Convert BMP to ICO
Free, fast and secure — convert BMP to ICO right in your browser.
Convert BMP to ICO for wider compatibility
Converting BMP to ICO gives you a more widely supported file that opens cleanly across more devices, apps and platforms — handy when BMP will not play nicely everywhere.
How to convert BMP to ICO
- 1 Drop your BMP file into the converter above.
- 2 It is converted to ICO automatically — no settings to fiddle with.
- 3 Download your new ICO file instantly.
BMP vs ICO
| Feature | BMP | ICO |
|---|---|---|
| Compression | Lossless | Lossless |
| Transparency | No | Yes |
| Animation | No | No |
| Type | Raster | Raster |
| MIME type | image/bmp | image/x-icon |
| Best for | Legacy Windows workflows and cases where an uncompressed, exact bitmap is required. | Website favicons and Windows app icons — usually made from a PNG or SVG. |
About the formats
Bitmap image
BMP is an uncompressed raster format from the Windows world. It stores raw pixels with no quality loss, producing large but perfectly exact files.
Strengths
- Completely lossless, raw pixels
- Simple, widely readable on Windows
- No compression artefacts
Limitations
- Very large file sizes
- No transparency or animation
- Rarely used on the modern web
Best for: Legacy Windows workflows and cases where an uncompressed, exact bitmap is required.
Icon (ICO)
ICO is the Windows icon format, used for app icons and website favicons. A single ICO file can bundle several sizes so the right one is shown at each scale.
Strengths
- The standard for website favicons
- Bundles multiple sizes in one file
- Supports transparency
Limitations
- Tiny dimensions only
- Not for general photos
- Limited editor support
Best for: Website favicons and Windows app icons — usually made from a PNG or SVG.