BMP to ICO Converter

Convert BMP bitmap images to ICO icons with multiple sizes, transparency preservation, and quality control - ready for web favicons and desktop applications.

Drop your BMP image here

or click to browse files

Supports BMP files up to 10 MB
Related:
PNG to ICO JPG to ICO AVIF to ICO WebP to ICO Favicon Generator BMP to JPG

How to Convert BMP to ICO

  1. Upload your BMP file

    Drag and drop your BMP image onto the tool or click to select a file from your device.

  2. Select icon sizes

    Choose the sizes you need - 16x16, 32x32, 48x48, and more - or use one of the quick presets.

  3. Adjust options

    Set quality, color depth, and transparency settings. Use the "Favicon" preset for browser tabs or "Desktop" for Windows icons.

  4. Download your ICO file

    Click "Convert to ICO" and your multi-size icon file will be ready to download instantly.

Need a PNG source instead? Use our PNG to ICO converter for better transparency support, or try the Favicon Generator for a guided experience.

Size Presets Guide

Favicon

16x16, 32x32, 48x48 - the essential sizes for website favicons shown in browser tabs, bookmarks, and address bars. Use the Favicon Generator for a complete favicon package.

Desktop

16x16 through 256x256 - a full set for Windows desktop icons, shortcuts, and Explorer views at every zoom level.

All Sizes

All available sizes including 512x512 - ideal for high-DPI displays and modern applications that request large icon assets.

About the BMP Format

BMP (Bitmap) is an uncompressed raster image format developed by Microsoft, widely used in Windows environments. BMP files store every pixel's color data directly, which means high fidelity but large file sizes compared to compressed formats like JPG or PNG.

Our converter processes your BMP into the ICO format, which bundles multiple icon sizes into a single file. This is the standard format for favicons, Windows application icons, and desktop shortcuts.

Pro tip: Standard BMP files don't support transparency. For transparent icons, use a PNG source with our PNG to ICO converter, or enable "Preserve transparency" with 32-bit color depth when converting 32-bit BMP files. You can also start from AVIF or WebP files which natively support alpha channels.

Frequently Asked Questions

Standard BMP files don't support transparency. However, 32-bit BMP files can include an alpha channel. Our converter will preserve this if present and 32-bit color depth is selected. For reliable transparency, consider converting from PNG to ICO instead.

For favicons, use the "Favicon" preset which includes 16x16, 32x32, and 48x48. These cover browser tabs, bookmarks, and shortcuts across all major browsers. For a complete favicon setup, try the Favicon Generator which also creates Apple Touch Icons and manifest files.

32-bit is recommended for most uses - it provides full color plus an alpha (transparency) channel. Use 8-bit or 4-bit only when targeting legacy systems or if you need a very small file size with simple graphics.

BMP is an uncompressed format - every pixel's color is stored individually with no compression. This preserves quality but results in large file sizes. The ICO output will typically be smaller since it uses PNG compression internally. If file size is a concern with your source images, consider JPG to ICO for photos.

Yes, completely free with no registration required. ConvertICO also offers PNG to ICO, JPG to ICO, and many other free image conversion tools. All files are processed securely and deleted automatically after a short period.