How to fix a favicon icon problem

A favicon is a distinguishable page element, which is why they’re used. Favicons are small icons that can be seen in your browser’s URL navigation bar. They usually look like a logo that represents the website. 

After installing a favicon you may find that it’s not visible in browsers or certain web interfaces even if nothing seems to have changed with the website.

Why a fully functional favicon is important

A missing favicon is less critical than a 404 error, but it still requires attention. Since favicons improve user experience and are a part of site indexing, you’ll want your favicon to be fully functional. The top reasons why this fix is important include: 

• The search engine indexes the favicon URL in order to display it next to the site’s name.
• A favicon boosts the page’s clickability by increasing brand recognition. 
• A distinguishable favicon can aid in identifying the page when multiple tabs are open.
• Using a favicon can enhance user interaction, encourage repeat visits, and lead to longer sessions. 
• It helps users find a website more easily in their search history.
• Favicons are often shown in search results. 

Where you’ll find the favicon

Favicons are shown alongside anything that denotes a website. This includes bookmarks, tabs, toolbar applications, search bars, and history results. Take a look at the following examples of favicons in action:

• Bookmarks drop-down menu

• Browser tabs

• Toolbar Apps

• History drop-down menu

• Search bar

Why the favicon icon isn’t showing up 

Even when the icon has been made and installed, there are instances when it looks deformed or completely vanishes. Other times, it just does not display at all.

Why is your favicon malfunctioning? The following are some of the most common causes of this error:

• Improper file format
• Incorrect icon size
• A mistake in the HTML code or the URL
• The URL of the logo constantly changes
• Google has not indexed the file
• The file is hosted locally
• Google thinks the logo design is inappropriate

How to fix a faulty favicon

There are a lot of potential causes for this problem, which means there are a lot of different solutions. The solution will depend on the cause, but one option below should  fix your faulty favicon: 

• Favicons can be created in various ways, however, some browsers and versions don’t support all of them. ICO images are recommended in this situation.
• The logo can be as small as 1616 pixels or as large as 3232, 4848, 9696, or 144144 pixels. Just keep in mind that CMS requirements are different. Therefore the size can vary. The Angular and React frameworks, for example, allow you to add a favicon to your website with the help of settings in the menu of the admin panel or special plugins.
• Root directory is updated with a new logo file. In addition, the head> portion of the page is updated to include information about the file, such as its name and location. It will be deleted if you put a favicon in the header> by accident.
• Ensure that the HTML code is error-free. The following is an example of a standard favicon in the ICO file format:  

<link rel=”icon” href=”favicon.ico” type=”image/x-icon” />; <link rel=”shortcut icon” href=”favicon.ico” type=”image/x-icon” />.

• The IP address must remain constant. You can’t expect search engines to be able to find your site if you keep changing the URL.
• A ban on indexing should be lifted for images that aren’t indexed by search engines.
• The file must be uploaded to the server to be seen by some browsers, such as Google Chrome.
• Some images and elements in the image may be similar or contain explicit material such as hate symbols or pornographic elements. Therefore, it will be replaced by the default image.

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