What is ICO and why convert HEIC to ICO?

ICO (Icon) is the native icon format used by Windows for favicons, application icons, taskbar icons, and desktop shortcuts. Converting a HEIC photo to ICO lets you use an iPhone image as a custom favicon, Windows application icon, or desktop shortcut icon — without needing Photoshop or any other software.

Can I crop the HEIC image before converting to ICO?

Yes — the tool provides an interactive crop overlay on the source image. Drag the corner and edge handles to define exactly which portion of the HEIC photo you want in the output ICO. For best results, crop to a square before converting. Click Preview Crop to see the result before downloading.

Does my image get uploaded to a server?

No. All processing — loading, HEIC decoding, cropping, and ICO encoding — happens entirely in your browser using JavaScript and the HTML5 Canvas API. Your image never leaves your device.

Should I crop to a square for a favicon or app icon?

Yes. Favicons and application icons are always square. Cropping your HEIC photo to a square region before downloading ensures the ICO output has equal width and height, which is required for correct display in browsers and Windows Explorer.

How does HEIC decoding work in the browser?

The tool first tries native browser HEIC support (available in Chrome 105+, Safari, and Edge). If native support is unavailable, it automatically falls back to the heic2any JavaScript library for full cross-browser compatibility. Either way, the decoded image is drawn to a Canvas and ready for cropping.

How do I reset and convert a different image?

Click the Start Over button that appears after loading an image. This clears the current file and resets the crop area so you can load a new HEIC photo.

HEIC to ICO Crop Converter

Load a HEIC photo, drag the crop handles to define exactly the area you need, preview the result, then download an ICO icon file. Everything runs in your browser — your image never leaves your device.

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Drop a HEIC file here

or Browse Files · HEIC / HEIF supported

What This Tool Does

This tool loads a HEIC or HEIF image directly in your browser, decoding it using native browser support (Chrome 105+, Safari, Edge) or the heic2any JavaScript library as a fallback for full cross-browser compatibility. It presents an interactive crop overlay with draggable handles, and converts the selected area to an ICO file. No server upload is required. The full workflow — loading, HEIC decoding, cropping, and ICO encoding — runs entirely in client-side JavaScript using the HTML5 Canvas API. The output is a single-image ICO file with a PNG-embedded payload, compatible with all major browsers, Windows Explorer, and icon editors.

Who This Is For

Web developers who want to create a favicon directly from an iPhone HEIC photo without installing design software
Windows users who want to use a HEIC photo as a custom desktop shortcut or application icon
Designers who receive source assets as HEIC from iPhone and need to isolate a subject and export it as an ICO for a Windows application
Anyone who wants to crop and convert a HEIC photo to ICO format in seconds, entirely in the browser

HEIC vs ICO: Format Comparison

Property	HEIC	ICO
Primary use	iPhone photo storage	Windows icons, favicons
Compression	Lossy or lossless HEVC	Embeds PNG or BMP data
Color depth	10-bit HDR support	32-bit RGBA (with PNG payload)
Transparency support	Yes — full alpha channel	Yes — full alpha channel
Multi-resolution	No — single image	Yes — can embed multiple sizes
Platform compatibility	Apple-native; codec required elsewhere	Windows-native; universal browser favicon
Typical dimensions	Any — camera resolution	16×16 to 256×256 px
Best for	iPhone storage, Apple ecosystem	Favicons, app icons, Windows shortcuts

Frequently Asked Questions

What size should I crop to for a favicon?▼

The most universally recommended favicon size is 32×32 pixels, though modern browsers also use 16×16, 48×48, and 192×192 variants. For best results, crop to a square region that contains the most recognizable part of your image, then use an Image Resizer to scale to the target size before or after the ICO conversion.

How precise is the crop tool?▼

The crop operates at native pixel accuracy on the original HEIC dimensions. The canvas is scaled to fit your screen for display, but the actual crop coordinates are mapped back to the full-resolution image before the ICO is generated. You get an ICO at the exact pixel dimensions shown in the crop dimensions badge.

Can I move the crop selection after setting it?▼

Yes — click and drag anywhere inside the crop rectangle (away from the handles) to reposition it anywhere within the image. Handles resize; the interior pans.

Does the output ICO support transparency?▼

Yes. The tool embeds a PNG inside the ICO container, which preserves full 32-bit RGBA transparency. If your HEIC source has transparent regions (or you crop to a subject with transparent edges), that transparency will be retained in the ICO output.

What browsers are supported?▼

All modern browsers — Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari (desktop and mobile). The tool uses heic2any as a fallback for browsers without native HEIC support, ensuring HEIC files load correctly everywhere.

Is there a file size limit?▼

There is no server-imposed limit because no upload occurs. The practical limit is your browser's available RAM. Most modern desktops handle HEIC files comfortably. Very large files on memory-constrained mobile devices may be slower to process.

HEIC to ICO Crop Converter

What This Tool Does

Who This Is For

HEIC vs ICO: Format Comparison

Frequently Asked Questions

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