ICO VS HEIC
The ultimate comparison guide. Understanding the technical differences between Icon File and High Efficiency Image Container.
ICO
icoStandard format used for computer icons and favicons.
Pros
- Contains multiple resolutions
- Standard for Windows/Web icons
Cons
- Limited use case
- Inefficient for general images
HEIC
heicStandard format on modern Apple devices, highly efficient storage.
Pros
- Half the size of JPG
- 16-bit color
- Live photo support
Cons
- Limited support on Windows/Android
- Licensing issues
When ICO wins
Stay with ICO when you need favicons or desktop icons. Its strengths center on contains multiple resolutions and a feature set native to Microsoft.
When HEIC wins
Choose HEIC when your workflow prioritizes iphone photography or apple ecosystem. It delivers half the size of jpg plus modern compression perks.
Technical Specifications
| Feature | ICO | HEIC |
|---|---|---|
| MIME Type | image/x-icon | image/heic |
| Developer | Microsoft | MPEG |
| Release Year | 1985 | 2015 |
| Best For | Favicons, Desktop icons | iPhone photography, Apple ecosystem |
Need to switch?
Where ICO still wins
Keep ICO when you need contains multiple resolutions and workflows depend on favicons / desktop icons. Link those teams directly to the converter above so they can ship HEIC deliverables without leaving their browser.
- • Reference the .ico glossary from this page.
- • Embed the conversion CTA in docs, wikis, and onboarding runbooks.
- • Use HEIC for iphone photography while archiving originals as ICO.
Keep crawlers in the conversion hub
Link this comparison to the relevant tool, glossary, and documentation pages so every crawl discovers a monetizable route.