Favicon Checker

Check if your site has a properly configured favicon. Verify link tags, /favicon.ico, Apple Touch Icons, web manifests, and get a complete favicon health score with actionable recommendations.

Check Favicon

Enter any URL to check its favicon configuration, icon resources, and get a comprehensive health score.
Quick test:

About the Favicon Checker

A favicon is a small but important detail that makes your site look professional and trustworthy. It appears in browser tabs, bookmarks, history, and (on mobile) in Google search results. A missing or broken favicon signals low quality to users and can hurt your brand perception.

Detect missing favicons

Identifies pages without any favicon declaration — a common oversight that makes your site look incomplete.

Format & size analysis

Checks for modern PNG/SVG formats and verifies multiple sizes are available for different devices.

Apple Touch Icon check

Verifies Apple Touch Icon is configured so your site looks great when saved to iOS home screen.

Why Favicons Matter for Your Website

While favicons don't directly affect search rankings, they play an important role in user experience and brand perception:

  • Browser tabs — Your icon helps users find your tab among dozens of open tabs. A missing favicon (showing the default globe icon) makes your site blend in.
  • Bookmarks — Favicons appear in bookmark menus, making it easier for users to visually find and return to your site.
  • Mobile search results — Google displays favicons next to search results on mobile, helping your listing stand out.
  • Home screen apps — With proper Apple Touch Icon and web manifest, users can add your site to their device home screen with a branded icon.
  • Professional credibility — A properly configured favicon signals that your site is maintained, professional, and cares about details.

Recommended Favicon Setup

For modern browser compatibility, include all of the following in your <head> element:

<link rel="icon" type="image/png" sizes="32x32" href="/favicon-32x32.png"> <link rel="icon" type="image/png" sizes="16x16" href="/favicon-16x16.png"> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="180x180" href="/apple-touch-icon.png"> <link rel="manifest" href="/site.webmanifest"> <!-- Place favicon.ico in the root directory -->

Icon Size Guide

SizeFormatUsage
16×16PNG/ICOBrowser tab, favicon fallback
32×32PNG/ICOBrowser tab (standard), taskbar
180×180PNGApple Touch Icon (iOS home screen)
192×192PNGAndroid Chrome (PWA icon)
512×512PNGPWA splash screen icon
SVG (any)SVGModern browsers, retina displays

Frequently Asked Questions

A favicon (short for favorite icon) is the small icon that appears in browser tabs, bookmarks, history, and shortcuts. It helps users identify your site at a glance and reinforces your brand identity. Every professional website should have a properly configured favicon.
For the broadest compatibility, provide a 32×32 ICO file at /favicon.ico (legacy support), plus a 180×180 PNG for Apple Touch Icon (iOS home screen), and a 192×192 PNG for Android/Chrome. Modern browsers also support SVG favicons which scale perfectly on retina displays.
Add <code>&lt;link rel="icon" href="/favicon.ico"&gt;</code> to your &lt;head&gt; element. For modern setups, include multiple sizes: <code>&lt;link rel="icon" type="image/png" sizes="32x32" href="/favicon-32x32.png"&gt;</code> and <code>&lt;link rel="icon" type="image/png" sizes="16x16" href="/favicon-16x16.png"&gt;</code>.
Not directly as a ranking factor, but it indirectly impacts SEO by improving user experience and brand recognition. A favicon appears in Google search results on mobile, in browser tabs, and bookmarks. A missing favicon makes your site look unprofessional and can reduce click-through rates.
An Apple Touch Icon is used when users save your website to their iOS home screen. It must be a PNG image, ideally 180×180 pixels. You declare it with <code>&lt;link rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="180x180" href="/apple-touch-icon.png"&gt;</code>. Without one, iOS scales down the favicon or shows a generic icon.
Yes, both serve different purposes. The /favicon.ico file is the default fallback — browsers automatically request it at the root of your domain even without a link tag. The link rel="icon" tag gives you explicit control over the icon path, format, and size. Using both ensures maximum browser compatibility.
A web manifest (site.webmanifest) is a JSON file that tells browsers about your Progressive Web App (PWA), including icons for different devices. While not strictly required for a basic favicon, it is recommended for modern websites and is required if you want your site to be installable as a PWA on Android/Chrome.
You can create a favicon using design tools like Photoshop, Illustrator, or free online favicon generators. Design your icon at 512×512 pixels, then export multiple sizes: 16×16, 32×32 (for standard favicon), 180×180 (Apple Touch Icon), and 192×192 (Android). Many favicon generators will produce all required sizes and the necessary HTML code.
Yes, modern browsers support SVG favicons. You add them with <code>&lt;link rel="icon" type="image/svg+xml" href="/favicon.svg"&gt;</code>. SVG favicons scale perfectly to any resolution and are ideal for retina/high-DPI displays. However, you should still provide traditional PNG/ICO fallbacks for older browsers.
Common reasons include: (1) browser cache (try hard refresh or clear cache), (2) missing or incorrect file path, (3) using an unsupported format, (4) the file is too large (keep under 100KB), (5) no link tag pointing to the icon, (6) server returning 404 for the favicon file, or (7) the favicon has a CORS issue if hosted on a different domain.
Reviewed Jun 2026 · Sources and limitations

Review details: 2026-06-10 · Marc LaClear · v1.0

Reference sources:

Known limits:

  • Checks are based on publicly fetchable HTML, response headers, and browser-side input. They do not use private Google Search Console, analytics, or ranking data.
  • Scores and warnings are diagnostic aids, not guarantees of ranking improvement or Google indexation.
  • Pages blocked by robots.txt, login walls, bot protection, heavy JavaScript, or network timeouts may return incomplete results.
  • Validate critical fixes with official Google tools such as Search Console, Rich Results Test, Lighthouse, and your own crawl data.

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