A favicon is the small icon a browser shows next to a page title — in the tab, the bookmarks bar, and the history list. "Favicon" is short for "favorite icon."

What does favicon.ico mean?

favicon.ico is the default favicon file browsers look for at the root of a website. The .ico format can hold several sizes (16x16, 32x32, 48x48) in one file.

Do I still need a favicon.ico file?

Yes. Modern sites also use PNG and SVG icons, but a root /favicon.ico is still requested automatically by browsers and is the safest baseline.

Can a favicon be a PNG or SVG?

Yes. PNG is widely supported and SVG is scalable and supports dark mode, but include an .ico for the broadest compatibility.

What size should a favicon be?

Start with 16x16 and 32x32 for browser tabs, plus 180x180 for Apple devices and 192x192 and 512x512 for Android. See our favicon size guide for the full breakdown.

What Is a Favicon?

A favicon is the small icon a browser shows next to a page’s title — in the browser tab, the bookmarks bar, and the history list. The word is short for “favorite icon.” A favicon helps people recognize your site at a glance and makes it look finished and trustworthy.

Where favicons appear

The same favicon shows up in more places than most people expect:

Browser tabs — the icon to the left of the page title.
Bookmarks and the bookmarks bar — so saved sites are easy to scan.
Browser history and address-bar suggestions.
Mobile home screens — when someone adds your site to their phone.
Search results and link previews — many apps show a favicon next to your listing.

What is favicon.ico?

favicon.ico is the default favicon file a browser looks for at the root of your website (for example, https://example.com/favicon.ico). Even if you never add any HTML, browsers will still request this file automatically — which is why it remains the safest baseline.

The .ico format is a container: a single file can hold several sizes at once, most commonly 16×16, 32×32, and 48×48 pixels. The browser picks whichever size fits the spot it needs to fill. People also search for this as “favicon ico” or “favicon.ico” — they mean the same file.

Favicon meaning and origin

“Favicon” is a blend of “favorite” and “icon.” The idea arrived with Internet Explorer 5 in 1999: if a site placed a file called favicon.ico at its root, the browser would show that icon next to a bookmarked (“favorite”) page. The name stuck, and every major browser adopted the convention. Today the favicon is a small but constant piece of your site’s identity.

Favicon formats today (.ico, PNG, and SVG)

Modern browsers accept three formats, and a complete setup usually includes all three:

.ico — the most widely supported format and the traditional root file. Best for guaranteed compatibility.
PNG — sharp at specific sizes (16×16, 32×32) and supported everywhere. Used for the modern tab icons and for Apple and Android icons.
SVG — a single scalable file that stays crisp at any size and can even change with the user’s color scheme using a prefers-color-scheme media query, giving you a dark-mode favicon.

What sizes do you need?

For most sites, start with 16×16 and 32×32 for browser tabs, then add 180×180 for Apple devices and 192×192 and 512×512 for Android and progressive web apps. The full breakdown — and which file each size maps to — is in our favicon size guide.

How to add a favicon to your site

It takes three steps:

Create the icon files so you get every required size at once.
Upload them to your site’s root folder, where browsers look for /favicon.ico.
Add the link tags to your HTML <head>:

<link rel="icon" href="/favicon.ico" sizes="any">
<link rel="icon" type="image/svg+xml" href="/icon.svg">
<link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="/apple-touch-icon.png">

Don’t want to make each size by hand? Our free favicon generator builds the complete package — .ico, PNGs, Apple and Android icons, and a web manifest — right in your browser, and gives you the exact tags to paste in.

Generate your favicon now →

Frequently asked questions

What is a favicon?: A favicon is the small icon a browser shows next to a page title — in the tab, the bookmarks bar, and the history list. "Favicon" is short for "favorite icon."
What does favicon.ico mean?: favicon.ico is the default favicon file browsers look for at the root of a website. The .ico format can hold several sizes (16x16, 32x32, 48x48) in one file.
Do I still need a favicon.ico file?: Yes. Modern sites also use PNG and SVG icons, but a root /favicon.ico is still requested automatically by browsers and is the safest baseline.
Can a favicon be a PNG or SVG?: Yes. PNG is widely supported and SVG is scalable and supports dark mode, but include an .ico for the broadest compatibility.
What size should a favicon be?: Start with 16x16 and 32x32 for browser tabs, plus 180x180 for Apple devices and 192x192 and 512x512 for Android. See our favicon size guide for the full breakdown.