icon sizes

There is no single correct icon size. Choose the destination first: an interface glyph, a store listing, a search favicon, and a Windows ICO each answer a different sizing question. Use the image tool here to make a square PNG preview, then open the converter if you need a multi-size ICO.

Resize an image to an icon size

Choose a local image Output dimensions

Choose an image to preview a square, contain-fit PNG.

The image stays in this browser. This resizes a PNG preview; it does not create an ICO file.

Convert a PNG to a multi-size ICO

Pick the destination first. The word “icon” names several different assets.

For a standard Material interface glyph, start at 24 dp; Material also documents 20, 40, and 48 dp sizes. For Apple app-store artwork, use a 1024 × 1024 px square. Google Search recommends a square favicon larger than 48 × 48 px. A Windows application icon is a multi-size ICO problem, not one PNG dimension. Match the asset to the surface before exporting.

Why icon sizes do not share one answer

A size label can refer to the drawing grid, the screen space occupied by an interface symbol, or the pixel dimensions of a file. Those values are not interchangeable. A 24 dp interface icon is not the same deliverable as a 24-pixel PNG, and neither is an app-store image.

The useful decision is not “which size is standard?” but “what will read this file, and what does it expect?” Choose the surface first; then choose the unit and file container.

Keep three questions separate: the space a glyph occupies, the dimensions of a raster canvas, and the image layers stored in an icon file.

Match the file to where it will appear

Use this routing table before resizing. A pixel value describes an exported raster file; dp describes a density-independent Android or Material layout unit. A Windows ICO can hold several raster layers in one file.

The picker above applies one concrete rule that the size tables do not show: it fits a non-square source inside the selected square canvas, preserves the aspect ratio, and leaves transparent padding. It does not crop the edges or invent missing detail. This lets you see the actual exported canvas before downloading.

When a larger export helps—and when it does not

Starting from a larger source can preserve more detail when making a smaller raster copy. Enlarging a small raster does not restore detail that is absent from the source. For scalable interface art, keep the vector master and export the raster dimensions required by the destination.

For a reproducible preview, compare the selected square with the checkerboard: a 2:1 source fitted to a square leaves half the canvas height transparent, split evenly above and below. The output dimension is the selected canvas size, while the drawn artwork occupies half that height. A size picker cannot tell whether the artwork remains recognizable, so inspect the tiny preview too.

Illustrative geometry, not a device measurement: a chosen 256 × 128 px source fits a 256 × 256 px canvas with (256 − 128) ÷ 2 = 64 px of transparent padding on each side vertically. The checkerboard represents transparency.

A quick export check

Confirm the destination, unit, shape, and container before you save: interface layout uses logical units; app stores request their own listing artwork; browser and search favicons have separate constraints; Windows may request one of several ICO frames.

For Windows, use the converter to package the intended sizes into an ICO, then inspect the saved file. A square PNG download from the picker above is only a resized PNG; it is not a Windows icon file. Keep the resize and container-conversion steps separate: the picker changes raster dimensions, while the converter writes ICO frames.

A PNG canvas and a multi-size ICO are different deliverables. This layer set is an example, not a universal requirement; layer drawings are schematic and not to scale.

Destination	What the size means	Starting point	What to export
Material interface glyph	Logical layout unit (dp)	24 dp; also 20, 40, or 48 dp where the layout calls for them	Vector artwork or raster assets at the platform scale
Apple app-store artwork	Raster canvas in pixels	1024 × 1024 px square	A square app icon asset
Google Search favicon	Square image file in pixels	Larger than 48 × 48 px is recommended	A stable favicon URL in a supported image format
Windows application icon	Several raster frames in one icon container	16, 24, 32, 48, and 256 px cover common Windows requests	A multi-size .ico file
Android app-store listing	Raster canvas in pixels	512 × 512 px	The Google Play listing icon; launcher assets are a separate job

Do not confuse a grid with a rendered size

An SVG viewBox is its internal coordinate system. CSS or the destination platform determines how large it appears. Keep the vector source when it is available; create pixel-sized copies only for surfaces that require raster files.

For a Windows ICO, keep the layers together

Windows can choose an image layer that fits the display request. Exporting only a 256-pixel PNG does not give the shell a hand-authored small frame. Make the ICO from a good source image, include the needed sizes, and inspect the resulting layers before using it.

Choose a size without guessing

01
Name the destination
Decide whether the image is a UI glyph, store listing, favicon, launcher asset, or Windows application icon. Do not select dimensions until you know which surface will consume it.
02
Keep the units straight
Use dp for Material layout values and pixels for raster file dimensions. A dp value is not a promise that every screen will use the same number of device pixels.
03
Preview the real artwork small
Choose a local image above and download a square PNG preview at a selected pixel size. Check whether thin details survive. Use the PNG-to-ICO converter when the destination requires a layered Windows icon.

FAQ

Icon sizes questions

What is the standard size for an icon?

There is no one standard for every destination. Material interface icons use 24 dp as the standard size, while app-store images, favicons, and Windows ICO files follow different requirements.

Is 24 dp the same as 24 px?

No. dp is a density-independent layout unit. The number of physical pixels used to render it can vary with screen density.

What size should a favicon be for Google Search?

Google requires a square favicon at least 8 by 8 pixels and recommends one larger than 48 by 48 pixels. A favicon must also be crawlable and its URL should remain stable.

Can I use one PNG as every icon?

One source image can be resized for more than one destination, but the files and containers are not always interchangeable. A Windows ICO may need several frames, and small symbols may need simpler artwork to remain clear.