I've always loved customizing my desktop with unique icons, but I never found an easy way to create pixel art icons that work as Windows .ico files. So I built IconShrubs โ a web tool that transforms any image into a pixelated masterpiece and downloads it as a desktop icon.
๐ Try it here: IconShrubs
โจ What is IconShrubs?
IconShrubs is a web application that lets you:
- Upload any PNG or JPG image
- Apply a pixel art effect with adjustable pixel sizes (1-24px)
-
Download as
.ico(Windows desktop icon) or.png(for pixel editors) - Remove backgrounds for cleaner icons
- Zoom and pan to inspect your pixel art in detail
- Works entirely in your browser with a lightweight API for ICO conversion
๐ฏ Why I Built This
As a developer and pixel art enthusiast, I wanted:
- A fast, mystical-looking web tool that's actually fun to use
- ICO conversion without clunky command-line tools
- PNG export for continuing edits in Libresprite, Aseprite, or any pixel editor
- A beautiful UI that makes image processing feel like magic โจ
๐ Key Features
1. Pixel Art Generator
Adjust pixel block size from 1px (original quality) to 24px (chunky pixel art) with presets like Tiny, Small, Medium, Large, and Giant.
2. Original vs Pixelated Toggle
Compare your original image side-by-side with the pixelated version. Perfect for deciding if the effect works for your icon!
3. Background Removal
When you upload a PNG, IconShrubs asks if you'd like to remove the background โ ideal for logos, characters, or objects with simple backgrounds.
4. Zoom & Pan
Inspect your pixel art up to 400% zoom with drag-to-pan, so you can see every pixel block in detail.
5. Two Download Options
-
Download as
.icoโ Ready-to-use Windows desktop icon (256x256) -
Download as
.pngโ Keep the pixel art for editing in Aseprite / Libresprite / Photoshop
6. Mystical UI
Themed with gradients, floating animations, and glass-morphism effects to make the experience feel magical.
๐ง How It Works
- Upload โ Validates file type, size, and dimensions (64x64 to 2048x2048)
- Background Removal (optional) โ Simple algorithm removes near-white pixels from PNGs
- Pixelation โ Downsamples the image, then scales it back up using nearest-neighbor interpolation for sharp pixel blocks
- ICO Conversion โ The pixelated canvas is sent to an API that converts it to a proper Windows icon file
๐จ Use Cases
- Desktop Customization โ Turn your favorite logos, characters, or art into Windows icons
- Pixel Art Workflow โ Start with a photo โ pixelate โ export to PNG โ refine in Aseprite
- Game Dev Prototyping โ Quickly generate pixel art placeholders for your indie game
- Content Creation โ Create unique pixel icons for YouTube, Twitch, or social media
๐ Try It Yourself!
๐ IconShrubs โ Upload an image, pixelate it, and download your custom Windows icon today!
If you find this useful, please โญ the repo and share with fellow pixel enthusiasts!
Happy pixelating! ๐ฎโจ
Made with โค๏ธ by Shrushti Jadhav
#React #TypeScript #PixelArt #TailwindCSS #WebDev #OpenSource #DesktopCustomization #IndieDev #Aseprite #IconDesign
Top comments (1)
Nice work ๐
Iโm a Linux user, so the ICO export isnโt exactly targeting me, but I still appreciate tools that remove unnecessary friction.
Also, any project that saves developers from installing three random converters and reading a Stack Overflow thread from 2014 deserves respect.