Free Favicon Checker

Verify if your website's favicon meets Google's requirements for display in search results. Enter your website URL below to check your favicon configuration.

Check Your Website's Favicon

Why Is Your Favicon Important?

Favicons are small icons that represent your website in browser tabs, bookmarks, and search results. When properly configured, your favicon can appear in Google Search results, enhancing your brand visibility and making your site more recognizable to users scanning through search results.

Google's Favicon Requirements

For your favicon to appear in Google Search results, it must meet these requirements:

Must be a square image with a 1:1 aspect ratio
Minimum size of 8x8 pixels (Google recommends larger than 48x48px)
Must be properly linked in your website's home page
Must be crawlable by Googlebot-Image
Should visually represent your website's brand
Must use a stable URL (don't change it frequently)
Must not contain inappropriate imagery

How to Implement a Favicon for Google Search

Create a favicon that follows Google's guidelines (square format, appropriate size)
Add a link tag to the header of your home page with the following syntax:
```
<link rel="icon" href="/path/to/favicon.ico">
```
Ensure the favicon is crawlable - don't block it in your robots.txt file
Wait for Google to recrawl your home page (can take several days to weeks)
Request indexing of your site's home page using Google's URL Inspection tool to speed up the process

Supported Favicon Link Types

Google supports several rel attribute values for specifying a favicon:

icon - The standard icon that represents your site (recommended)
shortcut icon - An earlier, alternative version of icon (also supported)
apple-touch-icon - An iOS-friendly icon that represents your site
apple-touch-icon-precomposed - An alternative icon for earlier versions of iOS

Important Limitations

One favicon per hostname: Google Search only supports one favicon per site, where a site is defined by the hostname.
Subdomains can have different favicons: For example, example.com and blog.example.com can have different favicons.
Subdirectories cannot have different favicons: For example, example.com/blog will use the same favicon as example.com.
No guarantee of display: Even if all requirements are met, Google doesn't guarantee that your favicon will appear in search results.

Common Favicon Issues

Missing favicon link: No <link> tag with appropriate rel attribute in your home page's <head> section
Incorrect aspect ratio: Favicon is not square (1:1 aspect ratio)
Too small: Favicon is smaller than the minimum required size
Blocked from crawling: Favicon URL is blocked in robots.txt or by other means
Inappropriate content: Favicon contains imagery that Google deems inappropriate
Unstable URL: Favicon URL changes frequently

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take for my favicon to appear in Google Search?

After implementing or updating your favicon, it can take anywhere from several days to several weeks for Google to recrawl your home page and process the new information. You can speed up this process by using Google's URL Inspection tool in Search Console to request indexing of your home page.

What file formats are supported for favicons?

Google supports any valid favicon format, including ICO, PNG, SVG, GIF, and JPEG. However, ICO and PNG are the most commonly used formats for favicons.

Can I use a CDN to host my favicon?

Yes, your favicon doesn't need to be hosted on your site. It can be hosted on a content delivery network (CDN) or any other accessible location. The URL can be a relative path or an absolute path.

Why isn't my favicon showing in Google Search results?

Even if your favicon meets all requirements, Google doesn't guarantee it will appear in search results. Additionally, if Google deems your favicon inappropriate, it will be replaced with a default icon.

Enhance Your Brand Visibility

A properly configured favicon is a small but important element of your website's brand identity. By ensuring your favicon meets Google's requirements, you can enhance your brand visibility in search results and make your site more recognizable to users.