Favicon Creator - Free Online Favicon Generator - PolishMyPixel
Website Icon Creator

Favicon Generator

Create professional favicons for your website in seconds. Upload an image or generate from text, and we'll create all the necessary sizes and formats.

Source Image
favicon.ico
F
16x16
F
32x32
F
48x48
F
Android
Apple
ICO PNG Apple Touch Android PWA

Favicon Generator Guide

1

Choose Method

Upload an image (PNG, JPG, GIF up to 5MB) or create from text.

2

Configure

Set background color, adjust image effects, or style text options.

3

Generate

Click "Generate Favicons" to create your package.

4

Download

Get your favicon package including all sizes & installation instructions.

Your favicon package will include all standard sizes for optimal compatibility across different platforms.

Choose Your Method

Select whether you want to upload an image or create a favicon from text.

Upload Progress

Compatible with all major platforms

Web Browsers

Chrome Firefox Safari Edge

Perfect display in browser tabs, bookmarks, and history.

Mobile Apps

iOS Android

Home screen icons for mobile web apps and shortcuts.

Desktop Apps

Windows macOS Linux

Taskbar and dock icons for progressive web apps.

PWA Support

Web App Manifest

Full Progressive Web App support with manifest generation.

What is a Favicon?

A favicon (short for "favorite icon") is a small icon that represents your website in browser tabs, bookmarks, and mobile shortcuts. It serves as a visual identifier for your site, enhancing brand recognition and making your site look more professional and trustworthy.

Best Practices for Designing a Favicon

  • Start with a high-quality, square source image. We recommend at least 260x260 pixels, or ideally 512x512 pixels, for the best results across all generated sizes. Ensure your main design is centered and has some padding if it's not meant to touch the edges.
  • Keep it simple: Use clean, minimal designs that are recognizable at small sizes.
  • Ensure readability: Test your favicon at 16x16 pixels to verify it's clear and distinguishable.
  • Use appropriate formats: Provide multiple sizes and formats for different devices and platforms.
  • Consider color contrast: Choose colors that stand out in browser tabs and bookmarks.
  • Test thoroughly: After implementation, use our Favicon Checker to verify your favicon works correctly across all platforms and devices.

Common Favicon Mistakes

  • Too much detail - Avoid complex designs that become unrecognizable at small sizes.
  • Poor contrast - Your favicon should be visible on light and dark browser themes.
  • Using text - Letters and numbers often become illegible at favicon sizes.
  • Inconsistent branding - Your favicon should match your website's visual identity.

Real-World Examples

Good Favicon Examples

GitHub Favicon GitHub

Simple, recognizable cat silhouette. Works well at small sizes and maintains brand identity.

Netflix Favicon Netflix

Bold 'N' letter with high contrast. Instantly recognizable and readable at any size.

Examples of Favicon Mistakes to Avoid

❌ Using a Complex Logo

Detailed logos with small text or intricate designs become unrecognizable at small sizes. Keep it simple and bold.

Before
Complex favicon example
Complex favicon small
After
Simple favicon example
Simple favicon small

❌ Low Contrast Colors

Similar colors blend together at small sizes. Use high contrast colors to ensure visibility in browser tabs and bookmarks.

Before
Low contrast example
Low contrast small
After
High contrast example
High contrast small

❌ Ignoring Different Sizes

Not providing multiple sizes leads to blurry icons. Always include 16x16, 32x32, and 180x180 (for Apple Touch Icon).

Single Size (Blurry)
Blurry favicon Blurry favicon small
Multiple Sizes (Sharp)
Sharp favicon Sharp favicon small

File Formats and Sizes

Recommended Formats

  • PNG (Recommended: supports transparency and high quality) (Generated favicons will primarily be in PNG format)
  • ICO (Icon format for browsers, Windows taskbars, and legacy compatibility)

Required Sizes

  • 16x16 - Browser tabs (favicon)
  • 32x32 - Taskbar icon
  • 48x48 - Shortcut icons, Android MDPI launcher icon, & Windows app tiles
  • 180x180 - Apple Touch icon
  • 192x192 - Android icon
  • 512x512 - PWA (Progressive Web App) icon for splash screens

Adding to Your Website

Add the following code to your HTML file's <head> section:



<link rel="icon" type="image/x-icon" href="/favicon.ico" />
<link rel="icon" type="image/png" sizes="16x16" href="/favicon-16x16.png" />
<link rel="icon" type="image/png" sizes="32x32" href="/favicon-32x32.png" />
<link rel="icon" type="image/png" sizes="48x48" href="/favicon-48x48.png" />
<link rel="icon" type="image/png" sizes="192x192" href="/favicon-192x192.png" />
<link rel="icon" type="image/png" sizes="512x512" href="/favicon-512x512.png" />
<link rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="180x180" href="/apple-touch-icon.png" />
<link rel="manifest" href="/site.webmanifest" />
<meta name="msapplication-config" content="/browserconfig.xml" />
<meta name="theme-color" content="#ffffff" />

Note: Remember to update the content="#ffffff" in the <meta name="theme-color" ... /> tag to your website's primary brand color for better visual integration on mobile browsers.

After adding these tags, use our Favicon Checker to verify that all icons are properly configured and accessible.

Web App Manifest (site.webmanifest)

The web app manifest is a JSON file that provides information about your web application in a standardized format. It enables:

  • Installation of your web app on mobile devices
  • Creation of app shortcuts
  • Customization of the app's appearance on the home screen
  • Control over the app's display mode and orientation
{
    "name": "Your App Name",
    "short_name": "App",
    "description": "Your app description",
    "start_url": "/",
    "display": "standalone",
    "background_color": "#ffffff",
    "theme_color": "#ffffff",
    "icons": [
        {
            "src": "/favicon-192x192.png",
            "sizes": "192x192",
            "type": "image/png"
        },
        {
            "src": "/favicon-512x512.png",
            "sizes": "512x512",
            "type": "image/png",
            "purpose": "any maskable"
        }
    ]
}

Key manifest properties:

  • name: Full name of your application
  • short_name: Short name for app shortcuts
  • start_url: The URL that loads when your app starts
  • display: How the app should be presented (standalone, fullscreen, minimal-ui, browser)
  • icons: Array of icons for different sizes and purposes
  • purpose: How the icon should be used (any, maskable, monochrome)

Frequently Asked Questions

A Favicon Generator is a tool that helps you create a favicon (the small icon shown in browser tabs, bookmarks, and mobile home screens) for your website. You can typically upload an image or generate one from text, and the tool creates the necessary icon sizes and formats.
Different platforms (browsers, iOS, Android, Windows) and contexts (tabs, bookmarks, home screen shortcuts) require different icon sizes and sometimes formats (ICO, PNG) for optimal display. Providing the right sizes ensures your icon looks sharp and clear everywhere.
Our Favicon Generator accepts PNG, JPG/JPEG, and GIF images up to 5MB. Note that animated GIFs will be converted to static (non-animated) images for the generated favicons. We recommend using a square image of at least 260x260 pixels for the best results, especially if you plan to use transparency (PNG).
The package contains all the generated favicon image files (e.g., `favicon.ico`, various PNG sizes like `favicon-16x16.png`, `apple-touch-icon.png`, `favicon-192x192.png`, etc.), key integration files like `site.webmanifest` for Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) and `browserconfig.xml` for Windows tiles, an HTML file (`favicon.html`) with copy-paste installation instructions, and a JSON file (`favicons-manifest.json`) that lists all the generated assets and their details.
1. Upload the generated files to the root directory of your website. 2. Copy the HTML code provided by the generator (or from the instructions file). 3. Paste the code into the `` section of your HTML pages. 4. Use our Favicon Checker tool to verify the installation.
The 'site.webmanifest' is a standard JSON file used for Progressive Web Apps (PWAs). It tells browsers how your web application should behave when 'installed' on a user's device, including specifying icons, app name, start URL, and display mode.
Yes! You can choose the 'Text' mode, enter 1-2 characters, and customize the font, style, size, text color, background color, and shape (square or circle) to generate a text-based favicon.
No. Your uploaded images and generated favicons are stored temporarily only for the duration of your session and processing. Files are automatically deleted from our servers after a short period (typically 1 hour of inactivity) to ensure your privacy.