Convert SVG to ICO on Mac
Select the SVG files in Finder, press ⌥ F, choose ICO and press Return. FileFlip saves each ICO next to its original and works without an internet connection.
How to convert SVG to ICO with FileFlip
Select the SVG files
In Finder or on the Desktop. One file, or a whole folder with ⌘ A.
Press ⌥ F
FileFlip opens next to the selection and lists the formats it can make from SVG. Type “ICO” to jump to it.
Choose ICO and press Return
The ICO files appear next to the originals with the same names. The SVG files stay as they are.
SVG and ICO
Many apps, documents and upload forms only accept pixel images, not SVG. ICO is what Windows uses for icons and what browsers look for as favicon.ico.
What changes when you convert
- SVG is a vector format and ICO stores pixels, so the result has a fixed size and won’t stay sharp when enlarged.
- ICO images are at most 256 × 256 pixels, so large pictures are scaled down.
| Property | SVG | ICO |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Scalable Vector Graphics | Windows icon |
| Made by | W3C | Microsoft |
| Compression | Vector, stored as text | Bitmap or PNG inside |
| Transparency | Yes | Yes |
| Best for | Logos, icons and illustrations that need to scale | Windows icons and website favicons |
| Opens in | Every web browser and design apps such as Figma and Illustrator | Windows, web browsers and most image editors |
| File extension | .svg | .ico |
| In FileFlip | Opens | Opens and saves |
Other ways on a Mac
For one file now and then you may not need FileFlip. These work with what’s already on your Mac.
Terminal
The sips command converts images in place or into a new file.
sips -s format ico logo.svg \
--out logo.icoRecent macOS versions read SVG with sips; older ones don’t. Run sips --formats to check yours.
Questions about SVG and ICO
Can I convert many SVG files at once?
Yes. Select them all in Finder, press ⌥ F and choose ICO. Progress moves to the menu bar, so you can close the panel and keep working.
How big can an ICO be?
ICO images are at most 256 × 256 pixels. Use a square source image so nothing gets stretched.
Where is the ICO file saved?
Next to the original, with the same name and the .ico extension. The SVG file isn’t changed. In Settings you can choose a different folder instead.
Can I convert ICO back to SVG?
No. FileFlip opens SVG files but doesn’t save them.
Are my files uploaded anywhere?
No. FileFlip converts files on your Mac and works with the internet turned off.
Convert a whole folder of images at once
FileFlip also handles video, audio, PDFs, documents and data files. Requires macOS 14 Sonoma or later.
Coming soon for Mac