ICO (file format)

Windows icon file format / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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The ICO file format is an image file format for computer icons in Microsoft Windows. ICO files contain one or more small images at multiple sizes and color depths, such that they may be scaled appropriately. In Windows, all executables that display an icon to the user, on the desktop, in the Start Menu, or in Windows Explorer, must carry the icon in ICO format.

Quick facts: Filename extension, Internet media type,...
ICO
Filename extension
.ico
Internet media typeimage/x-icon[1] (but see below)
Uniform Type Identifier (UTI)com.microsoft.ico
Developed byMicrosoft
Type of formatGraphics file format for computer icons
Container forBMP and PNG
Extended toCUR
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Quick facts: Filename extension, Internet media type,...
CUR
Filename extension
.cur
Internet media typeimage/vnd.microsoft.icon
Uniform Type Identifier (UTI)com.microsoft.cur
Developed byMicrosoft
Type of formatGraphics file format for mouse cursors
Container forBMP
Extended fromICO
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The CUR file format is an almost identical image file format for non-animated cursors in Microsoft Windows. The only differences between these two file formats are the bytes used to identify them and the addition of a hotspot in the CUR format header; the hotspot is defined as the pixel offset (in x,y coordinates) from the top-left corner of the cursor image where the user is actually pointing the mouse.

The ANI file format is used for animated Windows cursors.