Images conversion
Convert ICO to WebP
Updated Jul 2026
ICO is the format Windows uses for app icons and website favicons, and WebP is a modern image format built for the web. To convert ICO to WebP, open the file in a converter and export it as WebP. Doing this on your own computer means the icon file never has to leave your machine.
- Extension
- .ico
- Type
- Images
- Typically
- Favicons, app icons
- Transparency
- Supported
- Extension
- .webp
- Type
- Images
- Typically
- Modern web images
- Compression
- Lossy
- Transparency
- Supported
Convert ICO to WebP on your own computer. Nothing uploads.
How to convert ICO to WebP
- Open Morphjet and drag in the ICO file you want to convert. Add one icon or a whole folder at once.
- Choose WebP as the output format.
- Convert. The WebP is written next to your original, and nothing leaves your machine.
ICO vs WebP: what actually changes
| ICO | WebP | |
|---|---|---|
| File size | Larger, often bundles several sizes uncompressed | Smaller, one image with efficient compression |
| Quality | Lossless, exact pixels preserved | Lossy by default, a small quality loss but usually invisible at icon sizes |
| Transparency | Yes | Yes |
| Multiple sizes in one file | Yes, can hold 16x16 up to 256x256 in a single file | No, a WebP is one image at one size |
| Typical use | Windows app icons, browser favicons | General web images, photos, graphics |
| Browser support | Narrow, mainly icon slots | Wide, supported by all modern browsers |
When to convert, and when not to
Convert ICO to WebP when you want to reuse an app icon or favicon as an ordinary image, for example in a blog post, a design mockup, or anywhere that expects a standard picture rather than a Windows icon container.
Keep the ICO if it's still doing icon duty, such as a program's .ico file or a site's favicon.ico, since that's the format those slots actually expect.
Why not just use an online converter?
An online ICO to WebP converter uploads your icon file to a server you don't control, no matter how small the file is. If it's unreleased app branding or internal design work, sending it out over the internet at all is an unnecessary risk. Converting on your own computer keeps the file there the whole time, whether you're connected to the internet or not.
Questions
Does converting ICO to WebP lose quality?
A little. ICO stores pixels exactly, while WebP compresses the image, so there's a small quality trade-off. At the small sizes icons are usually viewed, it's rarely noticeable, and you can often raise the quality setting to reduce it further.
Will the WebP keep all the icon sizes from the ICO?
No. An ICO file can bundle several resolutions, like 16x16, 32x32, and 256x256, in one file. A WebP holds a single image, so the conversion picks one size, usually the largest, and the rest are dropped.
Can I use a WebP file as my website's favicon?
Support is inconsistent. Most browsers still expect a favicon.ico or a PNG in that slot, so keep the ICO for that job and convert to WebP only when you need the icon to behave like a regular image.
Can I convert ICO to WebP without uploading the file anywhere?
Yes. A desktop app like Morphjet converts the file on your own computer, so it never travels over the internet. You could do it with your wifi off.
Morphjet converts ICO, WebP, and 1,800+ other formats, all on your machine. Launching this July.