ICO to HRZ Converter

Quick ICO to HRZ conversion — free online tool

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Icon Liberation

ICO files lock images into icon contexts — converting to HRZ frees the visual content for use in presentations, websites, and print materials.

Effortless Process

Converting ICO to HRZ takes just a few clicks. The clean, intuitive interface makes format conversion accessible to everyone.

Data Safety First

Convertio deletes your ICO uploads instantly after processing and removes HRZ output within 24 hours — no files linger on servers.

How to convert ICO to HRZ

1

Select files from Computer, Google Drive, Dropbox, URL or by dragging it on the page.

2

Choose hrz or any other format you need as a result (more than 200 formats supported)

3

Let the file convert and you can download your hrz file right afterwards

About formats

ICO is the icon file format for Microsoft Windows), introduced with Windows 1.0 in 1985 and serving as the standard container for application icons, file type icons, and shortcut icons throughout the Windows ecosystem. An ICO file bundles multiple image variants within a single container — each at different sizes (16x16, 32x32, 48x48, 256x256, and others) and color depths (4-bit, 8-bit, 24-bit, 32-bit with alpha) — allowing Windows to select the most appropriate image for each display context, from tiny taskbar buttons to large desktop icons. The container structure consists of an ICONDIR header, an array of ICONDIRENTRY records describing each variant, and the image data itself. Since Windows Vista, ICO files support embedded PNG-compressed images for the larger sizes (typically 256x256), dramatically reducing file size while maintaining quality with full alpha transparency. One advantage is automatic size adaptation — Windows pulls the optimal resolution from the ICO container for each context (Explorer list view, desktop tile, Alt-Tab preview), ensuring crisp display without the application managing separate image files. The format's operating system-level integration is another core strength: ICO files serve as the identity mechanism for executables, file associations, and shortcuts across all Windows versions, and web browsers use favicon.ico for website identity in tabs and bookmarks. ICO creation and editing is supported by image editors like GIMP, Inkscape, and dedicated icon tools, and the format remains essential for Windows application development.
Developer: Microsoft
Initial release: 1985
HRZ is a simple raster image format associated with slow-scan television (SSTV), a method of transmitting still images over radio frequencies used by amateur radio operators since the late 1950s when Copthorne Macdonald pioneered the technology. HRZ files store images at a fixed resolution of 256x240 pixels in raw RGB format, with each pixel represented as three bytes (red, green, blue) at 8 bits per channel, producing uncompressed files of exactly 184,320 bytes. The format has no header, no metadata, and no compression — the file is simply a sequential dump of raw pixel data in row-major order. This extreme simplicity reflects the format's origins in the amateur radio community, where SSTV images are transmitted as audio tones encoding luminance and chrominance values over narrow-bandwidth HF (shortwave) radio channels. The fixed 256x240 resolution corresponds to common SSTV transmission modes, and HRZ files serve as the digital capture or storage medium for received SSTV transmissions. One advantage is the format's zero-overhead structure: with no parsing, decompression, or metadata processing required, HRZ files can be read by any program capable of reading raw pixel data with known dimensions — a single function call in virtually any programming language. The format's connection to amateur radio SSTV culture is another notable aspect: HRZ files document a unique form of image communication where operators transmit photographs over thousands of miles using nothing but radio waves and audio encoding, a practice that continues today alongside digital modes. HRZ files can be opened by ImageMagick, GIMP, and specialized SSTV software.
Developer: SSTV Community
Initial release: 1985

Frequently Asked Questions

Why convert ICO to HRZ?

HRZ prepares your icon for slow-scan television — encoding it for transmission over amateur radio frequencies in ham radio communications.

How do I open HRZ files?

You can open HRZ files with MMSSTV, QSSTV, amateur radio software. Free alternatives are available for every platform.

Is ICO to HRZ conversion free?

Basic conversions are free on Convertio. Premium plans offer faster processing, larger file sizes, and higher daily conversion limits for heavier workloads.

Does ICO to HRZ keep transparency?

If HRZ supports transparency (like PNG or WEBP), the alpha channel from your ICO is preserved. Formats without transparency support fill with a solid background.

Are my files safe during conversion?

Convertio uses encrypted connections for all transfers. Your ICO uploads are deleted immediately after conversion, and HRZ downloads are removed within 24 hours.

Can I convert multiple ICO files at once?

Yes — Convertio supports batch uploads. Queue several ICO files and convert them all to HRZ format in a single session without repeating steps.