Can I use a rectangular image for an ICO file?

ICO (Windows Icon) files are the standard format for website favicons and Windows application icons. What makes ICO files special is that a single .ico file can contain multiple sizes of the same icon simultaneously - Browsers and operating systems automatically select the most appropriate size for the context (16×16 in browser tabs, 32×32 on the taskbar, 256×256 for folder views on high-DPI displays).

For favicons specifically, modern best practice is to include at least 16×16, 32×32, and 48×48 in the ICO file, plus a separate 180×180 PNG for Apple Touch Icon (used when iOS saves your site to the home screen). The favicon.ico file should be placed in your web root so browsers find it automatically.

Source image quality matters significantly for small icon sizes. Use a square, high-contrast image with a simple subject - Complex photography looks like an indistinct blob at 16×16. Logos with bold outlines and limited colours work best. If your source JPG is 256×256 or larger, the downscaled icon sizes will be crisp.

Reasons to convert JPG to ICO usually come down to compatibility, file-size, or specific feature requirements. Common situations:

• An app or platform only accepts ICO uploads.
• You need a feature unique to ICO (e.g. transparency, vector scaling, animation, multi-page pages, etc.) that JPG doesn't provide.
• You're optimising file size — modern formats often produce smaller files than the older format you started with.
• You need a single archival format across a project so files behave consistently in the same viewer.

1. Open the JPG → ICO tool on jpg.now.
2. Drag your JPG file onto the drop zone, or click Select files. You can drop a whole folder of files at once.
3. The output is fixed to ICO. If the format supports extra options (page size, transparency background, quality, EXIF stripping), tweak them in the right-hand panel.
4. Click Convert. The job runs on our server and finishes in a few seconds for typical photos.
5. Download the result. Files stay in storage for 24 hours and are then permanently deleted.

The entire flow is free for the first 10 jobs per day with no signup required. A free account doubles that quota; a premium plan removes the limit entirely.

• Use a square source image - Rectangular images are cropped to square during ICO conversion. Crop to square before uploading for predictable results.
• For website favicons, include at minimum 16×16, 32×32, and 48×48 - These cover browser tabs, taskbar pinning, and bookmark icons.
• Use a simple, bold design: fine details and thin lines disappear at 16×16 pixels. Test the icon at small sizes before publishing.
• After downloading, reference your favicon in HTML:
• For Apple devices, additionally create a 180×180 PNG and reference it with