Favicon Not Showing? Check the Files, Links and Cache
Downloading an icon ZIP creates the files; it does not install them on a website. Work through these checks to separate a missing file from an old cached icon.
Choose an icon that works at a small size
Use a simple square symbol rather than a detailed photograph or a long wordmark. Inspect the 16-pixel preview in Favicon Generator. The ZIP includes a multi-size ICO, PNG icons, a webmanifest and an HTML example. Convert a supported SVG to PNG first if your source is a vector file.
Upload the files and confirm their addresses
Extract the ZIP and upload the chosen icon files to your own website. Open each intended icon URL in a browser and confirm that it returns the image rather than a login page, missing-file screen or HTML document. Use the HTML example as a starting point and adjust paths to the actual upload location. Generating a manifest alone does not turn a site into an installable application.
Use your platform’s icon setting where available
A theme or website builder may already manage icon markup. Set the icon there instead of adding several competing tags. On a custom page, inspect the rendered head and check which rel="icon" and Apple touch icon URLs it declares. A correct file on the server will not help if the page points to a different path.
Distinguish cache delays from installation errors
After changing the icon, clear the site or CDN cache and test a fresh browser session. A browser can retain an older icon even after the page reloads. Search results fetch and display icons independently, so a correct browser tab does not promise an immediate search-result update. Avoid repeatedly generating new icons while a broken URL or stale page cache remains the actual cause.
Check before you finish
- The icon is recognizable at 16 pixels.
- Each declared icon URL opens publicly and returns the intended file.
- The page or platform setting points to the uploaded location.
- The site cache was refreshed and a fresh browser session was checked.
Continue with a related tool
Questions or a correction? mrkcal@mrkcal.com