How to Make a Favicon for Your Website (2026 Guide)
What Is a Favicon and Why Does It Matter?
A favicon is the small icon that appears in browser tabs, bookmarks, and search results next to your website name. Despite being tiny, it plays an outsized role in brand recognition. Users scanning dozens of open tabs rely on favicons to find the right one. A missing or default favicon signals an unfinished site.
Beyond branding, favicons affect how your site appears in mobile home screens (when users "Add to Home Screen"), PWA installs, and even some search engine result snippets. Getting them right is a quick win for professionalism and usability.
What Sizes Do You Need?
Modern browsers and operating systems expect multiple sizes. Here is the complete set you should generate:
- 16x16 — Browser tab favicon (classic size)
- 32x32 — Browser tab on high-DPI / Retina displays
- 48x48 — Windows taskbar shortcut
- 180x180 — Apple Touch Icon (iOS home screen)
- 192x192 — Android Chrome home screen icon
- 512x512 — PWA splash screen and install prompt
You also need a favicon.ico file, which bundles the 16, 32, and 48 sizes into a single file for maximum browser compatibility.
Three Ways to Create a Favicon
From text or emoji: The fastest approach. Pick an emoji or letter that represents your brand, choose a background color, and generate all sizes instantly. Our Favicon Maker tool does this entirely in your browser with no uploads required.
From a drawing: If you want a custom hand-drawn icon, use a drawing canvas to sketch your favicon at 512x512 pixels, then let the tool scale it down to all required sizes. This works well for simple logos and symbols.
From an existing image: Upload your logo or brand mark and the tool will crop it to a square and generate all sizes. Make sure your source image is at least 512x512 pixels for the best quality at all sizes.
The HTML Markup You Need
Once you have your favicon files, add these tags to the <head> section of your HTML. The Favicon Maker generates this markup for you with a one-click copy button.
Place the ICO link first (it is the universal fallback), followed by PNG sizes for modern browsers, the Apple Touch Icon for iOS, and the large sizes for Android and PWA manifests.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using only one size — A 16x16 favicon looks blurry on Apple Touch Icon or Android. Always generate all standard sizes.
- Forgetting the ICO format — Some older browsers and tools only support .ico files. Include one as a fallback.
- Too much detail — Favicons are viewed at tiny sizes. Simple shapes and high contrast work best. Fine text is unreadable at 16x16.
- Not testing on mobile — Always check how your favicon looks as an Apple Touch Icon and Android home screen shortcut, where it appears much larger.
Quick Start
Open the Favicon Maker, enter your emoji or upload your logo, customize the background color, and download the complete set. The tool generates the ICO file, all PNG sizes, and the HTML markup you need — everything runs in your browser with zero uploads to any server.
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