Favicon

Web design & UX

A favicon (favorite icon) is a small icon that represents websites and is displayed in browser tabs, bookmarks, or address bars. In web design, it aids in brand identification and usability; it is uploaded as an ICO file and referenced via an HTML link.

The favicon is the small image in the browser tab. It might sound trivial, but it's the only trademark that remains permanently visible when someone has twelve tabs open. Those who don't specify one get a default gray icon.

In practice, a single SVG file plus a 180x180 pixel PNG version for Apple devices is sufficient these days. The key is legibility at 16x16 pixels: a complete logo with text will appear as a blur. Instead, use a single element, such as the first letter or a symbol from the logo.

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