Images conversion
Convert JPG to ICO
Updated Jul 2026
JPG is a full-size photo format, and ICO is the small square icon file that Windows and browsers use for app icons and favicons. To convert, open the JPG in a converter, pick ICO as the output, and it gets resized down to icon dimensions. Doing this on your own computer means the original photo never has to be uploaded anywhere.
- Extension
- .jpg
- Type
- Images
- Typically
- The universal photo format
- Compression
- Lossy
- Transparency
- None
- Metadata
- Carries EXIF
- Extension
- .ico
- Type
- Images
- Typically
- Favicons, app icons
- Transparency
- Supported
Convert JPG to ICO on your own computer. Nothing uploads.
How to convert JPG to ICO
- Open Morphjet and drag in the JPG you want to turn into an icon, whether it's a logo, a photo, or a graphic.
- Choose ICO as the output format. Morphjet resizes it down to the square dimensions icons and favicons actually use.
- Convert. The ICO file is written next to your original, and nothing leaves your machine.
JPG vs ICO: what actually changes
| JPG | ICO | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical use | Full-size photos and images | Small app icons and browser favicons |
| File size | Larger, scales with resolution | Very small, limited to icon dimensions |
| Quality | Lossy, some detail lost at compression | Lossless at whatever size it's saved |
| Transparency | No | Yes, supports transparent backgrounds |
| Keeps date and location (EXIF) | Yes | No, icon files don't carry photo metadata |
| Opens everywhere | Yes, universal photo support | No, mainly recognized by Windows and browsers as an icon |
When to convert, and when not to
Convert JPG to ICO when you need a small square icon for a Windows program, a desktop shortcut, or a website favicon, and you're starting from a logo or photo saved as a JPG.
Keep the JPG if you actually need the full-resolution photo, since ICO only stores small icon-sized squares and throws away everything beyond that.
Why not just use an online converter?
A JPG straight off a phone or camera often carries EXIF metadata, including the date and sometimes the exact location where it was taken. The ICO file itself won't hold onto any of that once it's made, but running the conversion through an online tool still means the original JPG, location data included, has to be uploaded to someone else's server first. Converting on your own computer skips that step, so the photo and whatever is attached to it never leave your machine.
Questions
Does converting JPG to ICO lose quality?
The ICO itself is stored losslessly, but you lose detail simply because the image gets shrunk down to icon size, usually 16 to 256 pixels square. A detailed photo will look soft or muddy at that size no matter how it's converted.
Will my photo's metadata carry over to the ICO?
No. ICO is an icon container, not a photo format, so EXIF data like date, camera, and GPS location doesn't come along. If you're using an online converter though, that metadata still traveled with the JPG before it got stripped.
What size should the JPG be before I convert it?
Start with a square or near-square image if you can. ICO files typically hold one or more fixed sizes like 16x16, 32x32, or 256x256, so a square source crops and scales more predictably than a wide photo.
Can I use the ICO as a website favicon?
Yes, that's one of the two main uses for ICO files, alongside Windows app and shortcut icons. Most browsers still look for favicon.ico by default.
Can this be done offline without uploading my photo?
Yes. A desktop app like Morphjet converts the file on your own computer, so it never has to travel over the internet. You could do it with your wifi off.
Morphjet converts JPG, ICO, and 1,800+ other formats, all on your machine. Launching this July.