Favicon.

A favicon is the small icon that the browser displays in the tab next to the page title and in bookmarks. Google also displays it in search results next to your website’s name. For a business, this is more than just a cosmetic touch: In a list of search results, your logo is often the first thing that helps someone recognize you. According to Google Search Central, however, there’s no guarantee that your favicon will appear in search results, even if you follow all the guidelines.

How a Favicon Works

The favicon is an image file that your homepage links to in the header. According to Google, all you need is a link element with the attribute `rel="icon"` and the file's URL. Google also accepts the variants `shortcut icon` and `apple-touch-icon`.

Google retrieves the favicon when crawling your homepage. According to Search Central, this requires that Googlebot be allowed to access the homepage and that Googlebot for Images be allowed to access the favicon file. According to Google, after a change is made, it can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks for Google to recrawl the homepage and adopt the new icon.

What Your Business Should Keep in Mind

Submit a square file that is at least 48 × 48 pixels. According to Google, the favicon must be square and at least 8 × 8 pixels in size; a minimum of 48 × 48 pixels is recommended so that it looks good on various platforms. Supported formats include ICO, PNG, GIF, and JPEG. Google does not mention SVG in this list, so be sure to also create a PNG or ICO version.

Simplify your logo instead of just shrinking it. Google requires a graphic representation of your website logo so that users can recognize you quickly. In projects, we often see that a long wordmark shrinks to an unreadable line when scaled down to favicon size. A pictogram or a single letter from your corporate design with strong contrast works better.

Keep the address of the favicon file the same at all times. According to Google, the favicon URL should not change if possible. If you assign a new filename with every relaunch, you’ll end up waiting unnecessarily for Google to reprocess the icon.

Check to see if your robots.txt file is blocking it. If the favicon is located in a folder that you've blocked from search engines, it no longer complies with Google's guidelines and won't be displayed.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Favicon

Can I upload the favicon directly to Google? No. Google retrieves it when it crawls your homepage. However, according to Google, you can use the URL Inspection Tool in Search Console to request that your homepage be reindexed. Learn more in "How to Use Google Search Console Correctly."

Can a subdomain have its own favicon? Yes. Google supports one favicon per hostname. So, a store at shop.deinbetrieb.de can display a different icon than the main page, but a subfolder like deinbetrieb.de/shop cannot. The entry “Domain” explains the relationship between subdomains and the main domain.

Why is Google still showing my old favicon—or no favicon at all? In most cases, Google hasn't yet updated the homepage since the change, or the file isn't square or isn't accessible.

A favicon is quick to create, but it only works if the logo, colors, and website all go well together. If you'd like help with this, check out our web design services.