අයිකන සංස්කාරක මෘදුකාංගයක් මගින් කෙරෙන ප්රධානතම කාර්යය වන්නේ '''රූප යොදා ගනිමින් අයිකන සැකසීමයි'''. An icon editor resamples a source image to the resolution and color depth required for an icon.
Some icon editors can apply preconfigured effects on the generated images during the conversion. Effects include softening, sharpening, edge enhancement, or drop shadow effect.
Other functions usually included into icon editors are icon extraction from executable files (exe, dll), creation of icon libraries, or saving individual images of an icon.
All icon editors can make icons for system files (folders, text files, etc.), and for web pages.
These have a file extension of .[[ICO (icon image file format)|ICO]] for Windows and web pages or .[[ICNS]] for the Macintosh. If the editor can also make a cursor, the image can be saved with a file extension of .[[CUR]] or .[[ANI]] for both Windows and the Macintosh. Using a new icon is simply a matter of moving the image into the correct file folder and using the system tools to select the icon. (In Windows you could go to My Computer, open Tools on the explorer window, choose Folder Options, then File Types, select a file type, click on Advanced and select an icon to be associated with that file type.)
It is rare for an icon editor to make icons for specific program files (a program you wrote as opposed to any file ending in .[[EXE]]). To assign an icon to a newly created program is usually done within the [[Integrated Development Environment]]. Many icon editors can copy a unique icon from a program file for editing. Only a few can assign an icon to a program file.
Simple icon editors and image to icon converters are also available as online services.
