This wikiHow teaches you how to create a Windows icon file using Microsoft Paint and Paint 3D in Windows 10. However, there are some limitations you'll find with the regular version of Microsoft Paint when creating icons. Therefore, you can use Paint 3D to create more complex icons if necessary.
Step
Method 1 of 2: Using Plain Microsoft Paint
Step 1. Understand the limitations of Microsoft Paint
Unfortunately, you can't use Microsoft Paint to make image files transparent. Generally, icons have some transparent parts in order to show the desktop behind them. This means that the final icon creation will be square and display a different color than the colors previously used in the icon creation process.
- When using Microsoft Paint to create icons, it's a good idea to choose black and white because other colors usually change in the final icon creation.
- One solution to the problem of icon transparency is to save the icon creation project in Microsoft Paint as an image file (not an icon file), and then use an online converter service to convert it to an icon file.
Step 2. Open the “Start” menu
Click the Windows logo in the lower-left corner of the screen.
Step 3. Open Microsoft Paint
Type paint, then click Paint ” at the top of the “Start” window. Microsoft Paint will open in a new window.
Step 4. Enable gridlines
Gridlines make the icon creation process easier:
- Click the tab " View ” at the top of the window.
- Check the " Gridlines " box in the " Show or hide " section of the toolbar.
- Click the tab " Home ” to return to the main Paint page.
Step 5. Click Resize
It's in the toolbar at the top of the Paint window. After that, a pop-up window will be displayed.
Step 6. Check the " Pixels " box
It's at the top of the pop-up window.
Step 7. Uncheck the "Maintain aspect ratio" box
It's in the middle of the window. If the previous canvas shape was not a square, uncheck the box to set a new canvas size of the same length on each side.
Step 8. Set the canvas size to 32 x 32
Type 32 into the "Horizontal" field. After that, type 32 in the "Vertical" field and click the " OK ” at the bottom of the window.
Step 9. Enlarge the canvas
Because the 32 x 32 size is too small for you to see and draw, click the icon “ + ” in the lower right corner of the Paint window seven times. The canvas view will be enlarged to the maximum zoom level.
Step 10. Create the icon
Select a color from the top right corner of the window, then click and drag the cursor on the canvas to create an icon.
If necessary, you can change the brush size by clicking the “ Size ” on the toolbar and select the appropriate thickness from the drop-down menu.
Step 11. Save the icon
If you want to convert the icon later, just click the menu “ File ", choose " Save ”, specify the storage location, and click “ Save " Otherwise, to save the image as an icon file, follow these steps:
- Click the menu " File ”.
- Choose " Save as, then click " Other formats ” on the pop-out menu.
- Type in the desired name for the icon file, followed by the.ico extension (eg for a Microsoft Word icon file named "alternative word", you will need to type "alternative word.ico").
- Click the "Save as type" drop-down box, then click " 256 Color Bitmap ” in the drop-down box.
- Select a save location on the left side of the window.
- Click " Save, then select " OK ” when prompted.
Step 12. Convert the image file to an icon file
If you saved your work as an image file (e.g. a-p.webp
- Visit https://icoconvert.com/ through your computer's web browser.
- Click " Choose file ”.
- Select the JPEG file that was previously created, then click " Open ”.
- Click " Upload ”.
- Crop the image as needed, then swipe up and click “ Select None ”.
- Scroll down and click " Convert ICO ”.
- Click the link " Download your icon(s) ” after display.
Step 13. Use the icon as a shortcut
Once the icon is saved, you are free to assign it to a shortcut on your computer.
Method 2 of 2: Using Paint 3D
Step 1. Understand the limitations of Paint 3D
Unlike regular Microsoft Paint, Paint 3D allows you to create an image with a transparent background. However, you cannot create icon files directly through this application.
Luckily, you can still use ICO Convert to convert an image with a transparent background into an icon file
Step 2. Open the “Start” menu
Click the Windows logo in the lower-left corner of the screen.
Step 3. Open Paint 3D
Type paint 3d, then click Paint 3D ” at the top of the “Start” window.
- Unlike Microsoft Paint, Paint 3D is only available for computers running Windows 10.
- Paint 3D first came with the Windows 10 Creators update in spring 2017. If you don't have Paint 3D already, please update Windows 10 first before continuing.
Step 4. Click New
It's at the top of the window.
Step 5. Click the “Canvas” button
It's a box icon in the upper-right corner of the window. After that, a sidebar will appear on the right side of the window.
Step 6. Click the white "Transparent canvas" switch
The switch color will change to blue
which indicates that the canvas is now transparent.
If the switch is blue from the start, your canvas is already transparent
Step 7. Resize the canvas
On the right side of the window, follow these steps:
- Click the "Percent" drop-down box, then select " Pixels ” on the menu.
- Replace the number in the "Width" column with 32.
- Replace the number in the "Height" column with 32.
Step 8. Enlarge the canvas
Click and drag the slider in the upper-right corner of the page until the canvas view is large enough to view and draw on.
Step 9. Create the icon
Click the " Brushes " tab with the brush logo at the top of the window, select a brush, choose the color you want to use, reduce the brush size if necessary, then click and drag the cursor on the canvas to draw.
Step 10. Click the “Menu” icon
It's a folder icon in the upper-left corner of the window.
Step 11. Click Image
This option is in the main window. After that, the "Save As" window will be opened.
Step 12. Enter the icon name
Type whatever you want to use as the icon's file name into the " File name " text field.
Step 13. Make sure the file format is correct
In the " Save as type " box, you can see " 2D --p.webp
2D --p.webp" />” from the drop-down menu.
Step 14. Choose a save location
Click the desired storage folder (eg. Desktop ”) on the left side of the window.
Step 15. Click Save
It's in the lower-right corner of the window. The project will be saved as a-p.webp
Step 16. Convert the image file to an icon file
Since-p.webp
- Visit https://icoconvert.com/ through your computer's web browser.
- Click " Choose file ”.
- Select the-p.webp" />Open ”.
- Click " Upload ”.
- Crop the image as needed, then swipe up and click “ Select None ”.
- Scroll down and click " Convert ICO ”.
- Click the link " Download your icon(s) ” after display.
Step 17. Use the icon as a shortcut
Once the icon is saved, you are free to assign it to a shortcut on your computer.
