BMP vs ICO: Which Should You Use?
Side-by-side comparison of BMP and ICO image formats — features, pros, cons, and conversion options.
BMP is best for Simple uncompressed images in Windows applications. ICO is best for Website favicons and Windows application icons.
Quick Verdict
- ✓ Simple uncompressed format
- ✓ No quality loss
- ✓ Universal Windows support
- ✗ Extremely large file size
- ✓ Multiple sizes in one file
- ✓ Transparency support
- ✓ Required for website favicons
- ✗ Limited to small sizes
Specs Comparison
Side-by-side technical comparison of BMP and ICO
| Feature | BMP | ICO |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Image | Image |
| Year Introduced | 1986 | 1985 |
| MIME Type | image/bmp | image/x-icon |
| Extensions | .bmp | .ico |
| Lossy | ✗ | ✗ |
| Lossless | ✓ | ✓ |
| Transparency | ✗ | ✓ |
| Animation | ✗ | ✗ |
| Max Color Depth | 32-bit | 32-bit |
| Hdr | ✗ | ✗ |
Pros & Cons
BMP
- ✓ Simple uncompressed format
- ✓ No quality loss
- ✓ Universal Windows support
- ✗ Extremely large file size
- ✗ No transparency
- ✗ No compression
ICO
- ✓ Multiple sizes in one file
- ✓ Transparency support
- ✓ Required for website favicons
- ✗ Limited to small sizes
- ✗ Windows-centric
- ✗ Outdated for modern web (use PNG/SVG)
When to Use Each
Choose BMP when...
- You need files optimized for Simple uncompressed images in Windows applications
- Simple uncompressed format
- No quality loss
- You need lossless quality
Choose ICO when...
- You need files optimized for Website favicons and Windows application icons
- Multiple sizes in one file
- Transparency support
- You need lossless quality
How to Convert
Convert between BMP and ICO for free on ChangeThisFile
Frequently Asked Questions
BMP is best for Simple uncompressed images in Windows applications, while ICO is best for Website favicons and Windows application icons. Both are image formats but they differ in compression, compatibility, and intended use cases.
It depends on your use case. BMP is better for Simple uncompressed images in Windows applications. ICO is better for Website favicons and Windows application icons. Consider your specific requirements when choosing between them.
Go to the BMP to ICO converter on ChangeThisFile. The conversion runs entirely in your browser — your file never leaves your device. It's free with no signup required.
Yes. ChangeThisFile supports ICO to BMP conversion. The conversion runs in your browser with no upload required.
File size depends on the content and compression settings. BMP preserves full quality. ICO preserves full quality. For the smallest files, choose the format with lossy compression that meets your quality needs.
No, BMP does not support transparency, whereas ICO does. This may be an important factor depending on your use case.
Both BMP and ICO are supported file formats that are free to use. You can convert between them for free on ChangeThisFile — browser-based conversions have no limits and your files never leave your device.
BMP is newer — it was introduced in 1986, while ICO dates back to 1985. Newer formats often offer better compression and features, but older formats tend to have wider compatibility.
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