Resize Image to 16×16 pixels
16×16 is the original favicon size — the icon in the browser tab and bookmark list. It is also the least forgiving size you will ever design for. Everything runs in your browser — nothing is uploaded. Need a smaller file instead? Compress or convert.
Drag the preview to choose which part of the image is kept. The same framing is used for every image in the batch.
Why choose 16×16 pixels?
16×16 gives a square canvas with a 1:1 ratio and 0 MP of detail. People most often need it for browser favicons.
1:1 square shape
The square (1:1) proportion decides how your photo is framed: plan the subject around that shape before you crop.
The exact size needed
16×16 is the exact size for browser favicons, so your image is shown as-is instead of being re-scaled or cropped by the platform.
Prints 0.05×0.05 in at 300 DPI
That is 0.1×0.1 cm at photo quality, or 0.1×0.1 in at 150 DPI for posters viewed from a distance.
About 0 KB–0 KB as JPG
Expect around 0 KB–0 KB for a JPG photo at this size. Simple graphics are smaller, PNG photos several times larger.
Sharp results
A 12 MP phone photo has 47,628× more pixels than 16×16, so resizing down keeps it sharp.
Framing control
Filling 16×16 from a 4:3 phone photo trims about 25% of it. Drag the preview to choose what stays, or tick “Keep aspect ratio” to keep it all.
16×16 at a glance
| Pixels | 16×16 (256 pixels) |
|---|---|
| Aspect ratio | square (1:1) |
| Megapixels | 0 MP |
| Orientation | Square |
| Print size at 300 DPI | 0.05×0.05 in (0.1×0.1 cm) |
| Print size at 150 DPI | 0.11×0.11 in |
| Typical JPG file | 0 KB–0 KB |
| Typical WebP file | 0 KB–0 KB |
| Common uses | Browser favicons |
| Similar sizes | 10×10, 28×28, 8×8, 32×32 |
Resize an image to 16×16 in 3 steps
- Add your photo (or several) — drag them onto the box above.
- The size is already set to 16×16. Drag the preview to frame it, or tick “Keep aspect ratio” to avoid cropping.
- Click Resize and download, or save everything as one ZIP.
New to image resizing? Read the full resizing guide.
Square sizes
Same width and height — profile photos, icons, product shots:
Landscape sizes
Wider than tall — screens, banners, covers and thumbnails:
Portrait sizes
Taller than wide — passport photos, forms and phone screens:
Change the aspect ratio
Paper, print & photo sizes
Paper and photo sizes in mm, cm and inches, plus DPI tools:
Resize for a platform
Ready-made sizes for social profiles and posts:
Resize tools
Batch resizing, DPI and crop tools:
Making a logo readable at 16×16
Sixteen pixels square is 256 pixels total. Most logos were designed at hundreds of pixels wide and contain detail that simply cannot exist at this scale. Resizing a full logo down usually produces a muddy square that nobody can identify in a crowded tab bar.
Simplify before you resize. Use a single element — the first letter, the symbol without the wordmark, or a bold shape. Crop to just that element with the cropper so it fills the square edge to edge, then resize.
Use high contrast. Browser tabs can be light or dark. A thin dark logo on transparency vanishes in dark mode. A solid background colour or a thick outline keeps the icon visible in both.
PNG, then ICO. Export the 16×16 as PNG to keep edges sharp and
transparency intact. If your site or CMS wants a favicon.ico file,
run the result through PNG to ICO.
16×16 alone is no longer enough. High-DPI screens draw the tab icon at 32 pixels or more, so a lone 16×16 looks soft on most laptops and phones. Make a 32×32 version too, and an 180×180 for Apple home screens.
Sizes similar to 16×16
Frequently asked questions
Is 16×16 still the right favicon size?
It is still used, but it should not be the only size. Browsers on high-DPI screens pick 32×32 or larger when available. The safe set is a multi-size ICO containing 16×16 and 32×32, plus a 180×180 PNG for Apple devices.
What aspect ratio is 16×16?
16×16 has a square (1:1) aspect ratio. Any size with the same ratio — for example 10×10, 28×28 — can be scaled to it without cropping.
How big will a 16×16 image print?
At 300 DPI (photo quality) 16×16 prints at 0.05×0.05 inches (0.1×0.1 cm). At 150 DPI it covers 0.11×0.11 inches, fine for posters seen from further away.
How large is a 16×16 file?
A photo at 16×16 is usually 0 KB–0 KB as a JPG, and about 0 KB–0 KB as WebP. If you need it smaller, run it through the compressor afterwards.
Will my photo lose quality at 16×16?
No — a normal phone photo is much larger, so it is scaled down and stays sharp.
Can I resize to 16×16 without cropping?
Yes. Tick “Keep aspect ratio”: the whole picture is kept, but one side may come out shorter than 16×16. Without it, the image fills 16×16 exactly and the edges that do not fit the 1:1 shape are trimmed.
Are my images uploaded?
No. Resizing happens entirely in your browser. Nothing is transmitted or stored, and you can disconnect from the internet after the page loads and it still works.