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Supported formats: JPEG, PNG, GIF, WebP, SVG (Max 10MB)A favicon (short for "favorite icon") is a small icon that represents your website or brand. It appears in browser tabs, bookmarks, browser history, and other places where your website is displayed. Favicons help users quickly identify and locate your website among multiple open tabs and bookmarks.
The term "favicon" was coined in 1999 when Microsoft Internet Explorer 5 introduced support for small icons in the favorites (bookmarks) menu. Since then, favicons have become a standard web feature, with all major browsers supporting them. Today, favicons are essential for brand recognition and professional website presentation.
Favicons were first introduced by Microsoft Internet Explorer 5 in 1999. The original favicon format was a 16×16 pixel ICO file (Windows Icon format) that was automatically loaded from a file named "favicon.ico" in the website's root directory.
Over the years, favicon support has evolved significantly:
Introduced 16×16 ICO format favicons
All major browsers added favicon support
Support for multiple sizes (16×16, 32×32, 48×48) and PNG format
iOS devices introduced 180×180 touch icons for home screen
Support for SVG favicons, multiple formats, and responsive icons
Location | Size | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Browser Tab | 16×16, 32×32 | Identifies the website in open tabs |
| Bookmarks Bar | 16×16 | Visual identifier in bookmarks |
| Browser History | 16×16 | Quick visual recognition in history |
| Search Results | 16×16, 32×32 | Brand recognition in search listings |
| Mobile Home Screen | 180×180, 192×192 | App-like icon when saved to home screen |
| Desktop Shortcuts | 32×32, 48×48 | Icon for desktop shortcuts |
Different devices and browsers require different favicon sizes. Here's a comprehensive guide to the most commonly used favicon sizes and when to use them:
Standard size for browser tabs and bookmarks (most common)
High-resolution displays and Windows taskbar
Windows desktop shortcuts and some browsers
Apple Touch Icon for iOS home screen
Android Chrome home screen icon
High-resolution displays and app stores
Feature | ICO | PNG |
|---|---|---|
| File Size | Larger (can contain multiple sizes) | Smaller (single size per file) |
| Multiple Sizes | Yes (can contain 16×16, 32×32, 48×48 in one file) | No (one size per file) |
| Browser Support | Universal (all browsers) | Modern browsers (IE6+ support) |
| Transparency | Yes | Yes (better support) |
| Best For | Legacy support, single file solution | Modern websites, multiple sizes |
Recommendation: For modern websites, use PNG format with multiple sizes. For maximum compatibility, include both ICO (16×16, 32×32) and PNG files.
Favicons are small, so complex designs won't be visible. Use simple shapes, letters, or symbols that are recognizable at tiny sizes.
Ensure your favicon has good contrast against both light and dark backgrounds. Many browsers now support dark mode, so test in both themes.
Always design in a square format. Browsers will display it as square, and some may crop rectangular images unexpectedly.
Small text is unreadable at favicon sizes. If you must use text, use only 1-2 large letters or a monogram.
Always preview your favicon at 16×16 pixels to ensure it's recognizable. What looks good at 512×512 may be unclear at 16×16.
HTML Implementation: Add favicon links to your HTML <head> section:
<!-- Standard favicon --> <link rel="icon" type="image/png" sizes="32x32" href="/favicon-32x32.png"> <link rel="icon" type="image/png" sizes="16x16" href="/favicon-16x16.png"> <!-- Apple Touch Icon --> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="180x180" href="/apple-touch-icon.png"> <!-- Android Chrome --> <link rel="icon" type="image/png" sizes="192x192" href="/android-chrome-192x192.png"> <link rel="icon" type="image/png" sizes="512x512" href="/android-chrome-512x512.png"> <!-- Legacy ICO --> <link rel="icon" href="/favicon.ico" sizes="any">
File Naming: Use descriptive names like "favicon-16x16.png" rather than generic names. This makes it easier to manage multiple sizes.
File Location: Place favicon files in your website's root directory or a dedicated "images" folder. Ensure the paths in your HTML match the actual file locations.
Favicons should be square. Rectangular images will be cropped or distorted by browsers.
Complex designs with many elements become blurry and unrecognizable at small sizes.
Always start with a high-resolution image (at least 512×512) and let the tool resize it down for better quality.
Different devices need different sizes. Generate and include multiple sizes for best compatibility.
Always test your favicon in multiple browsers and devices to ensure it displays correctly.
Creating a professional favicon for your website is quick and easy with our free tool. Follow these simple steps:
Click the upload area or drag and drop your image file. Supported formats include JPEG, PNG, GIF, WebP, and SVG. For best results, use a square image or one that works well when cropped to square.
Choose which favicon sizes you want to generate. We recommend at least 16×16, 32×32, and 180×180 for modern websites. You can select multiple sizes to generate all at once.
Select PNG for modern browsers or ICO for maximum compatibility. PNG is recommended for most use cases as it offers better quality and smaller file sizes.
Review the generated favicons in the preview area. Each size is displayed so you can verify the quality. Click 'Download' on individual sizes or 'Download All' to get all selected sizes at once.
Upload the downloaded favicon files to your website's root directory or images folder, then add the appropriate HTML link tags to your website's <head> section (see Best Practices section for code examples).
The most important size is 16×16 pixels, as this is what appears in browser tabs. However, for modern websites, you should provide multiple sizes: 16×16, 32×32, 48×48, 180×180 (Apple), and 192×192 (Android). Start with a high-resolution source image (512×512 or larger) and generate all needed sizes from it.
For modern websites, PNG is recommended as it offers better quality, smaller file sizes, and better transparency support. However, including an ICO file (with 16×16 and 32×32 sizes) provides maximum compatibility with older browsers. Many websites include both formats for the best compatibility.
Technically yes, but not all images work well as favicons. The image should be square or work well when cropped to square. Simple, high-contrast designs work best. Complex images with many details become unrecognizable at small sizes. Logos, monograms, and simple symbols make the best favicons.
Common reasons favicons don't appear:
Yes! Our favicon creator is completely free to use with no registration required. All image processing happens entirely in your browser using client-side JavaScript. Your images never leave your device and are never uploaded to any server, ensuring complete privacy and security.
Yes, you can upload SVG files. The tool will convert them to raster formats (PNG/ICO) at the selected sizes. SVG favicons are supported by some modern browsers, but for maximum compatibility, converting to PNG or ICO is recommended.