If you are creating a new Windows application, you need to create an icon file with .ico extension. If you are using Visual Studio, it is really difficult to create icon file. Here is an easy way to create icon file from your logo png file.
Prerequisites
- High resolution logo png file
- Paint .Net – Free image editor
- IconCur plugin for Paint .Net (installation steps given below)
How to Install IconCur Plugin
You may get icon plugin file from https://forums.getpaint.net/topic/927-icon-cursor-and-animated-cursor-format-v37-may-2010/page/13/#comment-514467. This link is relative to number of pages so if it may change in the future. Here is a direct download link https://forums.getpaint.net/applications/core/interface/file/attachment.php?id=10208
Unzip the file and extract IcoCur.dll to C:\Program Files\paint.net\FileTypes
How to Create Icon File from Png?
I assume that you have a logo with highest resolution or in a vector format. Make sure that you have a logo in png format with transparency. Also I assume that you want your icon file with highest resolution of 256×256 and lowest resolution of 16×16. If you need to change your highest and lowest resolution, you may create additional files but the concept will remain the same.
I also assume that you are familiar with Paint.Net application, image resizing and basic image editing capabilities.
Use Paint .Net to create multiple logo files of following resolution from your high resolution logo png file. Use image resize function to create all these files. You may name these files as you want.
- 256×256
- 128×128
- 96×96
- 64×64
- 32×32
- 16×16
Let’s start the steps to create new icon file.
Create a new Paint .Net file with canvas size of 256×256.
Drag and drop all 6 files. When prompted, select “Add as layer”.
Rename layer with NNxNN naming convention. NN is the resolution. So layer with image resolution of 96×96 should be named as “96×96” and layer with image resolution of 128×128 should be named as “128×128”.
Arrange all layers in such a way that layer with highest resolution image goes on the top. Arranging the layers is a must to create the correct icon file.
Save file as pdn file so if you want to refer back to it, you may do so.
Now we are ready to generate icon file.
Go to File > Save As > select “.ico” as extension. This extension is available as you have installed “iconcur” plugin.
It will ask you to merge. Select Ok.
Icon file with .ico extension will be saved.
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