ICO Analyzer

Upload any .ico file to inspect its layers, dimensions, bit depth, transparency, and platform compatibility. Download individual layers as PNG or export them all at once. Need to create icons? Try our PNG to ICO Converter or Favicon Generator.

Drop your ICO file here

or click to browse files

Accepts .ico files up to 5 MB
Related ICO Tools:
ICO to PNG PNG to ICO Icon Resizer ICO Viewer Favicon Resizer

How It Works

  1. Upload your .ico file using drag and drop or the file browser.
  2. The tool analyzes all icon layers, sizes, and bit depths.
  3. Review transparency support and format information per layer.
  4. Check size coverage for Windows and web compatibility.
  5. Download individual layers as PNG or export all as a ZIP archive. Need to convert? Use our ICO to PNG converter.

Understanding ICO Files

Layers

ICO files contain multiple images at different sizes. Windows automatically selects the best size for each context - taskbar, desktop, file explorer, and more. Use our Favicon Generator to create icons with all the right sizes.

PNG vs BMP

Modern ICO files can use PNG compression for larger sizes (48px+), reducing file size significantly. If you need to convert PNG to ICO, our converter handles this automatically.

Alpha Channel

32-bit icons support full alpha transparency, allowing smooth edges and shadows. For icons without transparency, consider editing in our Image Editor before converting.

Recommended Icon Sizes

16x16 (Required)

Browser tabs, small taskbar icons, context menus. Essential for favicons.

32x32 (Required)

Windows taskbar, desktop shortcuts, standard displays.

48x48 (Recommended)

Windows desktop icons and larger UI elements.

256x256 (Recommended)

Windows Vista+ high-DPI displays and large icon views. Use PNG for this size.

Pro tip: Use our Favicon Generator to create ICO files with all recommended sizes automatically. You can also resize existing icons to add missing sizes.

Frequently Asked Questions

ICO is a container format that stores multiple images at different sizes and color depths. It is the standard icon format for Windows applications and web favicons. You can create ICO files from PNG images using our converter.

Windows and browsers display icons at different sizes depending on context. Having multiple sizes ensures your icon looks crisp everywhere - from tiny browser tabs to large desktop views. Our Favicon Generator creates all necessary sizes automatically.

The quality score evaluates your ICO based on size coverage, format efficiency, transparency support, and overall file optimization. Higher scores indicate better compatibility across Windows versions and web browsers.

Yes. After analyzing your ICO file you can download any individual layer as a PNG. If the icon contains 3 or more layers you can also download all layers at once as a ZIP archive (including a README). For full batch conversion, try our ICO to PNG tool.

BMP (bitmap) is the traditional format for ICO layers, while PNG is a compressed alternative supported since Windows Vista. PNG layers are significantly smaller in file size. Best practice is to use BMP for sizes 32px and below, and PNG for larger sizes like 48px, 128px, and 256px.

A favicon is an ICO file placed in your website root as favicon.ico. Use our Favicon Generator to create one from any image, or convert a PNG to ICO. The minimum required sizes are 16x16 and 32x32 pixels. After creating your favicon, use the Favicon Checker to verify it works correctly.

Yes. All uploaded files are automatically deleted from our servers within 4 hours. We do not store, share, or analyze your files beyond providing the results you see on screen.