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Favicon Troubleshooting Guide

Solutions to the most common favicon problems. From display issues to caching problems, find step-by-step fixes for every favicon issue.

Quick Diagnostic Checklist

Start here to quickly identify your issue:

  • ? Check browser console - Look for 404 errors or warnings
  • ? Verify file paths - Ensure all links point to correct locations
  • ? Test in private/incognito mode - Rules out caching issues
  • ? Try different browsers - Identifies browser-specific problems
  • ? Check file permissions - Ensure server can read files
  • ? Validate HTML - Check link tags are properly formatted

? Issue #1: Favicon Not Showing At All

Common Causes

Symptoms: 404 error in browser console

Solution:

  1. Open browser DevTools (F12)
  2. Go to Console tab
  3. Look for favicon 404 errors
  4. Verify the file exists at the specified path
  5. Use absolute URLs instead of relative paths: /favicons/favicon.ico
<!-- Wrong -->
<link rel="icon" href="favicon.ico">

<!-- Correct -->
<link rel="icon" href="/favicon.ico">

Symptoms: Works in some browsers but not others

Solution:

Add proper link tags in your HTML <head>:

<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="96x96" href="/favicon-96x96.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">

Symptoms: File exists but returns 403 Forbidden

Solution:

  1. Set file permissions to 644 (rw-r--r--)
  2. Ensure directory permissions are 755 (rwxr-xr-x)
  3. On Linux/Mac: chmod 644 favicon.ico
  4. On shared hosting: Use file manager to set permissions

Symptoms: File loads but browser doesn't recognize it

Solution:

Configure your web server to send correct MIME types:

Apache (.htaccess):

AddType image/x-icon .ico
AddType image/png .png
AddType image/svg+xml .svg

Nginx:

types {
  image/x-icon ico;
  image/png png;
  image/svg+xml svg;
}

?? Issue #2: Favicon Not Updating

This is the most common favicon problem. Browsers aggressively cache favicons.

Quick Fixes (Try in Order)

1. Hard Refresh

  • Windows/Linux: Ctrl + F5 or Ctrl + Shift + R
  • Mac: Cmd + Shift + R
  • May need to refresh multiple times

2. Clear Browser Cache

  • Open browser settings
  • Clear browsing data
  • Select "Cached images and files"
  • Clear for "All time"

3. Test in Private/Incognito Mode

  • Opens fresh browser without cache
  • If favicon shows here, it's a caching issue
  • Continue with cache-busting techniques

4. Add Version Query String

Change your HTML to force new download:

<link rel="icon" href="/favicon.ico?v=2">

Increment version number (v=3, v=4, etc.) with each update

5. Delete Browser Favicon Cache

Chrome (Windows):

%LOCALAPPDATA%\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Favicons

Firefox:

about:support ? Clear startup cache ? Restart

Pro Tip

Set proper cache headers on your server to control caching. Use far-future expires for favicons, but include version in filename (favicon-v2.ico) for easy updates.

?? Issue #3: Favicon Appears Blurry or Wrong Size

Causes and Solutions

Problem: Blurry/Pixelated

Cause: Low-resolution source or poor scaling

Solution:

  • Start with 512x512 or larger source
  • Use proper scaling algorithms
  • Provide multiple sizes
  • Consider SVG for crisp display

Problem: Too Small/Large

Cause: Browser choosing wrong size

Solution:

  • Provide 16x16, 32x32, and 48x48
  • Specify sizes in link tags
  • Place most common size first
  • Test across browsers

?? Issue #4: Mobile Favicon Problems

Problem: Ugly screenshot instead of your icon

Solution:

  1. Create 180x180 PNG icon
  2. Use opaque background (no transparency)
  3. Add to HTML head:
<link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="/apple-touch-icon.png">

Note: File must be named exactly "apple-touch-icon.png" or use sizes attribute

Problem: Icon edges cut off on Android home screen

Solution:

  1. Create maskable icon with safe zone
  2. Keep important content in center 80%
  3. Add to manifest with "maskable" purpose
  4. Test with maskable.app

Problem: "Add to Home Screen" doesn't appear

Solution:

  • Ensure site.webmanifest is properly linked
  • Include 192x192 and 512x512 icons
  • Set display: "standalone" in manifest
  • Serve over HTTPS
  • Register a service worker

Browser-Specific Issues

Safari Issues
  • Problem: SVG favicon not showing
  • Solution: Safari doesn't support SVG favicons. Provide PNG/ICO fallback
  • Problem: Pinned tab icon wrong
  • Solution: Add mask-icon: <link rel="mask-icon" href="/pinned-tab.svg" color="#5bbad5">
Internet Explorer Issues
  • Problem: Only ICO works
  • Solution: Always provide favicon.ico in root
  • Problem: Caching is extreme
  • Solution: Clear cache, rename file, or use different browser for testing
Firefox Issues
  • Problem: Favicon not in private mode
  • Solution: Firefox blocks some favicon loads in private browsing
  • Problem: Wrong icon from cache
  • Solution: Go to about:support ? Clear startup cache
Chrome Issues
  • Problem: Favicon delayed loading
  • Solution: Chrome prioritizes page content. Wait or hard refresh
  • Problem: Shows old favicon
  • Solution: Clear cache or add version query string

Testing & Validation Tools

Browser DevTools

Press F12 ? Console tab to see errors, Network tab to verify loading

Favicon Checker

Online tools like realfavicongenerator.net checker

Lighthouse Audit

Chrome DevTools ? Lighthouse ? PWA audit

Manifest Validator

Validate site.webmanifest syntax and structure

Maskable.app

Test maskable icons in different shapes

?? Emergency Checklist - Nothing Works!

If you've tried everything and favicon still doesn't work:

  1. ? Upload favicon.ico to website root directory
  2. ? Verify file is actually uploaded (visit yoursite.com/favicon.ico)
  3. ? Check file is valid ICO format (use online converter if needed)
  4. ? Clear ALL browser cache (not just cookies)
  5. ? Test in completely different browser
  6. ? Test from different device/network
  7. ? Check server error logs for clues
  8. ? Disable browser extensions temporarily
  9. ? Try accessing in incognito/private mode
  10. ? Wait 24-48 hours (some CDNs/proxies cache heavily)

Avoid All These Problems

Generate properly formatted, tested favicons with our professional tool

Generate Error-Free Favicons

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