so the size depends on how well the ICO encoder handles this picture compared with the APNG's lossless DEFLATE per frame, like PNG.

Written without a lossy pass

The ICO is written losslessly, so the pixels decoded from the APNG arrive unchanged.

Processed on your device

Your images are decoded, edited and encoded inside this browser tab by Web Workers. Nothing is uploaded to a server.

APNG vs ICO

What changes from APNG to ICO

Encoding: the APNG uses lossless DEFLATE per frame, like PNG; ICO uses each size stored as a headerless BMP or as a complete PNG, and the download is a multi-size ICO with PNG-compressed icons (16, 32, 48 and 256 px by default).

Bit depth: 8 bits per channel in the APNG; ICO allows 1 to 32 bits per pixel, set per size, and the ICO written here has 32 bits per pixel.

Colour: RGB or an indexed palette in the APNG; ICO supports RGB or a palette, per image, written here as 8-bit sRGB.

Transparency: the APNG stores it as full alpha on every frame; the ICO keeps it as 8-bit alpha in 32-bit and PNG entries, or a 1-bit mask in old icons.

Animation: fcTL frame-control chunks with fdAT frame data after the first image; the ICO holds one image, so only the first frame is converted.

Metadata: the APNG can carry the same text and ICC chunks as PNG; ICO can carry only a directory of the sizes inside, with no EXIF, but nothing is copied across.

About APNG

APNG extends PNG with animation frames. Unlike GIF it keeps full 24-bit colour and smooth 8-bit transparency, at the cost of larger files.

An APNG is a valid PNG with an acTL chunk announcing the frame count and loop count; each later frame is an fcTL chunk (size, offset, delay, blend and dispose rules) followed by fdAT data. Software that does not know APNG simply shows the first frame.

APNG files usually come from animated stickers (LINE and Discord among others), UI animations and Firefox-era web graphics.

About ICO

ICO is a container that bundles several sizes of the same icon (16, 32, 48, 256 px) into one file. It is still the most compatible format for website favicons and Windows app icons.

An ICO starts with a 6-byte ICONDIR (type 1 for icons) and a 16-byte entry per image giving width, height, colour count and offset. Each image is either a BMP without its file header plus an AND mask, or a complete PNG.

When converting APNG to ICO makes sense

ICO is the better choice for favicons and Windows icons, while APNG suits high quality animated stickers and UI animations.

ICO strengths: Multiple sizes in one file; Required by Windows and supported by every browser as a favicon. Drawbacks to weigh: Max 256×256 per image; Not for photos.

Limitations

  • APNG frames are full colour, so a GIF target has to reduce each frame to 256 colours.
  • Each size inside the ICO is scaled from your image, and detailed artwork loses legibility at 16 and 32 px, so simplify logos first.
  • Non-square images are centred on a transparent square for each icon size.

Frequently asked questions

Does converting APNG to ICO lose quality?

ICO is written losslessly, so the pixels are stored exactly as decoded.

Is transparency kept in the ICO?

Yes. APNG stores it as full alpha on every frame, and the ICO is written with an alpha channel, so transparent areas stay transparent.

Will my animated APNG stay animated?

No. ICO holds a single image, so only the first frame is kept. Convert to animated WebP, APNG or GIF to keep the motion, or export every frame with the GIF Frame Extractor.

Which icon sizes are included?

16, 32, 48 and 256 px by default, the set Windows and browsers expect. You can choose other sizes. Non-square images are centred on a transparent square.

Which apps open ICO files?

Every browser (as a favicon), Windows and most Linux desktops.

Are my images uploaded anywhere?

No. Processing happens inside your browser with WebAssembly and Web Workers. The site only downloads the app code and codecs; your files never leave your device. You can confirm this with the live upload counter on the tool, or in your browser's network panel.

Can I process many files at once?

Yes. Drop a whole selection or folder. Files are processed in parallel on several worker threads, each result can be downloaded on its own, and everything can be saved as one ZIP.

Is it free? Is there a file limit or watermark?

It is free with no account, no watermark and no daily limit. The only limit is your device's memory: very large images (over roughly 100 megapixels) may be refused to keep the tab from crashing.