How to Create a Favicon in 2024

Quick Start: 5-Minute Favicon Creation

Creating a favicon is simple with the right tools. Here's the fastest method:

Recommended

Method 1: Using Our Favicon Generator

Prepare your logo

512x512px PNG with transparent background

Upload

Upload to our Favicon Generator

Select sizes

Click "Required Only" for essentials or "Select All"

Generate

Get all sizes + HTML code in 2 seconds

Download ZIP

Contains all files and implementation guide

Upload files

Upload to your website's root directory

Copy HTML code

Paste in your <head> section

Detailed Step-by-Step Process

Design Your Favicon

Start with a simple, recognizable design. Your favicon will be displayed at sizes as small as 16x16 pixels, so complexity doesn't translate well.

Design Tips:

Keep it simple - One or two elements maximum

Use bold colors - High contrast works best

Avoid text - Text is unreadable at 16x16px

Test at small sizes - Zoom out to see how it looks tiny

Use brand colors - Maintain consistent branding

Prepare Your Source Image

For best results, create your source image with these specifications:

Optimal Source Image Specs:

Size: 512x512 pixels (minimum 260x260)

Format: PNG (supports transparency)

Background: Transparent (not white)

Color mode: RGB

File size: Under 1MB

Generate All Required Sizes

Modern websites need favicons in multiple sizes. Our generator automatically creates:

16x16px and 32x32px for browser tabs

180x180px for iOS devices

192x192px and 512x512px for Android and PWA

ICO format for legacy browser support

Windows tiles (150x150px, 310x310px)

Implement on Your Website

After downloading your favicon package, follow these implementation steps:

A. Upload Files

Upload all generated icon files to your website's root directory. For most sites, this is the public folder or the main directory where index.html lives.

Test Your Favicon

After implementation, test your favicon:

Open your website in a new tab - favicon should appear

Bookmark the page - icon should show in bookmarks

Test on mobile devices - check home screen icons

Clear browser cache if old icon persists

Use our Favicon Testing Guide for comprehensive checks

Alternative Methods

Method 2: Using Design Software

Manual Process

If you want to create favicons manually:

1. Design in Photoshop/Figma at 512x512px
2. Export as PNG with transparency
3. Manually resize to each required size
4. Convert to ICO format using a converter tool
5. Create manifest.json file manually

This method takes 30+ minutes vs. 2 minutes with our generator.

Method 3: Other Online Tools

Limited Features

Various online tools exist, but many have limitations:

Limited size options

No HTML code generation

Poor quality at small sizes

No transparency support

Manual implementation required

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Don't Do This

❌Using complex designs that blur at small sizes

❌Forgetting to include multiple sizes

❌Using JPEG format (no transparency support)

❌Setting wrong file paths in HTML

❌Uploading files to wrong directory

❌Not testing on mobile devices

❌Using only 16x16px size (outdated practice)

Best Practices Summary

Start with 512x512px transparent PNG

Generate all required sizes automatically

Use simple, bold designs

Test across all devices and browsers

Include manifest.json for PWA support

Keep file sizes under 100KB per icon

Ready to Create Your Favicon?

Generate all sizes with HTML code in 2 minutes. No design skills required.

Create Favicon Now - It's Free →