ICO Format is an open source plugin that enables Adobe Photoshop to directly access and save Windows icon files at no cost.
The software offers straightforward installation instructions, asking users to Move the ICO Format plugin into the "File Formats" folder inside their Photoshop Plugins folder. Once installed, users can start using the plugin right away. They can use Photoshop's Open command (File menu) to open .ICO files (which will now appear in the file browser), and use Photoshop's Save command to create .ICO files.
ICO Format offers a range of key features that make it a popular choice among users. It reads and writes .ICO files of 1,4,8 bits as Indexed mode images and 16,24,32 bit as RGB mode. If an input file contains multiple icons, a dialog box prompts to select one (indicates pixel size and colour depth of each contained icon). ICO files created by the plugin contain one icon only, making it a hassle-free option for those who want to create icons quickly and efficiently.
To take advantage of this outstanding software plugin, users need to meet some basic requirements. These include Photoshop (all versions 3.0-7.0 CS, CS2 on PowerPC Macintosh (OS X, OS 9 and Classic); CS3 on Intel Mac; Photoshop 4.0 / MacOS 8.0 on 68K Macintosh); Paint Shop Pro 9 (may not work correctly with earlier versions due to PSP plugin compatibility issues), among others. It has also been reported to work with Photoshop Elements 2.0 and 3.0, providing users with even more options for creating stunning icons for their websites.
Version 1.7b4: N/A