What is a favicon?
A favicon is the small icon shown in browser tabs, bookmarks, Google search results on mobile and on a phone's home screen when someone saves your site. It helps people recognise your website at a glance, so every site should have one.
Which files does a website need?
| File | Size | Used by |
|---|---|---|
| favicon.ico | 16, 32 and 48 px | Older browsers and Windows |
| favicon-32x32.png / 16x16.png | 32 and 16 px | Modern browser tabs |
| apple-touch-icon.png | 180 px | iPhone and iPad home screens |
| android-chrome icons | 192 and 512 px | Android home screens and installed web apps |
The generator creates all of these from one image and gives you the HTML tags to paste into the <head> of your pages.
Tips for a sharp favicon
- Start from a square image at least 512 × 512 pixels, or an SVG logo.
- Keep it simple. At 16 pixels, words disappear. Use a single letter or your logo's symbol.
- Use strong contrast so the icon shows on both light and dark browser tabs.
Why isn't my new favicon showing?
Browsers cache favicons for a long time. Upload the files to the top folder of your site, then open the favicon address directly and refresh, or try a private window. Google can take a few weeks to update the icon in search results. Read our step-by-step guide on how to make a favicon.