How to make/get a multi size .ico file? [closed]

Solution 1:

This can be done for free using GIMP.

It uses the ability of GIMP to have each layer a different size.

I created the following layers sized correctly.

• 256x256 will be saved as 32bpp 8bit alpha
• 48x48 will be saved as 32bpp 8bit alpha
• 48x48 will be saved as 8bpp 1bit alpha
• 32x32 will be saved as 32bpp 8bit alpha
• 32x32 will be saved as 8bpp 1bit alpha
• 32x32 will be saved as 4bpp 1bit alpha
• 16x16 will be saved as 32bpp 8bit alpha
• 16x16 will be saved as 8bpp 1bit alpha
• 16x16 will be saved as 4bpp 1bit alpha

Notes

• You may need to check other resources to confirm to yourself that this is a sensible list of resolutions and colour depths.
• Make sure you use transparency round the outside of your image, and anti-aliased edges. You should see the grey checkerboard effect round the outside of your layers to indicate they are transparent
• The 16x16 icons will need to be heavily edited by hand using a 1 pixel wide pencil and the eyedropper tool to make them look any good.
• Do not change colour depth / Mode in GIMP. Leave it as RGB
• You change the colour depths when you save as an .ico - GIMP pops up a special dialog box for changing the colour settings for each layer

Solution 2:

ImageMagick, the free and open source image manipulation toolkit, can easily do this:

Note: Since ImageMagick 7, the CLI has changed slightly, you need to add magick in front of any commands.

magick convert icon-16.png icon-32.png icon-64.png icon-128.png icon.ico

See also http://www.imagemagick.org/Usage/thumbnails/#favicon, that has the example:

magick convert image.png -bordercolor white -border 0 \
          \( -clone 0 -resize 16x16 \) \
          \( -clone 0 -resize 32x32 \) \
          \( -clone 0 -resize 48x48 \) \
          \( -clone 0 -resize 64x64 \) \
          -delete 0 -alpha off -colors 256 favicon.ico

There is also now the shorter:

magick convert image.png -define icon:auto-resize="256,128,96,64,48,32,16" favicon.ico

Solution 3:

The excellent (free trial) IcoFX allows you to create and edit icons, including multiple sizes up to 256x256, PNG compression, and transparency. I highly recommend it over most of the alternates.

Get your copy here: http://icofx.ro/ . It supports Windows XP onwards.

Windows automatically chooses the proper icon from the file, depending on where it is to be displayed. For more information on icon design and the sizes/bit depths you should include, see these references:

• Icons (Windows Aero)

• Creating Windows XP Icons