Creating Icons From JPEGs In Windows – Here’s What You Need To Know

The majority of the image-editing software available on Windows facilitates creating different formats such as JPEGS, PNGs, SVG, etc. On the other hand, Icons have an entirely different format, i.e., they feature a .ICO extension. Windows does not allow .JPEG files to be used as icons, and therefore, if you want to use it as an icon, you need to convert it to an ICO file. Once converted, you can use the smaller-sized icon file to act as identifiers for folders, files, shortcuts or directories.

In this article, we will look at some of the most convenient ways to create icons from JPEGs.

Creating Icons from JPEGs:

Since we have already established that we can use JPEGs as icons by converting them to .ICO formats, here are two primary ways of making icons using JPEGs –

  • By using applications
  • By using websites

Applications for Creating Icons from JPEGs:

There are numerous applications available that can convert a JPEG into an ICO file. Here are some of them:

  • Microsoft Paint

MS Paint, the simple and sophisticated Windows app, can convert any JPEG to an ICO file without any hassle. According to Gizmodo, the famous in-built Paint application got a significant makeover in Windows 11. To convert a JPEG to an Icon, you need to follow these steps:

Step 1 – Open the application and click on “File” from the toolbar menu. From there, click on “Open” and select the JPEG file you wish to convert.

Step 2 – Select the “File” option present in the Toolbar menu and click on “Save As.”

Step 3 – Type the desired name for the icon, and at the end, add “.ICO”. Remember to leave “JPEG” in the “Save as type” box. Doing so will activate the conversion.

Step 4 – Click on “File” followed by “Open” and choose “ICO” (.ICO) present in the “Files as Type” drop-down box.

Step 5 – Finally, select the icon and click on “Open” to view the icon file.

Besides MS Paint, Windows has numerous apps that let you convert a JPEG to an ICO file. However, if you are a Mac user, Image2icon is the perfect app for you to convert any image into an icon. The app makes generating icons feel like a swift breeze. Be it any picture, the app can convert it into a full-fledged icon.

  • Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Photoshop is a very famous name among creatives from all around the globe. Needless to say, Photoshop is an extremely powerful software for creating or tweaking images since it features an extensive range of features and functionalities. However, if you wish to convert a JPEG to an icon, you first need to download and install “ICO FORMAT”, an open-source plugin. You need to insert a free plugin into Photoshop’s “plugins” folder when the message is prompted. Once it has been installed, restart Photoshop. Next, open the JPEG you want to convert to an icon. The plugin enables you to convert an image into an icon by adding “.ICO” as the file’s extension name.

Websites for Creating Icons from JPEGs:

Apart from the applications mentioned above, you can also use the following websites to convert JPEG files and use them as icons:

  • ICO Convert

ICO Convert is a website that lets you convert any JPEG to an ICO file for free. To start, you need to navigate to the website, click on the “Choose File” button and select the JPEG from your system you want to convert. Then click on the “Upload” button. When you scroll down, there is an option to crop or resize your image. You can also choose to apply a style. Followed by this, you will be asked to select the icon’s format. Select your preferred option and move on to the final step. Click on “Convert to ICO” and download it by clicking on “Download your icon(s)”.

  • CoolUtils

Another helpful website if you want to create an icon from JPEGs is CoolUtils. The website is free and offers a quick solution to all your converting needs. To begin, navigate to the website’s “Free Online Image Converter” webpage. Then, press the “Browse” button and select the JPEG file you want to turn into an icon. Next, select “ICO” present in the “set convert options” section. Finally, click on the “Download Converted File” option to download the converted file. This will save the converted ICO file to the selected location.

The Windows operating system comes equipped with a limited number of icons. Moreover, it does not allow users to use other files to assign icons. Therefore, if you wish to customize your PC’s icons as per your preferences, you need to convert your desired JPEGs into ICO files and then apply them as icons for different folders and files.