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free way to turn a png into an .ico file on windows

I made a logo as a png and want to use it as a folder icon. Windows needs .ico. Is there a free method that doesn't involve signing up for some sketchy site?
png ico
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mia_tech Oct 27, 2026
irabyte
Don't just rename the file to .ico, Windows will show a blank icon. It has to actually be converted. GIMP does it properly and it's free. Open the png, crop it square first (256x256 is the size Windows likes best), then File > Export As and type the name ending in .ico. It asks a couple of questions about the format, defaults are fine. IrfanView can save as ico too if you already have that installed.
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