ICO vs QOI: Which Should You Use?
Side-by-side comparison of ICO and QOI image formats — features, pros, cons, and conversion options.
ICO is best for Website favicons and Windows application icons. QOI is best for Real-time applications requiring fast lossless image encoding.
Quick Verdict
- ✓ Multiple sizes in one file
- ✓ Transparency support
- ✓ Required for website favicons
- ✗ Limited to small sizes
- ✓ Extremely fast encode/decode
- ✓ Lossless compression
- ✓ Simple specification
- ✗ Lower compression than PNG
Specs Comparison
Side-by-side technical comparison of ICO and QOI
| Feature | ICO | QOI |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Image | Image |
| Year Introduced | 1985 | 2021 |
| MIME Type | image/x-icon | image/qoi |
| Extensions | .ico | .qoi |
| Animation | ✗ | ✗ |
| Hdr | ✗ | ✗ |
| Lossless | ✓ | ✓ |
| Lossy | ✗ | ✗ |
| Max Color Depth | 32-bit | 8-bit |
| Transparency | ✓ | ✓ |
Pros & Cons
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- ✗ Outdated for modern web (use PNG/SVG)
QOI
- ✓ Extremely fast encode/decode
- ✓ Lossless compression
- ✓ Simple specification
- ✗ Lower compression than PNG
- ✗ Very limited adoption
- ✗ No advanced features
When to Use Each
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
Choose QOI when...
- You need files optimized for Real-time applications requiring fast lossless image encoding
- Extremely fast encode/decode
- Lossless compression
- You need lossless quality
How to Convert
Convert between ICO and QOI for free on ChangeThisFile
Frequently Asked Questions
ICO is best for Website favicons and Windows application icons, while QOI is best for Real-time applications requiring fast lossless image encoding. Both are image formats but they differ in compression, compatibility, and intended use cases.
It depends on your use case. ICO is better for Website favicons and Windows application icons. QOI is better for Real-time applications requiring fast lossless image encoding. Consider your specific requirements when choosing between them.
Go to the ICO to QOI 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 QOI to ICO conversion. The conversion runs in your browser with no upload required.
File size depends on the content and compression settings. ICO preserves full quality. QOI preserves full quality. For the smallest files, choose the format with lossy compression that meets your quality needs.
ICO and QOI share some features but differ in others. Check the feature comparison table above for a detailed side-by-side breakdown.
Both ICO and QOI 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.
QOI is newer — it was introduced in 2021, while ICO dates back to 1985. Newer formats often offer better compression and features, but older formats tend to have wider compatibility.
Related Comparisons
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