A favicon is the small icon that represents a website. You see it in the browser tab, in bookmarks and history, next to the site name in Google results, and on a phone's home screen when someone saves the site.
The name comes from "favorites icon": Internet Explorer introduced it in 1999 to show next to saved favorites.
Where Favicons Appear
• Browser tabs and the address bar • Bookmarks, history and the new-tab page • Google Search results, next to your site name • iPhone and Android home screens (as a touch or app icon) • Installed web apps (PWAs)
Why a Favicon Matters
• People find your tab among many open ones • It makes your result look trustworthy in Google • Without one, browsers show a blank page or globe
Favicon Sizes
16×16 and 32×32 — browser tab (favicon.ico) 48×48 or larger multiple of 48 — Google Search 180×180 — Apple touch icon 192×192 and 512×512 — Android and PWA
See every size and format in our favicon size guide: Favicon Sizes and Formats: Every Size You Need.
How to Add a Favicon
1. Make a simple square icon, readable at 16 px. 2. Export favicon.ico (16, 32, 48) and PNGs for the larger sizes. 3. Upload them to your site's root folder. 4. Add the link tags to your page head.
<link rel="icon" href="/favicon.ico" sizes="any"> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="/apple-touch-icon.png">
Website builders like WordPress, Shopify, Squarespace and Wix have a Site Icon or Favicon setting instead: upload one square image and they create the sizes.
Check Your Favicon
Enter your site in Favicon Checker to see how your favicon looks in a tab, in Google and on phones, and what's missing. Need an .ico file? Convert any PNG with PNG to ICO Converter.
Favicon FAQ
What is a favicon?
The small icon that represents a website in browser tabs, bookmarks, Google results and home screens.
What does favicon stand for?
"Favorites icon", from the icons Internet Explorer showed next to saved favorites.
What size is a favicon?
32×32 for tabs, plus 16×16 in favicon.ico. Add 180×180 for Apple and 192/512 for Android.
What format should a favicon be?
ICO for the classic favicon.ico, PNG for larger sizes, and optionally SVG for modern browsers.
Why isn't my favicon showing in Google?
Google needs a square icon in a multiple of 48 px, linked from your homepage and crawlable. It can take weeks to update.
