Favicon

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Favicon

What is a favicon?

A favicon is a small icon displayed in browser tabs, bookmarks, and address bars to represent a website. Typically 8x8, 16x16, or 32x32 pixels, it helps users visually identify a site and reinforces brand recognition. Favicons are saved as .ico, .png, or .svg files.

Favicons are a key part of a website’s branding and user interface. Though small in size, they help users identify and remember your site across sessions.

Example: YouTube uses a red play button, Facebook uses a white “f” on blue, and Google shows a multicolored “G” in the browser tab—all are favicons.

Favicon examples in Google SERP

Why is a favicon important for a website?

A favicon adds polish, professionalism, and functionality to your website. Here's why it matters:

Improves user experience: Favicons help users quickly spot your website when multiple tabs are open.
Strengthens brand identity: A custom favicon reinforces your brand visually across tabs, bookmarks, and devices.
Builds trust: Sites without favicons may look unfinished or less credible to users.
Supports cross-device recognition: Favicons appear when users add your site to a home screen, giving it an app-like presence on mobile.

Where does a favicon appear?

Favicons are displayed in several key areas:

Browser tabs: Your favicon shows next to the page title, helping users identify your site.
Bookmarks and favorites bar: Saved websites display their favicon next to the page title.
Browser history: Some browsers show the favicon alongside each visited link.
Mobile search results: On Google’s mobile SERPs, favicons appear next to your domain name, influencing click behavior.
Mobile home screen: When users add your site to their device home screen, the favicon becomes the icon.
Example: Gmail’s red “M” favicon, or Netflix’s bold “N”, are instantly recognizable in any context.

What are the standard favicon formats?

The standard favicon formats are .ico, .png, and .svg. Each format serves different needs: .ico is essential for compatibility with older browsers, .png offers modern quality and transparency, and .svg delivers scalability for responsive design.

Choosing the right format ensures optimal browser support and visual performance.

Here are standard favicon formats explained:

1. .ico Format — Maximum Compatibility

Required for legacy browsers like Internet Explorer
Supports multiple sizes in one file (e.g., 16x16, 32x32, 48x48)
Best for cross-platform consistency, especially on Windows

2. .png Format — High-Quality Raster Format

Delivers sharp visuals and transparency support
Ideal for modern browsers and retina displays
Lightweight and widely supported, but lacks multiple-size support in one file

3. .svg Format — Scalable Vector Format

Resolution-independent and scalable to any size
Perfect for responsive layouts and high-DPI screens
Limited support in older versions of Internet Explorer and Safari

What are the ideal favicon dimensions?

Modern websites should provide favicons in multiple sizes to meet the needs of different devices and screen types. Here are common size recommendations:

16x16 – For browser tabs and the most basic use case
32x32 – For desktop browser support
48x48 – For Windows shortcut icons
180x180 – For Apple touch icons
192x192 and 512x512 – For Android home screen icons
Any size in SVG – For Safari pinned tabs and scalable interfaces

Pro tip: Use a favicon generator to produce all required sizes and formats from a single master file.

How to add a favicon using HTML

To manually add a favicon to your website, insert a <link> tag inside the <head> section of your HTML document.

Basic example:

To support multiple formats and devices:

Make sure the favicon files are placed in the correct directory and are accessible.

How to add a favicon in WordPress

Adding a favicon to a WordPress website is simple and does not require editing code.

Step 1: Log in to your WordPress dashboard
Step 2: Go to Appearance → Customize
Step 3: Click on Site Identity
Step 4: Upload your favicon image as the Site Icon (512x512 pixels recommended)

Step 5: Click Publish

WordPress will automatically generate and insert the favicon markup into your website’s <head> section.

Does a favicon affect SEO?

Favicons do not directly impact Google rankings, but they influence SEO-related metrics and user behavior:

Click-through rate (CTR): On mobile search results, Google shows the favicon next to your site’s name. A clear, branded favicon can increase clicks.
Brand trust and perception: A recognizable favicon gives your site a polished look, which boosts trust among users and return visits.
User engagement: Favicons improve the visual appeal of your page in tabs and bookmarks, helping users return more easily.

So while not a ranking factor, favicons play a role in improving overall user experience and site performance.

How to test if your favicon is working?

There are several ways to test and troubleshoot your favicon:

Browser check: Open your site in different browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari) and clear the cache if the favicon doesn’t show up.

Inspect source: Right-click your webpage and select “View Page Source.” Check if the <link rel="icon"> tag is present and correctly linked to a valid file.

Online favicon checker tool you can try for free: https://realfavicongenerator.net/favicon-checker

favicon checker tool

RealFaviconGenerator offers a favicon checker that tests over a dozen settings to ensure your favicon works across all major platforms, including iOS and Google search results.

It supports various development environments like HTML, React, and Next.js.

Another option:

Google Search Console: In the Enhancements or Mobile Usability section, Google may notify you if your favicon is missing or broken.

Make sure your favicon loads on both HTTP and HTTPS versions of your site, and that it is accessible to all user agents.

Explore other web development glossary terms:

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Web development glossary terms
AJAX	HTTPS
Application Programming Interface (API)	Information Architecture
Back-End Development	JSON
Bandwidth	Microservices Architecture
Bootstrap	Mobile-First Design
Cache	OAuth
Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)	PWA (Progressive Web Application)
CI/CD	Redirects
Content Delivery Network (CDN)	Responsive Design
Content Management System (CMS)	REST (Representational State Transfer)
Cookies	SDK (Software Development Kit)
Cross-Browser Compatibility	SSL (Secure Sockets Layer)
Database	UI (User Interface)
Document Object Model (DOM)	User Experience (UX)
Domain Name System (DNS)	Version Control System
Favicon	Viewport
Firewall	Web Accessibility
Framework	Web Browser
Front-End Development	Web Navigation
Full Stack Development	Web Security
GitHub	Webhooks
Headless CMS	Wireframe
HTML