How to Make a Favicon.ico from a PNG Logo
A favicon is the small icon shown in browser tabs, bookmarks and search results next to your site name. Without one, browsers show a generic blank page icon, which makes a site look unfinished.
This guide shows how to turn a PNG or JPG logo into a proper favicon.ico and add it to any website.
What sizes does a favicon need?
Browsers display favicons at different sizes: 16×16 pixels in tabs, 32×32 on high-resolution screens and in some bookmarks, 48×48 on Windows, and larger sizes for shortcuts.
An ICO file can store several sizes in one file, and the browser picks the best one. PixShift creates ICO files containing 16, 32, 48 and 256 pixel versions automatically.
Prepare your image
- Use a square image. If your logo is not square, it will be centered with transparent space around it.
- Start from at least 256×256 pixels so the large sizes stay sharp.
- Keep it simple. Fine text and thin lines disappear at 16 pixels, so a single letter or symbol often works best.
- Use PNG with a transparent background if you want the icon to blend with light and dark browser tabs.
Convert PNG to ICO
- Open the PixShift PNG to ICO converter.
- Drop your logo into the box. The ICO file is created instantly in your browser.
- Download the file and rename it to favicon.ico.
Add the favicon to your website
- Upload favicon.ico to the root folder of your website, so it is available at https://your-site.com/favicon.ico.
- Add the line shown below inside the <head> section of your pages.
- Reload your site. If the old icon still appears, clear the browser cache or open the site in a private window; browsers cache favicons aggressively.
<link rel="icon" href="/favicon.ico" sizes="any">Do you still need ICO in modern browsers?
Modern browsers also accept PNG and SVG favicons. Still, a favicon.ico in the site root remains the most compatible option: some tools, feed readers and older browsers look for that exact file. Many sites provide both an ICO and an SVG or PNG version.