What is a Favicon: How to Create One with Examples [Beginner's Guide]

Do you use a favicon on your Website ?

Have you ever wondered why you see tiny logos or symbols next to website titles in your browser? 

Such as this:

These cute little icons are called favicons, representing a Website in web browsers. 

Wondering how to create one? You are in the right place.

In this article we will discover;

• What exactly is a favicon and where is it located in your browser?
• How do these little icons benefit both website owners and users?
• What makes a good favicon and how can you create one that stands out from the rest?

Are you curious? Let's move on to details.

Table of contents ☰

What is a favicon?

A favicon is a small, unique image that appears in the browser tab next to the title of your Website.

The MAJOR purpose of a WordPress favicon is to help users quickly identify your site among all the other open tabs in their browser.

Here is an example of what a favicon looks like:

Here are some additional favicons of popular websites displayed in the Chrome bookmarks bar.

What are the benefits of adding a Favicon to your site?

Your website's favicon represents the identity of the site. You need an attractive favicon if you want to build a personal brand or make your website more memorable.

Here are some major benefits of adding a WordPress favicon to your site in 2024.

• Professionalism: The biggest advantage of using a favicon is that it makes your website look more professional and visually appealing.
• Better user experience: Most online users usually have multiple tabs open in their web browser. Having a unique and attractive favicon helps you easily identify your site. Think Amazon, Twitter (X), YouTube, etc. You can easily identify these sites by looking at the favicons.
• Benefits of SEO : Almost all search engines, including Google and Bing, display favicons in search results, which can help your website stand out.
• Brand recognition: The more people see your website favicon, the easier it is for them to recognize your brand.
• Favorites: many people often bookmark a page (or website) when they find something interesting. A favicon makes your website stand out in favorites lists, encouraging users to revisit it.

How to add a favicon to your WordPress blog?

You must create a favicon before learning how to add a favicon to your site. If you already have a logo for your website, you can use it as a favicon. 

If you don't have one, there are many free favicon generators online that can help you generate a professional-looking favicon for your website.

For example, you can use the favicon.io generator . You can use this site to turn your existing website logo into a favicon or create one from scratch.

Once you're on their site, enter text related to your business or website name, and it will automatically display a favicon preview, as shown below.

As you can see, you can edit your favicon as you want by changing its text, background, font size, font color, background color, etc. 

Once you are done, you can click on the “Download” button to download it.

Once the favicon image is ready, add the new favicon to your WordPress site using one of the following methods.

Method 1: Use the WordPress customizer (the simplest)

To add a favicon to your WordPress site, go to Appearance > Customize in your WordPress dashboard.

Click Site Identity. 

Scroll down a little and you will find the “site icon”.

Choose an image from your media library or upload a new one. Make sure it's square and at least 512 × 512 pixels for best results.

Crop the image as desired and click Select. Click Publish to save your changes. That's it, you're done.

Method 2: Use a Favicon plugin

You can also use a WordPress Plugin to add a favicon to your WordPress site.

Install a plugin like Favicon from RealFaviconGenerator , which is a free plugin that helps you generate and add a favicon of different sizes, including:

• Desktop Browsers
• iPhone / iPad
• Android devices
• Windows 8 tablets and above

Activate the plugin and follow its instructions.

You will need to select your image and the plugin will generate all the necessary files and codes.

This is what it looks like;

Method 3: Manually Adding the Favicon (For Experienced Users)

Create your favicon file using one of the free favicon generators mentioned above. 

Make sure the favicon is a square image saved in .ico file format.

Log in to your website using an FTP client (such as FileZilla) and upload the favicon file to the root directory of your website.

Then the last part is to add HTML code.

Edit your website's theme files (usually header.php) and add the following code snippet, replacing "favicon.ico" with the actual filename of your favicon:

That's it, you're done.

Important Note : Be sure to test your favicon on different devices and browsers to make sure it displays correctly. Also try using a transparent background for your favicon for best results.

Common favicon formats

There are THREE most common file formats for favicons, namely:

• ICO (Windows icon)
• PNG (portable network graphics)
• SVG (scalable vector graphics)

ICO is the most popular and original favicon format, developed by Microsoft. The main reason to use this format is that it is compatible with all major browsers, including older versions like Internet Explorer.

The PNG format is widely used by professional designers. This format supports transparent backgrounds and its file size is often smaller than ICO.

SVG is the recommended format if you want to use and scale a favicon without losing quality. However, this favicon format is NOT as widely supported as ICO or PNG, especially on older devices or browsers.

Quick Tips for Creating a WordPress Favicon

Here are some useful tips for creating a unique favicon for your WordPress site.

• Keep it simple: Favicons are very small images, so avoid using too much text or text that is too small. Try using bold shapes, simple letters and simple logos. If possible, consider using a simplified version of your logo.
• Get inspired: get inspired by the biggest brands such as Amazon, Google, Tesla, Apple, etc. Or browse the best websites in your industry for inspiration and create favicons.
• Use your photo: If you look at our blog favicon, we use the founder's image. If you want to create a personal brand, use your photo as a favicon. It's so much simpler and more unique.
• Use a transparent background: always use a transparent background. You can use a PNG format with transparency for better visibility. Also, this allows the favicon to blend seamlessly with different browser backgrounds. Save your favicon in PNG or ICO format.
• Don't be fancy: you don't have to use every color available. Stick to a limited color palette. It is best to use only one or two colors for maximum visibility.
• Use the correct size: use a square image with a recommended size of 512 × 512 pixels. The best part of WordPress is that it automatically generates smaller versions for different devices, such as mobile devices and tablets. 
• Use tools: You can use free online tools like Favicon.io or RealFaviconGenerator.net to easily create and optimize your favicon.

Favicons FAQ

Here are some frequently asked questions about favicons. 

Final thoughts on what a favicon image is

Remember that size matters when it comes to creating a favicon. The ideal size is 512 × 512 pixels, but it should be scalable up to 16 × 16 pixels for optimal compatibility (across different browsers and devices).

Also consider using your logo, brand symbol, or any image that reflects the content on your website.

So, what do you think about using a favicon? Do you have any questions ? Let us know in the comments.