Svg to multisize ico

Convert the github desktop svg logo to a multisize ico file to be used as a folder icon

I want to use the logo of github desktop for a folder. To do so I need to create a ico from the svg file downloaded from GitHub

The standard icon sizes used by windows explorer are

  • Extra large icons 256x256
  • Large icons 96x96
  • Medium icons and Tiles 48x48
  • Content 32x32
  • Small icons, List and Details 16x16

But windows uses only 16x16, 32x32, 48x48 and 256x256.

Open the svg using Inkscape.

  • File -> Export PNG image -> Select “Page” and set image size 256x256

Open the png in Gimp.

  • Change the layer name to 256
  • Duplicate and resize
    • Layer -> Duplicate Layer
    • Be sure that the new layer is selected
    • Change the layer name to 48
    • Layer -> Scale layer -> set to 48x48
  • Again
    • Select the 256 layer so that gimp will always resize from the largest image
    • Layer -> Duplicate Layer
    • Be sure that the new layer is selected
    • Change the layer name to 32
    • Layer -> Scale layer -> set to 32x32
  • And one more time for 16x16
  • Save the file
  • Export as ico
    • Leave all settings as 32 bpp, 8-bit alpha, no palette
    • Only for the 256x256 check Compressed (PNG)

Now the new ico is usable from explorer to customize my folder.