A favicon generator turns one image into the small icons a browser shows in the tab, the bookmark bar, and the phone home screen. The generator below resizes your image to every standard favicon size and packages a real favicon.ico, entirely inside your browser, so your picture is never uploaded to a server.
What a Favicon Is and the Sizes Browsers Use
A favicon is the small image a browser displays beside the page title in a tab, in the bookmark list, and in the history. Because it appears at very small dimensions, one source image has to be rendered at several pixel sizes so it stays sharp on each surface. Browsers ask for a 16 pixel icon for the tab, a 32 pixel icon for higher density displays and the taskbar, and a 48 pixel icon on Windows. Phones use larger versions: 180 pixels for the Apple touch icon that appears when someone saves your site to an iPhone home screen, and 192 pixels for the icon defined in a web app manifest on Android. A favicon generator produces all of these from a single upload.
How to Use It
- Choose a square image. A logo or symbol on a simple background reads best at small sizes.
- The tool resizes it to 16, 32, 48, 64, 180, and 192 pixels and shows a preview of each.
- Download the PNG for any size you need, and download the favicon.ico file.
- Upload the files to the root folder of your website.
- Copy the link tags the tool shows and paste them into the head section of your pages.
The Favicon Size Set
| Size | Format | Where it is used |
|---|---|---|
| 16×16 | ICO / PNG | Browser tab and address bar |
| 32×32 | ICO / PNG | Taskbar and high density tabs |
| 48×48 | ICO | Windows site icons |
| 180×180 | PNG | Apple touch icon for iOS home screen |
| 192×192 | PNG | Web app manifest icon on Android |
PNG Favicons Versus .ico
The .ico format is a container that can hold several images at different sizes in one file, which is why a single favicon.ico can serve the 16, 32, and 48 pixel versions at once. Older browsers and Windows look for favicon.ico at the site root by default, so keeping it covers the widest range of clients. PNG icons are separate files for each size and are referenced through link tags. Modern sites usually ship both: a favicon.ico for broad compatibility, and PNG link tags for the larger Apple touch and manifest icons. This tool builds a real .ico that embeds PNG image data for the 16, 32, and 48 sizes, which current browsers and operating systems read correctly.
Done in Your Browser
Every step here runs on your own device. The image you choose is read by the browser, drawn onto canvases at each size, and exported to PNG and ICO files locally. Nothing is sent to a server, logged, or stored anywhere, so you can generate icons from a private logo or an unreleased brand mark without it leaving your computer. You can confirm this by disconnecting from the internet and watching the tool still work.
When to Use It
Reach for a favicon generator whenever you launch a site, rebrand, or notice a blank icon in the browser tab. It is the fastest way to turn a logo into the full set of icons a browser and phone expect, without opening image editing software or resizing each size by hand. It is also useful when you only have one large image and need the small sizes that displays and home screens require.
Last Thoughts on Generating a Favicon
A favicon is small, but a missing or blurry one makes a site look unfinished in the tab and the bookmark bar. The work is mechanical: take one image, render it at the handful of sizes browsers ask for, and wire it up with link tags. A generator does the resizing and packaging in seconds so you can move on.
Generate your icon set from a square logo, place the files at your site root, and add the link tags to your head. For related image work, try our image resizer and SVG to PNG converter, and browse the rest of our free online tools.
Key Takeaways:
- A favicon is the small icon a browser shows in the tab, bookmarks, and history.
- Browsers use several sizes: 16, 32, and 48 pixels for desktop, 180 for the Apple touch icon, and 192 for the web manifest.
- The .ico format holds multiple sizes in one file; this tool embeds the 16, 32, and 48 versions in a real favicon.ico.
- Saving the files is not enough; add the link tags to the head of your pages so the browser can find them.
- Everything runs in your browser, so your source image is never uploaded.
- Start from a square image with a simple design, since fine detail disappears at 16 pixels.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What size should a favicon be?
There is no single size. Browsers use 16 and 32 pixels for the tab and taskbar, 48 pixels on Windows, 180 pixels for the Apple touch icon, and 192 pixels for the web manifest. This tool generates all of them from one image so you can use whichever a surface asks for.
What is the difference between a .ico file and a PNG favicon?
A .ico file is a container that can store several sizes in one file, which is why browsers look for favicon.ico by default. A PNG favicon is a single image for one size, referenced through a link tag. Most sites ship a favicon.ico plus PNG tags for the larger phone icons.
Does this favicon generator upload my image?
No. Your image is read and resized entirely inside your browser, and the PNG and ICO files are built on your device. Nothing is transmitted, logged, or stored on a server. You can confirm this by disconnecting from the internet and watching the tool still work.
Where do I put the favicon files?
Upload them to the root folder of your website, then add the link tags the tool shows to the head section of your pages. Browsers look for favicon.ico at the site root automatically, and the link tags point to the PNG icons for the larger sizes.
Should my source image be square?
Yes. A favicon is square, so a square source keeps the proportions correct at every size. If you upload a non square image it will be stretched to fit. A simple logo or symbol on a clear background also reads better than fine detail, which disappears at 16 pixels.
Why does my new favicon not show up?
Browsers cache favicons heavily. After you upload the files and add the link tags, reload the page with the cache cleared or open it in a private window. Also confirm the files are at the path your link tags reference and that favicon.ico sits at the site root.
