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Convert ICO to XML - Extract and Structure Icon Data

Transform Windows icon files into structured XML data for documentation and analysis.

Step 1: Upload your files

You can also Drag and drop files.

Step 2: Choose format
Step 3: Convert files

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Why Extract ICO Data to XML?

ICO files are binary containers that store Windows icons, but their contents are locked away in a format that is difficult to inspect or document. Converting ICO files to XML extracts this hidden information into a structured, human-readable format.

XML representation makes icon data accessible for asset inventories, software documentation, and cross-platform workflows. In our testing, developers and designers use this conversion primarily for cataloging icon collections and generating technical documentation.

How to Convert ICO to XML

  1. Upload your ICO file - Drag and drop or click to select your Windows icon file
  2. Process the conversion - We extract metadata and encode the icon data to XML structure
  3. Download your XML - Get a complete structured representation of your icon

The entire process happens in your browser. No software installation required, no account needed.

What Gets Extracted

When you convert ICO to XML, the output includes structured data about your icon:

  • Image dimensions - All sizes contained in the ICO (16x16, 32x32, 48x48, 256x256, etc.)
  • Color depth - Bits per pixel for each icon variant
  • Embedded image data - Base64-encoded representation of the icon graphics
  • Format information - Whether icons use BMP or PNG internal encoding

The XML structure makes all this information easy to parse programmatically or review manually.

Common Use Cases

Software Asset Management

IT departments cataloging application icons benefit from XML output. The structured format integrates with asset management databases and inventory systems far more easily than binary ICO files.

Technical Documentation

When documenting software or creating icon style guides, XML provides a parseable record of icon specifications. Include the XML in project documentation for complete technical reference.

Cross-Platform Development

XML is universal while ICO is Windows-specific. Converting icon data to XML allows teams using macOS or Linux to work with Windows icon information without specialized software.

Batch Processing Workflows

Need to analyze hundreds of icons? XML output can be processed with standard text tools, scripts, or imported into spreadsheets for bulk analysis of icon collections.

ICO vs XML Format Comparison

Understanding the fundamental differences helps clarify what this conversion accomplishes:

  • ICO - Binary container format specific to Windows icons. Compact storage, contains actual image data, directly usable as icons
  • XML - Text-based markup language for structured data. Human-readable, universally parseable, platform-independent

The conversion transforms visual icon data into descriptive structured data. The XML cannot be used as an icon directly, but provides a complete technical description of the original file.

When to Use a Different Format

ICO to XML is ideal for documentation and data extraction. But if you need visual output:

  • Need web-ready graphics? - Convert ICO to PNG or SVG instead for images you can display
  • Need printable documents? - ICO to PDF preserves visual rendering in document form
  • Need HTML embedding? - ICO to HTML creates a viewable web page with the icon displayed

Choose XML when you need the data about the icon rather than the icon itself.

Works on Any Device

Our browser-based converter runs on any modern device:

  • Windows, macOS, Linux, ChromeOS
  • Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge
  • Tablets and mobile devices

No plugins or downloads required. Process your ICO files wherever you have a web browser.

Pro Tip

Use ICO to XML conversion to create searchable inventories of icon assets. The structured output can be parsed with any XML library, making it easy to build databases of icon specifications across large software projects.

Common Mistake

Expecting to use the XML file as an icon replacement. XML is a data format for documentation and analysis - to actually display or use an icon, you need the original ICO or convert to an image format like PNG.

Best For

Software documentation, asset management systems, and cross-platform teams who need to catalog or analyze Windows icon files without specialized Windows-only tools.

Not Recommended

When you need visual output or a usable icon file. For displaying icons on web pages or in applications, convert ICO to PNG or SVG instead.

Frequently Asked Questions

ICO to XML conversion extracts the metadata and image data from a Windows icon file and structures it in XML format. The result is a human-readable text file containing all technical information about the icon, including dimensions, color depth, and Base64-encoded image data.

If the XML contains Base64-encoded image data, it can theoretically be decoded back to binary form. However, this is a specialized process that requires proper XML parsing and icon reconstruction. The conversion is primarily intended for documentation rather than round-trip editing.

XML files are always larger because text representation requires more bytes than binary encoding. Base64 encoding alone increases size by about 33%, and XML's markup tags add additional overhead. A 10KB ICO might become 30-50KB in XML format.

The XML includes icon dimensions (all sizes in the ICO container), color depth in bits per pixel, image format (BMP or PNG internal encoding), and the actual image data encoded as Base64 strings. All structural information about the icon is preserved.

Not directly. XML is a data format, not an image format. To see the icon visually, you would need to extract the Base64-encoded image data and decode it. For visual output, convert ICO to PNG or another image format instead.

Yes, particularly for documentation and asset management. Web developers can use XML output to catalog icon assets, generate technical specifications, or process icon metadata with standard XML tools and scripts.

Yes. The converter runs entirely in your browser and works on any device with a modern web browser, including phones and tablets running iOS or Android.

The converter handles ICO files of any size, including multi-resolution icons that contain 16x16, 32x32, 48x48, and 256x256 variants. All embedded sizes are extracted and included in the XML output.

Yes, batch conversion is supported. Upload multiple ICO files and convert them all to XML in a single session. This is particularly useful when documenting large icon collections.

Yes. The conversion happens entirely in your browser - your ICO files are not uploaded to any server. The processing is local to your device, keeping your files private and secure.

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