What is the format of the icon file?

The icon file is in ico format. ICO is an icon file format. Icon files can store icon files of a single pattern, multiple sizes, and multiple color plates; an icon is actually a collection of multiple pictures in different formats, and also contains a certain transparent area, because The diversity of computer operating systems and display devices has resulted in the need for multiple formats of icon sizes.

The operating environment of this tutorial: Windows 7 system, Dell G3 computer.

The format of the icon file

The icon file is a file with the extension .ico

ICO is an icon file format, and the icon file can be stored Icon files for single pattern, multiple sizes, and multiple color palettes. An icon is actually a collection of multiple pictures in different formats, and also contains a certain transparent area.

What is an icon file

Icons have a standard set of size and attribute formats, and are usually small in size. Each icon contains multiple pictures of the same display content, each picture has a different size and number of colors. An icon is a set of similar images, each with a different format. From this point on the icon is three dimensional. An icon has another characteristic: it contains a transparent area that shows through the desktop background beneath the icon. Structurally, the icon is actually similar to McDonald’s Big Mac burger.

An icon is actually a collection of multiple pictures in different formats, and also contains a certain transparent area. Because of the diversity of computer operating systems and display devices, icon sizes require multiple formats.

Extended knowledge:

When the operating system displays an icon, it will select the image among the icons that is most suitable for the current display environment and status according to certain standards. If you are using the Windows 98 operating system, the display environment is 800x600 resolution, 32-bit color depth, and the image format of each icon you see on the desktop is 256 colors and 32x32 pixel size. If under the same display environment, in the Windows XP operating system, the image format of these icons is: true color (32-bit color depth), 32x32 pixel size.

The following is the standard icon format in various Windows operating systems: (Unit: size pixel-color)

• Windows 98 SE/ME/2000

  48 x 48 - 256 32 x 32 - 256 16 x 16 - 256

  48 x 48 - 16 32 x 32 - 16 16 x 16 - 16

• Windows XP

  48 x 48 - 32bit 32 x 32 - 32bit 24 x 24 - 32bit * 16 x 16 - 32bit

  (32-bit true color supports multi-channel transparency.)

  48 x 48 - 256 32 x 32 - 256 24 x 24 - 256 * 16 x 16 - 256

  48 x 48 - 16 32 x 32 - 16 24 x 24 - 16 * 16 x 16 - 16

  * This format is not required in XP icons.

• Under Vista system, it can support up to 256 x 256

  At the same time, non-standard ico format files also support irregular size storage.

  Note: Windows98/2000 is not compatible with 24 x 24 format icons. You can open icons containing this image format in relevant application software, but the operating system considers them invalid. You must ensure that the icon you design contains at least one of the image formats listed above to obtain good display effects. If the operating system cannot find a specific image format in the icon, it always uses the closest image format to display it, such as reducing a 48 x 48 icon to a 24 x 24 pixel size. Of course, the effect is worse.

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