Icon Creator help

What this does

You describe the icon you want in a sentence, and an image model draws it. You then preview it at the tiny sizes icons are actually used at, and save it in the format Windows wants.

The preview matters more than it sounds. An icon that looks great at full size often turns to mush at 16 pixels, and this shows you that before you ship it.

You need an OpenRouter key first

The drawing is done by an outside image model, so the tool needs a key of your own to reach it. This is a one-off setup.

1. Make an account at openrouter.ai and add a small amount of credit.
2. Create a key on their keys page.
3. Paste it into this tool when asked.

Writing a prompt that works

Icons are small. Simple beats detailed every time.

• Name one clear object: "a blue lightning bolt in a rounded square" beats a scene.
• Say the shape it sits in, if you want one. A rounded square or a circle reads well.
• Few colours. Two or three is plenty, and it stays legible when shrunk.
• Avoid text in the icon. Letters become unreadable smudges at small sizes.
• Tick transparent background if the icon needs to sit on a toolbar or tray.

The nudge buttons

After a generation you get buttons like Simpler, More contrast, and Bolder. Each re-runs your prompt with that adjustment, so you can steer the result without rewriting your description. Simpler and More contrast are the two that most often rescue a muddy icon.

Saving it

Pick the sizes to include and save as .ico, which is what Windows uses for program and tray icons. A single .ico holds several sizes at once, so the small ones are used where space is tight.

Save as .png instead if you need it for a website or a document.