ICO

Icon image

File type: Bitmap image file, Graphics file

Files with ico extension can be typically found as icons, most notably program icons for Windows executables. A single .ico file contains one or more icons in different pixel sizes.

What is ico file?

File type category:
Bitmap image file
Graphics file

Date updated: June 23, 2025

File extension ico is used for an icon graphic file format that contains icons at various sizes (16x16, 32x32, 64x64, 128x128, 512x512 pixels etc.) and various numbers of colors (16 colors, 32, 64, 128, 256, 16-bit etc.).

ICO file format is frequently used to change icons for files, folders or programs interface icons of graphical user interface (GUI) of modern operating systems.

MIME types:
image/x-icon

How to open ico file?

Pretty much any graphics editor nowadays can be used to open or edit various icon formats, including .ico.

How to convert ico file?

Use any icon graphic editor software to export *.ico files to another graphic file format

Suggested software to open ico file:

Axialis IconWorkshop

IcoFX

IconUtils

IconBox

Associated software actions with the ico file

Open

Software applications that can open ico files:

Axialis IconWorkshop (Microsoft Windows)

icomancer (Microsoft Windows)

IconUtils (Microsoft Windows)

IcoFX (Microsoft Windows)

Icon Catcher (Microsoft Windows)

RealWorld Icon Editor (Microsoft Windows)

Microsoft Paint (Microsoft Windows)

Adobe Photoshop (Microsoft Windows)

GIMP (Microsoft Windows)

IconForge (Microsoft Windows)

Revelation Natural Art (Microsoft Windows)

Icon Extractor (Microsoft Windows)

BeCyIconGrabber (Microsoft Windows)

Icons Maker (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)

GIMP for Mac (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)

Adobe Photoshop for Mac (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)

Image2icon (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)

GIMP for Linux (Linux/Unix)

Photopea (On-line services)

Edit

Software applications that can edit ico files:

Axialis IconWorkshop (Microsoft Windows)

icomancer (Microsoft Windows)

IcoFX (Microsoft Windows)

IconUtils (Microsoft Windows)

RealWorld Icon Editor (Microsoft Windows)

Microsoft Paint (Microsoft Windows)

Adobe Photoshop (Microsoft Windows)

GIMP (Microsoft Windows)

IconForge (Microsoft Windows)

Revelation Natural Art (Microsoft Windows)

Icons Maker (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)

GIMP for Mac (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)

Adobe Photoshop for Mac (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)

Image2icon (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)

GIMP for Linux (Linux/Unix)

Photopea (On-line services)

Save

Software capable of saving ico files:

Axialis IconWorkshop (Microsoft Windows)

icomancer (Microsoft Windows)

IcoFX (Microsoft Windows)

IconUtils (Microsoft Windows)

RealWorld Icon Editor (Microsoft Windows)

Adobe Photoshop (Microsoft Windows)

GIMP (Microsoft Windows)

IconForge (Microsoft Windows)

Revelation Natural Art (Microsoft Windows)

Icons Maker (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)

GIMP for Mac (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)

Adobe Photoshop for Mac (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)

Image2icon (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)

GIMP for Linux (Linux/Unix)

Photopea (On-line services)

View

Programs for viewing ico files:

Axialis IconWorkshop (Microsoft Windows)

IcoFX (Microsoft Windows)

Icon Catcher (Microsoft Windows)

Windows Live Photo Gallery (Microsoft Windows)

FastStone Image Viewer (Microsoft Windows)

IconsExtract (Microsoft Windows)

Adobe Photoshop (Microsoft Windows)

ACDSee Photo Manager (Microsoft Windows)

GIMP (Microsoft Windows)

IconForge (Microsoft Windows)

FastPictureViewer Professional (Microsoft Windows)

Icon Extractor (Microsoft Windows)

BeCyIconGrabber (Microsoft Windows)

IconViewer (Microsoft Windows)

Preview (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)

GIMP for Mac (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)

Adobe Photoshop for Mac (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)

IconBox (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)

GIMP for Linux (Linux/Unix)

XnView MP (Multiplatform)

Create

Software apps that create ico files:

Axialis IconWorkshop (Microsoft Windows)

IcoFX (Microsoft Windows)

RealWorld Icon Editor (Microsoft Windows)

Adobe Photoshop (Microsoft Windows)

GIMP (Microsoft Windows)

IconForge (Microsoft Windows)

Revelation Natural Art (Microsoft Windows)

Icons Maker (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)

GIMP for Mac (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)

Adobe Photoshop for Mac (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)

Image2icon (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)

GIMP for Linux (Linux/Unix)

Convert

Software apps that convert ico files:

Axialis IconWorkshop (Microsoft Windows)

IcoFX (Microsoft Windows)

FastStone Image Viewer (Microsoft Windows)

Adobe Photoshop (Microsoft Windows)

ACDSee Photo Manager (Microsoft Windows)

GIMP (Microsoft Windows)

FastPictureViewer Professional (Microsoft Windows)

FormatFactory (Microsoft Windows)

Preview (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)

GIMP for Mac (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)

Adobe Photoshop for Mac (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)

IconBox (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)

GIMP for Linux (Linux/Unix)

XnView MP (Multiplatform)

Picture Resize Free Online Images Converter (On-line services)

Import

Software apps that import ico files:

Xara Page & Layout Designer (Microsoft Windows)

Paint 3D (Microsoft Windows)

XnConvert (Multiplatform)

Export

Software apps that export ico files:

IconsExtract (Microsoft Windows)

XnConvert (Multiplatform)

Krita (Multiplatform)

Extract

Software apps that extract ico files:

Icon Extractor (Microsoft Windows)

BeCyIconGrabber (Microsoft Windows)

Print

Software apps that print ico files:

Axialis IconWorkshop (Microsoft Windows)

Icon Catcher (Microsoft Windows)

Windows Live Photo Gallery (Microsoft Windows)

FastStone Image Viewer (Microsoft Windows)

IconsExtract (Microsoft Windows)

Adobe Photoshop (Microsoft Windows)

ACDSee Photo Manager (Microsoft Windows)

GIMP (Microsoft Windows)

FastPictureViewer Professional (Microsoft Windows)

Preview (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)

GIMP for Mac (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)

Adobe Photoshop for Mac (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)

IconBox (Apple macOS / Mac OS X)

GIMP for Linux (Linux/Unix)

XnView MP (Multiplatform)