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

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I simply want to have an .ico file that has multiple sizes of the icon image contained within it. I'd like it for use in a cross-platform desktop application (so that, e.g. on Windows, the 16x16 size is used for the app's top bar but a 32x32 size version is used when the various open apps are shown when using Alt-Tab). Once I have that .ico file, I know how to use it within my widget toolkit to get this effect, but I don't know how to get it.

What process should I use to make such a file?

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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

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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

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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

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'@icon sushi' is a portable utility that can create multiple icon ico file for free.

Drag & drop the different icon sizes, select them all and choose file -> create multiple icon.

You can download if from http://www.towofu.net/soft/e-aicon.php

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What i do is to prepare a 512x512 PNG, the Alpha Channel is good for rounded corners or drop shadows, then I upload it to this site http://convertico.com/, and for free then it returns me a 6 sizes .ico file with 256x256, 128x128, 64x64, 48x48, 32x32 and 16x16 sizes.

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Visual Studio Resource Editor (free as VS 2013 Community edition) can import PNG (and other formats) and export ICO.

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I found an app for Mac OSX called ICOBundle that allows you to easily drop a selection of ico files in different sizes onto the ICOBundle.app, prompts you for a folder destination and file name, and it creates the multi-icon .ico file.

• http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=Mac+OSX+ICOBundle&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8
• http://www.telegraphics.com.au/sw/info/icobundle.html

Now if it were only possible to mix-in an animated gif version into that one file it'd be a complete icon set, sadly not possible and requires a separate file and code snippet.

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Fresh answer 2018:

Step 1 Launch Microsoft Paint. Not Paint.Net but plain Paint

Step 2 Open the image you want to convert to icon format by clicking the “Paint” toolbar tab and selecting “Open.”

Step 3 Click the “Paint” tab, highlight the “Save As” option and select the “BMP picture” option. As 256-colored. There is a dropdown list.

Step 4 You have to open it in Paint.net now. Enter a file name for the icon and type “.ico” (without quotations) as the file extension. Select your preferred output folder for the icon and click “Save.”(still in bmp type) , exposing auto definition in saving parameters window.

This is a solution for those WHO DOESN'T WANT THE THIRD PARTY APPS TO GAIN PERMISSIONS ON THEIR COMP.
I use this simple way to create custom icons for folders on my desktop or documents.