Images conversion
Convert TIFF to ICO
Updated Jul 2026
TIFF is a large, detailed image format used by scanners and print shops, while ICO is the small icon format Windows and browsers use for app icons and favicons. To convert TIFF to ICO, open the file in a converter, pick ICO as the output, and it resizes the image down to icon dimensions. Doing this on your own computer keeps the original file off other people's servers.
- Extension
- .tiff
- Type
- Images
- Typically
- Scans, print, archival
- Transparency
- None
- Metadata
- Carries EXIF
- Extension
- .ico
- Type
- Images
- Typically
- Favicons, app icons
- Transparency
- Supported
Convert TIFF to ICO on your own computer. Nothing uploads.
How to convert TIFF to ICO
- Open Morphjet and drag in the TIFF file, or a whole folder of them, that you want as an icon.
- Choose ICO as the output format.
- Convert. Morphjet writes the ICO file next to your original, and nothing leaves your machine.
TIFF vs ICO: what actually changes
| TIFF | ICO | |
|---|---|---|
| File size | Large, often several megabytes | Tiny, usually a few kilobytes |
| Typical dimensions | Full resolution, can be thousands of pixels wide | Small, fixed icon sizes like 16x16 up to 256x256 |
| Quality | Lossless, keeps every detail | Lossless, but detail is lost when the image is shrunk down to icon size |
| Transparency | Supported but rarely used | Yes, needed for icons that sit on any background |
| Compatibility | Opens in image editors and scanning software, not web browsers | Recognized by Windows, Mac, and browsers as an icon or favicon |
| Metadata | Often carries EXIF and scanner details | None, ICO stores only the icon image data |
When to convert, and when not to
Convert TIFF to ICO when you have high-resolution artwork, a logo, or a scanned graphic and need to turn it into a favicon or an app icon.
Keep the TIFF original if you need the full-resolution image for print or archiving, since an ICO is stripped down to a tiny, fixed icon size and can't be scaled back up.
Why not just use an online converter?
TIFF files from scanners and cameras can carry embedded metadata, including the device that created them and sometimes location data. Sending that file to an online converter means a stranger's server sees it before you get your icon back. Converting on your own computer means the original TIFF, and whatever it carries, never leaves your machine.
Questions
Does converting TIFF to ICO lose quality?
The icon format itself is lossless, but ICO files are small and fixed size, so shrinking a large TIFF down to 16x16 or 32x32 pixels loses fine detail simply because there's less room to show it.
What sizes does an ICO file contain?
An ICO can bundle several sizes in one file, typically ranging from 16x16 up to 256x256 pixels, so the operating system can pick the right one depending on where the icon is shown.
Will the ICO keep the TIFF's metadata?
No. ICO files only store icon image data, so any EXIF or scanner metadata in the original TIFF doesn't carry over.
Can I convert TIFF to ICO without uploading it anywhere?
Yes. A desktop app like Morphjet converts the file on your own computer, so it never travels over the internet.
Does the ICO support transparent backgrounds?
Yes, ICO supports transparency, which is why it works for icons that need to sit cleanly on any background color.
Morphjet converts TIFF, ICO, and 1,800+ other formats, all on your machine. Launching this July.