ARW to ICO — Format Comparison & Online Converter
Fast, instant ARW (SONY) to ICO conversion. No signup required. Just drop your .arw file and get .ico in seconds.
Batch Settings
HDR data will be tone-mapped
Your ARW 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.
Some metadata may not survive
Your ARW file may contain EXIF, MakerNote, XMP metadata. ICO has limited or no support for these metadata types. Location data (GPS), camera settings, and color profiles may be stripped during conversion.
About ARW (SONY) to ICO Conversion
ARW (introduced 2006) and ICO (introduced 1985) are both image formats, but they differ in important ways. ARW is Sony's RAW photo format preserving the full dynamic range captured by the sensor. ICO is the icon format used for website favicons and Windows application icons.
Full Name: ARW uses Sony Alpha RAW, while ICO uses Icon File. Compression: ARW uses Lossless, while ICO uses Lossless. Transparency: ARW uses No, while ICO uses Yes.
When you convert ARW to ICO, the goal is to improve file compatibility across devices. Your ARW 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. Understanding these technical differences helps you choose the right format for your workflow.
Your ARW file is decoded and re-encoded as ICO. The conversion involves 4 steps: (1) your arw file is uploaded and the format is validated, (2) the file content is decoded into its raw representation, (3) the data is re-encoded in ico format with optimal settings, (4) the converted file is ready for download.
CocoConvert's converter handles the entire pipeline server-side using FFmpeg, Sharp, and qpdf — battle-tested libraries used by streaming platforms and enterprise tools. Files are encrypted in transit and deleted within 24 hours.
This conversion is ideal when you Your ARW file won't open on a recipient's device or in an application, or when you A website, service, or platform only accepts ICO uploads. For the opposite direction, CocoConvert also supports ICO to ARW conversion.
How to Convert ARW (SONY) to ICO
- 1
Upload .arw file
Select your ARW file by dragging it to the upload zone or using the file picker. Batch upload is available for multiple files.
- 2
Choose .ico
Set ICO as the output format. The converter uses optimal settings based on the ARW→ICO conversion profile.
- 3
Convert
The server-side engine decodes your ARW file and re-encodes it as ICO. Processing time depends on file size and complexity.
- 4
Download result
Grab your converted .ico file. Multiple output files can be downloaded together.
What Happens When You Convert ARW (SONY) to ICO
Your ARW image is decoded into raw pixel data, then re-encoded as ICO. No quality loss — pixel data is preserved exactly.
Your ARW 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
ARW (SONY) vs ICO — Detailed Comparison
| Feature | .ARW | .ICO |
|---|---|---|
| Full Name | Sony Alpha RAW | Icon File |
| Compression | Lossless | Lossless |
| Transparency | No | Yes |
| Animation | No | No |
| Color Depth | 14 bits/channel | 32-bit (with alpha) |
| HDR Support | Yes | No |
| Typical File Size | 25–50 MB per photo | <100 KB |
| Platform Support | Limited | Universal |
| Browser Support | none | Universal |
| Year Created | 2006 | 1985 |
| Open Standard | No | No |
Should You Convert ARW (SONY) to ICO?
When to Convert
- ✓Your ARW 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
What is the difference between ARW and ICO?
ARW is Sony's RAW photo format preserving the full dynamic range captured by the sensor. ICO is the icon format used for website favicons and Windows application icons. Full Name: ARW uses Sony Alpha RAW, while ICO uses Icon File. Compression: ARW uses Lossless, while ICO uses Lossless. Transparency: ARW uses No, while ICO uses Yes.
Does ARW to ICO conversion affect quality?
Your ARW 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.
Which format has better compression, ARW or ICO?
ARW uses lossless compression. ICO uses lossless compression. The better choice depends on whether you prioritize file size or quality.
How long does ARW to ICO conversion take?
Most conversions finish in seconds. Larger files or complex image content may take 10–30 seconds. CocoConvert processes files in parallel for batch jobs.
Is ARW or ICO better for long-term storage?
ICO is better for archival since it preserves all original data.
Versions are pinned in our worker Dockerfile and re-built via CI on every change.