If you asked the question: "How to make an icon?", Then this will help you - a program for creating, editing icons of any type, plus it can extract them from the available libraries. It is possible to export icons in the required formats.

After starting the program, you need to select the parameters of the future icon, specify its size, color, select the conversion method, filters, then click on the OK button and the editor opens in front of you, this is where you will need to create your image. ArtIcons can work with different graphic formats, ICO, BMP, JPG, GIF, PNG, XPM, XBM, WBMP, PSD and some others.

Please note, I already wrote above that you can extract icons from different executable files and libraries, the following formats are supported: EXE, SCR, ICL, DLL and so on. Once the image has been extracted, you can easily edit it.

This program for creating icons also has a number of ready-made effects that you can easily apply to your work. In general, you will get all the tools for creating your own icon and editing an existing one. Summing up, I want to note that ArtIcons is easy to manage, has many tools and effects, the presence of Russian support is also pleasing, I hope the program will be useful to you.

The developer: Aha-soft
License: ShareWare
Language: Multi + Russian
The size: 7 MB
OS: Windows
Download: +

Icon Is a visual sign that helps us navigate the interface. Icon design Is the process of creating a graphic symbol that reflects real, fantasy or abstract motives, action or essence. Icon designs can be implemented in a variety of different styles, including 2D images or simple black silhouette, or the complex design of a graphic design element. And also on the icons you can find radial color gradations, shadows, outlines, and even three-dimensional perspectives.

If you want to develop effective icon designs, then you need to consider factors such as: audience, size, level of detail, lighting, perspective and, of course, style. Today we have compiled for you a selection of very useful utilities with which you can develop more efficient icon designs, for a ridiculous price.

Adobe CS5 Is the most popular tool among icon designers. The utility may be quite expensive, but it fully justifies its cost. CS5 for designers is the most useful tool which includes Photoshop, the market leader in image editing, compression and manipulation software; Illustrator is a creative application widely used in the creative industry; as well as Fireworks, with which you can easily compress images for further use in website designs.


Axialis Icon Workshop 6.5 is a well-compatible application for developing, converting and editing icon designs for Mac, Windows and even Unix OS for only $ 49.95. In addition to the standard features, IconWorkshop is the only icon editor in which you can design stripes for a set of tools. In the new generation of icon designs, transparency (alpha channel) is often used. This feature allows you to create beautiful icons with smooth corners and shadows. Axialis IconWorkshop also simplifies the design process by providing a number of standard shapes that you can simply drag and drop onto the design canvas.


AWicons Pro provides both home and business versions. Latest version offers you advanced image reproduction algorithms that are rarely found even in the leading photo processing applications. This application supports all the required functions from high quality real colors to multi-color gradations and transparency. An interactive user-friendly interface, numerous tutorials, and a library of sample icons are all included in AWicons and will be extremely easy to learn for anyone, even those who have never worked in the field. The business version will cost $ 59.95, and the home version will cost $ 39.95.


FROM Icon developer you can easily design your own icons. Icon developer allows you to import images that were taken in other applications and convert them to icons very quickly. You can also easily change the color of the icons, convert multiple files at once, and apply special filters to improve the quality. This great tool will set you back $ 19.95.


Icon builder available for both MAC ($ 79) and Windows ($ 49). The app is compatible with Adobe photoshop and Fireworks, so you can easily design icons. Let's highlight several properties:
* Create icons in any resolution
* Create icons of any shape
* Ability to save all data in one Photoshop layer
* Import of already existing icons
* Ability to preview icons on different backgrounds


Icon Machine Is an icon editor for MAC users (Mac OS X 10.2 or later) for $ 25. The application is equipped with various tools with which you can easily design attractive and beautiful icons of all sizes and colors. You can import the made icons into Photoshop, and edit them through this application. You can drag icons onto the working area of ​​the program by simply dragging the found icons from the explorer window.


You can change all the icons on your desktop by clicking just one button in Icon Packager... You can also use Icon Packager to convert hundreds of icons at a time. There are tons of ready-made icon kits that you can use. Icon Packager also allows users to search and modify any icon in the system. You can use the free trial version of the program, or buy the full version for only $ 9.95.


IconCool Studio is a complete solution for designing and editing 32-bit icons. The application includes all the standard icon editing functions, as well as many different filters and effects with which you can improve the result. In addition to icons and (animated) cursor formats, the application also supports GIF, JPG and PNG images.
We also note other properties:

* Support for the latest Vista icons
* Ability to transfer and integrate into Photoshop
* Ability to import / export in many formats
* Flexible options for editing gradations
* Powerful color management tool
* Affordable and intuitive interface

Rates: $ 39.95 and $ 49.95 for the PRO version.


The most worthy icon editor among free software. it The best decision for creating and editing icons. The app works with icons for Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 and MacOS, and even supports transparency. There are no restrictions on creating icons. You can easily convert your images to icons, or vice versa. You can even create icon libraries. You can easily work with multiple files using the features IcoFX... In addition, the application has versions in different languages, there is the possibility of multiple return to the action back.


The app is only available for Windows. The app is a family of icon design tools: On Display ($ 24.95), Toolset ($ 49.95), and Creation ($ 59.95). And also there is an opportunity to buy all versions at once for $ 79.95, thereby saving $ 55. On Display allows you to right-click on any icon on your system. Tool includes an icon editor as well as an animated cursor editor. Creation allows you to design icons and cursors that look great in Windows system XP, using utilities similar to those of Photoshop (including layers, gradations, and color palettes). Each version has its own advantages.


A powerful icon design tool that is also a free cursor, animation and icon library editor. Professional and unique free utility for developing pixel graphics. Greenfish brings you high quality bump, shadow and glow filters. It also supports animated cursors and allows you to edit the icon library. The application is very lightweight (less than 1.8MB), and there is also a portable version. An accessible and intuitive interface will help you get started very quickly.


Icon design utility for Windows. It allows you to create and edit icons and manage icon libraries. You can edit PNG files, create and manage icon sets, and convert MAC icons to Windows format. You can purchase the app for $ 29.95


Free and most popular icon editor in the world. Lightweight portable version that will work on everyone Windows versions... Some of their most important functions are integrated into the icon explorer, so you can easily export icons, manipulate images, apply effects, and more.

Mscape Software no longer supports Iconographer, but you can still download this app and use it for free, which is perfect for those on a budget. With Iconographer, which is only available for MAC, you can design your own folder icons.

Icon Studio 5.52- Russian version of the popular program for creating icons ArtIcons Pro. This icon editor allows hobbyists and professionals to create and edit icons and work with icon sets. Export and import of many graphic formats are supported. There is a Russian-language interface.

With this icon editor you can
  • Create buttons for websites
  • Create icons for mobile devices iPhone, Android, Windows Mobile
  • Create transparent and semi-transparent icons for Windows
  • Edit icons for Windows XP / 7/8/10
  • Edit icons for Mac OS, iOS, Android, websites
  • Edit icons of standard and custom sizes
  • Manage icons, icon collections and toolbar presets
  • Create pictograms for shortcuts and icons for the desktop
  • Use gradient and checkerboard fills while painting
  • Apply layers in icon projects
  • Use shadow, transparency, anti-aliasing, grayscale, toning, rotation, translation, and reflection effects
  • Import and export ICO, BMP, JPEG, ANI, CUR, GIF, PNG, TGA, WMF, WBMP, XPM, XBM, Delphi icons and Adobe Photoshop PSD formats
  • Import SVG, AI, PDF files
  • Import Mac Icons
  • Collect icons in collections to create icon archives
  • Extract icons from Windows executable files and libraries
  • Change icons inside exe files
  • Search for icons on your drives and directories
  • Customize desktop view and folder icons
System requirements: Windows 95/98 / ME / 2000 / NT / XP / 2003 / Vista / 7/8/10, 4 MB hard disk space.

Interface languages: English, Russian, Ukrainian, Czech, Hungarian, Polish, Romanian, Serbian.

Limitations trial version : 30-day trial period reminiscent of dialogue.

Download icon editor.

Icon editors allow you to change the file icon that appears when you view the file, for example, in File Explorer. A file with ICO extension contains one or several small images of different sizes and color depths. In addition to editing, the presented programs also allow you to create new icons (regular and system) for files, as well as site icons that are used on web resources (blog, site) to be displayed in the address bar of the browser or browser tabs / bookmarks, such as this ...

The icon editor must either implement special algorithms for working with icons, or use built-in system functions, otherwise the created icons will be difficult to use.

Icons are typically 32 x 32 pixels with a depth of 256 colors, but sometimes 48 x 48 pixels, 64 x 64 pixels, and 128 x 128 pixels are used. Site icons should be saved in 16 x 16 pixels with a 256-color palette. You can create icons with a 32-bit palette (and best of all), but site icons used on the web must be saved with a 256-color palette. It is not worth saving site icons with a different resolution and color depth, as on some platforms they may not display correctly.

Want to get a webpage icon?

Google has created a simple service for extracting website icons in PNG format ..

www.google.com/s2/favicons?domain=site

Review of free programs for replacing and editing icons

Icon Editing Program Greenfish Icon Editor Pro An Integrated Approach

Not all professional software products are commercial. freeware, complete with professional tools for creating, editing, opening and saving file icons. It allows you to extract and modify icons in executable files, or convert image files to icons and other graphic formats.

The program allows you to work with icon libraries. It supports the following image formats: ICO, CUR, ANI, PNG, XPM, BMP, JPG, GIF, as well as Vista compatible PNG icons.

In addition to working with icons, the program allows you to draw cursors, small pixel images, animations and various supported images. The program also has some useful features such as overlaying shadows, creating a visual lighting effect and setting the width of the bevel.

The program is easy to use. It is lightweight and does not require installation. You just need to download the zip file, unpack and run the executable file.

IcoFX icon replacement and remover program alternative to Greenfish

Alternatively, good free editor icons worth trying. The program has a rich set of tools and includes the possibility of more than 40 image change effects typical for most graphic editors. It will take some time to get to grips with all the tools.

The program allows you to create icons for your executable files, installation files, your site or blog. It also allows you to convert your favorite images to icons and vice versa. The program's capabilities also include converting Macintosh icons to Windows and vice versa.

Another feature of the program is working with Vista icons in PNG format, with support for maximum color depth, including alpha channel (transparency).

Batch processing of icons can also be referred to the features of the program.

IcoFX

Lots of tools, over 40 graphic effects, conversion between Macintosh and Windows icons, batch processing, etc.
The process of extracting and fixing icons for some executables does not work as well as for Greenfish Icon Editor Pro.

Small icon editor. Supported alpha channels, icons up to 256x256, libraries, XP-icons and basic formats: ICO, BMP, PNG, PSD, EXE, DLL, ICL.

Installing icon editor @icon sushi

On our website you can download the @icon sushi installer, or portable version... Choose a convenient option on the download page and install the program.

English, but there is a crack in the archive with it.

To Russify the program, we do the following:

  1. Open the folder with installed program(by default it is C: \ Program Files \ aicon \).
  2. We find the "Languages" folder there.
  3. Copy the file into it Russian.lng from the folder with the crack.
  4. Launch @icon sushi.
  5. Go to the "Options" - "Languages" menu and select the Russian language.

Done, the Russian interface is installed.

Program interface

After launch, the main window of the program will appear in front of us.

With its help, you can "get" hidden icons from files .ICO, .PNG, .PSD, .BMP, .EXE, .DLL, .ICL and change them as you please.

For example, let's open the AVG antivirus executable file to extract icons from it. Click "Open" and select desired file with extension .exe... All icons from this file will be loaded.

If you hover the mouse cursor over the buttons in the Open and Save area, we will see that the program allows you to save pictures in the following formats:

  • Regular single icon (ICO).
  • Multi-icon (a set of icons selected from the list in the same ICO format).
  • Icon library that can contain one or many icons (ICL).
  • Picture in BMP (not compressed and without transparency support).
  • Picture in PNG (with alpha channel support).

Thus, using @icon sushi, you can convert ordinary images to icons and vice versa.

Let's now try to make an icon from some picture.

Creating icons from drawings

Here we have to do a little preparatory work first. As already mentioned, the program works with pictures up to 256x256 pixels in size and not in all formats.

Standard icon sizes for Windows: 16*16, 24*24, 32*32, 48*48, 256*256.
Also sometimes used: 64 * 64 and 128 * 128.

Therefore, to open a regular picture in @icon sushi, you first need to:

  1. Make it square (crop or add canvas).
  2. Reduce to one of the standard sizes.
  3. Save in PNG format.

For these manipulations, you can use any graphics editor or even simple program to view images.