How to Convert HDR to ICO — Quick & Free
Fast, instant HDR to ICO conversion. No signup required. Just drop your .hdr file and get .ico in seconds.
Batch Settings
HDR data will be tone-mapped
Your HDR file may contain HDR (High Dynamic Range) data. ICO only supports standard dynamic range (SDR). Highlights and shadows will be compressed to fit the 8-bit range — subtle detail in very bright or dark areas may be lost.
About HDR to ICO Conversion
Short answer: yes, you can convert HDR to ICO online for free, and some quality differences may occur depending on the format types. Just upload your .hdr file to CocoConvert, pick ICO as the output, and click Convert. The whole process takes seconds.
Now for the details. HDR (Radiance) is a high-dynamic-range image format used in lighting and rendering. ICO is the icon format used for website favicons and Windows application icons. Converting between these two formats lets you improve file compatibility across devices.
Full Name: HDR uses Radiance HDR Image, while ICO uses Icon File. Compression: HDR uses Lossless, while ICO uses Lossless. Transparency: HDR uses No, while ICO uses Yes.
Your HDR file is decoded and re-encoded as ICO. Your HDR file may contain HDR (High Dynamic Range) data. ICO only supports standard dynamic range (SDR). Highlights and shadows will be compressed to fit the 8-bit range — subtle detail in very bright or dark areas may be lost.
CocoConvert runs entirely online — no software to install, no account to create. Your files are encrypted during upload (TLS), processed on isolated servers in Germany, and permanently deleted after 24 hours. It works in Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge, and all mobile browsers.
Need to convert more than one file? Free users can do 5 per hour. Pro gets 100 per hour with files up to 5 GB each.
How to Convert HDR to ICO
- 1
1. Upload HDR
Drop your .hdr file onto the page (or tap "Browse" on mobile). Add multiple files for batch conversion.
- 2
2. Select ICO
Choose .ico from the output dropdown. Settings are pre-configured for best results.
- 3
3. Convert
One click. The server handles all the heavy lifting using FFmpeg and Sharp.
- 4
4. Download
Your .ico file is ready. Download it directly or get all files as a zip archive.
What Happens When You Convert HDR to ICO
Your HDR image is decoded into raw pixel data, then re-encoded as ICO. No quality loss — pixel data is preserved exactly.
Your HDR file is decoded — the compressed/stored pixel data is expanded into raw RGB pixels
HDR data is tone-mapped to standard dynamic range (8-bit per channel)
Pixels are re-encoded using Icon File's lossless compression
Metadata (EXIF, ICC profiles) is transferred where ICO supports it
The ICO file is saved and ready for download
HDR vs ICO — Detailed Comparison
| Feature | .HDR | .ICO |
|---|---|---|
| Full Name | Radiance HDR Image | Icon File |
| Compression | Lossless | Lossless |
| Transparency | No | Yes |
| Animation | No | No |
| Color Depth | 32-bit float (RGBE encoding) | 32-bit (with alpha) |
| HDR Support | Yes | No |
| Typical File Size | 5–50 MB | <100 KB |
| Platform Support | Very Limited | Universal |
| Browser Support | none | Universal |
| Year Created | 1985 | 1985 |
| Open Standard | Yes | No |
Should You Convert HDR to ICO?
When to Convert
- ✓Your HDR file won't open on a recipient's device or in an application
- ✓A website, service, or platform only accepts ICO uploads
- ✓You need a file that works in web browsers
- ✓You need maximum device and software compatibility
When NOT to Convert
- ✗You want to preserve HDR information — ICO only supports standard dynamic range
Frequently Asked Questions
Is HDR to ICO conversion free?
Yes. CocoConvert offers free HDR to ICO conversion with generous daily limits — 25 minutes of processing time and up to 5 files per hour (250 MB each). Pro plans remove these limits.
How fast is HDR to ICO conversion?
Most files convert in 2–10 seconds depending on size. Large image files may take 30 seconds. Batch jobs process in parallel for maximum speed.
What happens to my files after conversion?
Your uploaded HDR file and the converted ICO file are both automatically deleted from our servers within 24 hours. They are never shared, sold, or analysed.
Does converting HDR to ICO lose quality?
Your HDR file may contain HDR (High Dynamic Range) data. ICO only supports standard dynamic range (SDR). Highlights and shadows will be compressed to fit the 8-bit range — subtle detail in very bright or dark areas may be lost.
Can I convert ICO back to HDR?
Yes, CocoConvert supports ICO to HDR conversion as well. However, if the original conversion involved lossy compression, converting back won't recover the lost data.
Versions are pinned in our worker Dockerfile and re-built via CI on every change.