What is Favicoo?
Favicoo is a free, browser-native tool that converts PNG, JPG, JPEG and WebP images into ICO favicon files. You can add images, choose dimensions, preview each output and download ICO files individually or as a ZIP. Conversion runs locally in your browser; the images selected for conversion are not uploaded to a Favicoo conversion server.
Favicoo is part of RuntimeHub, a collection of practical web tools built around direct workflows and privacy-conscious processing.
Answering a common question
How do I get a favicon.ico from my website?
If you want to download the favicon already used by your own website, start by checking the conventional root path. On many sites, the file is available at https://your-domain.com/favicon.ico. Replace your-domain.com with your domain and open the URL in a browser. If it displays the icon, use your browser's save option to keep a local copy.
What if /favicon.ico does not exist?
Modern sites may point to a PNG, SVG or another ICO URL instead of using the conventional root file. Open your homepage, view its page source or inspect the document head in your browser's developer tools, then look for a link similar to:
<link rel="icon" href="/assets/site-icon.png">Open the value of href. If it begins with a slash, it is usually relative to the website root; if it is a full URL, open that address directly. The filename does not have to be favicon.ico, and the icon might be hosted on a content delivery network.
How do I save that icon as an ICO file?
Favicoo currently accepts PNG, JPG, JPEG and WebP source images. If the icon you found is one of these formats, use the image-to-favicon converter to make ICO outputs. If the source is SVG, first export it to a suitable raster image such as PNG using a tool that supports SVG export. If the file is already named .ico, it is already an ICO file; there is no need to convert it just to change its extension.
Only download or reuse an icon when you have permission to do so. For a site you manage, this method is also useful for checking the file your homepage currently references before replacing or updating it.
Why does a website need a favicon?
A favicon is a small icon associated with a website. It can appear in browser tabs, bookmarks, history and other browser interfaces. A recognizable icon helps people distinguish your site when several tabs are open and gives your brand a consistent visual marker outside the page itself.
Google may also show a favicon next to your site in Search results, where it can help users recognize the result. A favicon is not a direct ranking shortcut, and Google does not guarantee that it will appear even when a site follows the technical guidelines. Think of it as a branding and usability asset rather than an SEO trick.
Create a new icon
How to make a favicon from PNG, JPG or WebP
1. Prepare a recognizable source image
Choose a clear symbol, initial or compact version of your logo. A square image is easiest to work with, but a portrait or landscape source can also be used. Because a favicon often renders at 16 × 16 pixels, fine text, thin outlines and subtle gradients may disappear. Simpler artwork usually works better.
2. Upload, drag or paste your image
Open the Favicoo favicon converter and choose the source image, drop it into the upload area or paste an image when your browser supports clipboard image data. PNG is often useful for logos with transparent areas. JPG/JPEG is suitable for opaque images; its background cannot be transparent. WebP may be opaque or transparent depending on the source.
3. Choose the output dimensions
Pick the sizes your project needs. A practical starting set is 16 × 16, 32 × 32, 48 × 48 and 64 × 64. Favicoo creates a separate ICO file for every selected dimension; it does not pack all sizes into one multi-entry ICO container. That makes it easy to choose a specific file and gather all results into a ZIP.
4. Preview before downloading
Check each square preview at its actual scale. For a light icon, inspect how transparency looks against different backgrounds. If the 16 × 16 version is difficult to recognize, simplify the source mark and convert it again.
Which favicon sizes should you use?
Different browsers, operating systems and services can consume icons differently. Treat the following as practical guidance rather than a guarantee that every platform uses every dimension.
| Size | Typical context | Advice |
|---|---|---|
| 16 × 16 | Compact browser UI | Keep the artwork bold and simple. |
| 32 × 32 | Common browser and desktop contexts | A useful everyday size. |
| 48 × 48 | Larger favicon displays | A practical entry in a general favicon set. |
| 64 × 64 | Additional higher-resolution contexts | Provides more detail when the display can use it. |
| 128 × 128 | Some app or extension workflows | Check the platform's specific icon requirements. |
| 256 × 256 | Large ICO entry | Favicoo's maximum generated ICO size. |
Google's current guidance says a favicon must be square and at least 8 × 8 pixels, and recommends an image larger than 48 × 48 pixels for good display across surfaces. This is Google's recommendation for Search display, not a requirement that every icon set must contain every size listed above. Read the official Google Search Central favicon guidelines for current requirements.
Do larger favicons improve SEO?
Not on their own. A suitably sized, recognizable icon may help meet Google's display recommendation and support brand recognition, but dimensions do not guarantee indexing, a visible favicon, clicks or higher rankings. Crawlability, a stable URL and a favicon that represents the site also matter.
Publish the icon
How to install favicon.ico on your website
1. Upload the chosen file
For a conventional setup, upload the ICO to your site's public root so it is reachable at https://your-domain.com/favicon.ico. If Favicoo generated a size-labelled file such as logo-64x64.ico, rename the selected file to favicon.ico if that is the path your setup expects.
2. Add a link in the document head
In your homepage HTML, add a favicon reference inside <head>:
<link rel="icon" href="/favicon.ico" sizes="any">The URL in the HTML must match where the file was deployed. If your framework has a public folder or metadata API, follow its conventions and verify the rendered HTML after deployment.
3. Provide separate app icons when required
An ICO file does not replace every icon asset. Apple touch icons and Progressive Web App icons are often separate files. PWA manifests commonly declare 192 × 192 and 512 × 512 PNG images; supply these separately when your project requires them rather than trying to place 512 × 512 inside an ICO file.
4. Test the public URL
Open the favicon URL directly and confirm it loads. Check your homepage's <head> and ensure the icon and homepage are accessible to crawlers and not blocked by an access control or robots rule.
How to help Google find your favicon
- Use a square icon that visually represents your website or brand.
- Keep the favicon URL stable and make sure it loads successfully.
- Allow Googlebot to crawl the homepage and Googlebot-Image to crawl the icon.
- Use a supported image format and avoid access restrictions that prevent fetching.
- Use one representative favicon for the site hostname; Google's Search favicon is a site-level feature, not a separate icon for every page.
After an update, browser and search caches may continue showing the old version for a while. Google may need to recrawl the homepage and icon; appearance is not guaranteed. For detailed troubleshooting, use Google's favicon documentation.
Common favicon problems and fixes
The icon looks blurry
Start with a larger, sharper source image and reduce visual complexity. Inspect the smallest preview instead of judging only a zoomed-in version.
The background is not transparent
Check the original source. JPG/JPEG does not support transparency. A PNG or WebP also cannot regain transparent pixels if the artwork was already flattened against a solid background.
The old icon is still visible
Browsers cache favicons. Check that you updated the right public path, try a hard refresh and verify the link in the page head. Avoid changing the icon URL unnecessarily, especially if you want search crawlers to reuse a stable URL.
The favicon is missing in Google Search
Verify that the homepage and favicon are crawlable, the icon is square and its URL is stable. Google controls whether a favicon appears in Search and does not guarantee it for every site.
How Favicoo processes images
Favicoo decodes supported source images in your browser, scales the artwork with the Canvas API and assembles the pixel data into individual ICO files. The selected images are not sent to a Favicoo conversion server. Processing very large images and generating many size variants still depends on device memory and browser performance, so inspect important outputs before using them on a production website.
About RuntimeHub
Favicoo is part of the RuntimeHub collection of browser-based utilities for images, documents, audio and other everyday workflows. Explore the collection at runtime-hub.com.