Images conversion
Convert HEIC to ICO
Updated Jul 2026
Converting a HEIC photo to ICO turns it into a small icon file, the format used for favicons and Windows app icons. Open the HEIC in a converter, pick ICO as the output, and it resizes the image down to icon dimensions. Doing this on your own computer means the original photo, metadata included, never leaves your machine.
- Extension
- .heic
- Type
- Images
- Typically
- Default iPhone photo format
- Compression
- Lossy
- Transparency
- None
- Metadata
- Carries EXIF
- Extension
- .ico
- Type
- Images
- Typically
- Favicons, app icons
- Transparency
- Supported
Convert HEIC to ICO on your own computer. Nothing uploads.
How to convert HEIC to ICO
- Open Morphjet and drag in the HEIC photo you want to convert. You can add one file or a whole folder at once.
- Choose ICO as the output format, and pick the icon size (or set of sizes) you need, like 32x32 or 256x256.
- Convert. The ICO file is written locally, right next to your original, and nothing leaves your machine.
HEIC vs ICO: what actually changes
| HEIC | ICO | |
|---|---|---|
| File size | Larger, often a few MB for a full photo | Tiny, built for small fixed icon sizes |
| Dimensions | Full photo resolution | Small and fixed, typically 16x16 up to 256x256 |
| Compatibility | No, needs a recent Apple device or plugin | Yes, the standard format for favicons and Windows icons |
| Transparency | No | Yes |
| Keeps date and location (EXIF) | Yes | No, ICO doesn't store metadata |
When to convert, and when not to
Convert HEIC to ICO when you want to turn a photo, like a headshot or a logo shot on your iPhone, into a favicon for a website or an icon for a Windows app, folder, or shortcut.
Keep the HEIC, or export it to JPG or PNG instead, if you just want to view, share, or print the photo, since ICO is built for tiny fixed-size icons, not full photos.
Why not just use an online converter?
HEIC photos from an iPhone carry EXIF metadata, including the exact time and GPS location the shot was taken. An online converter receives that full photo, metadata and all, even though the ICO it hands back strips that information out. Converting on your own computer means the original photo, and everywhere it's been, never leaves your machine in the first place.
Questions
Does converting HEIC to ICO lose quality?
Yes, but not from compression. ICO files hold a small fixed size, often 16x16 up to 256x256 pixels, so the photo gets scaled way down. The fine detail lost is simply because the icon is so much smaller, not because of a lossy export.
Will the ICO file keep the photo's location and date?
No. ICO isn't built to store EXIF metadata, so the date, camera, and GPS location in the HEIC don't carry over. That's fine for the finished icon, but it means an online tool would have already seen that metadata before it got dropped.
What size should I make the ICO?
For a favicon, 16x16 or 32x32 is standard. For a Windows app or folder icon, 256x256 gives you room to scale down cleanly. Many ICO files bundle several sizes together so the right one gets picked automatically.
Can I convert HEIC to ICO without uploading the photo anywhere?
Yes. Morphjet does the conversion on your own computer, so the photo never travels over the internet, even briefly, and you can do it with your wifi off.
Why would I turn an iPhone photo into an ICO in the first place?
Common reasons are making a favicon out of a logo photo, or turning a picture into a custom icon for a Windows app, folder, or shortcut.
Morphjet converts HEIC, ICO, and 1,800+ other formats, all on your machine. Launching this July.