Favicon in Google Search
The small icon beside your result is your favicon. This guide covers Google’s exact rules: the link tag, size and shape, file formats, crawlability, what makes Google swap in a default icon, how to request an update, how long it takes, and how to fix it on WordPress.
- Exact tag code
- Size and format rules
- Crawl requirements
- WordPress steps
[ icon ] example.com
Your Page Title
Description text ...
<link rel="icon" href="/favicon.ico">Add a <link rel=”icon”> tag to your home page head. The icon must be square, at least 8×8 pixels, and Google recommends larger than 48×48. Allowed formats: BMP, GIF, ICO, PNG, JPEG, PPM and TIFF. Both Googlebot (home page) and Googlebot-Image (icon file) must be able to crawl. Only one favicon per hostname is supported. Changes can take days to weeks and display is not guaranteed.
What the favicon does in search
Google shows a small site icon next to the site name and result on mobile and some other surfaces. It helps people recognise your brand at a glance. It is chosen automatically from the favicon your home page declares. See also site names in Google Search, which is shown next to it.
The file and the tag
Which image you declare and whether Google can fetch it.
Whether it shows
No icon is guaranteed, even if every rule is met.
The link tag
Add a link tag inside the head of your home page:
<link rel="icon" href="/favicon.ico"> <link rel="icon" type="image/png" href="/icon-192.png"> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="/apple-touch-icon.png">
| rel value | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|
| icon | Supported | The standard choice |
| shortcut icon | Accepted | Historical, still works |
| apple-touch-icon | Supported | Often larger |
| apple-touch-icon-precomposed | Supported | Older variant |
The href can be a relative or absolute URL, and the file can be hosted elsewhere, such as on a CDN. Keep it stable.
Size, shape and format
- The favicon must be square.
- Google recommends larger than 48×48 pixels so it looks sharp on all surfaces. It does not require multiples of 48.
- Supported formats: BMP, GIF, ICO, PNG, JPEG, PPM and TIFF.
- The URL should not change often.
Crawling requirements
A common cause of a missing favicon is a robots.txt rule that blocks the folder containing the icon, such as an uploads or theme directory. See robots.txt and sitemaps and Google crawlers.
Content rules
- The icon should represent your brand so people recognise it.
- Google does not show icons it considers inappropriate, such as pornographic or hateful imagery. It substitutes a default icon instead.
Scope: one per hostname
Only one favicon is supported per hostname. A subdirectory home page, such as example.com/blog/, cannot have its own. If you run blog.example.com on a separate subdomain, that hostname can declare its own favicon.
Set up your favicon step by step
Make a square icon
Export a square PNG at 512×512 so you can reuse it (my own practice), plus smaller sizes.
Host it at a stable URL
Choose a path that will not change, such as /favicon.ico or a fixed upload path.
Add the link tag
Put it in the head of the home page. Confirm in page source that it appears.
Open the icon URL directly
It should load with a 200 status and no login. See HTTP status codes.
Inspect the home page
Use the URL Inspection tool to confirm the page is crawlable and not blocked.
Request indexing of the home page
Google says to use the URL Inspection tool to request indexing. See request indexing.
Allow days to weeks
Google says crawling can take several days to several weeks.
Notes for WordPress sites
- Use the Site Icon setting. In the Customizer, the Site Icon option outputs the right link tags. WordPress asks for a square image of at least 512 pixels (my own note from the WordPress interface).
- Do not duplicate. A theme or SEO plugin may add another favicon tag. Check the source for two conflicting icons.
- Check robots.txt. Make sure /wp-content/uploads/ is not blocked.
- Cache. Clear your cache so the new tag appears on the live page. See Yoast SEO settings.
Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Likely cause (my own diagnosis) | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Default globe icon | Not yet processed, blocked or inappropriate | Check access, request indexing, wait |
| Old icon still shown | Google has not recrawled | Request indexing and wait |
| Icon blurry | Image too small | Use larger than 48×48 |
| Works in browser, not Google | Googlebot-Image blocked | Unblock the file |
| Wrong subdomain icon | One per hostname | Add a tag on that home page |
Checklist
File
- Square image
- Larger than 48×48
- Supported format
- Simple, recognisable
Tag
- In the home page head
- rel=”icon” used
- Stable URL
- No conflicting tags
Access
- Googlebot can crawl the home page
- Googlebot-Image can fetch the icon
- Not in robots.txt blocks
- Icon returns 200
Follow-up
- Home page inspected
- Indexing requested
- Rechecked after weeks
- No guarantee expected
What Google’s page does not say
Google does not say how often favicons refresh beyond “several days to several weeks”, and it does not promise display even when all guidelines are met. It also does not offer a manual way to force a specific favicon, so there is no setting to push.
Key terms
- Favicon
- The small site icon shown in tabs and search results.
- Hostname
- The domain or subdomain, such as blog.example.com.
- Googlebot-Image
- The crawler that fetches images, including favicons.
- Apple touch icon
- A larger icon used on Apple devices.
Common mistakes
Blocking the icon folder
Googlebot-Image cannot fetch it.
A non-square image
Must be 1:1.
Changing the URL often
Google wants a stable URL.
Putting the tag on an inner page
The home page is used.
Expecting an overnight change
It takes days to weeks.
Too much detail in the icon
Unreadable when small.
Related guides
Favicon questions
What size should my favicon be?
Square, at least 8×8 pixels, and Google recommends larger than 48×48.
Which file formats are allowed?
BMP, GIF, ICO, PNG, JPEG, PPM and TIFF.
Where does the tag go?
In the head of your home page.
How long until Google shows it?
Several days to several weeks, according to Google.
Can each subfolder have its own favicon?
No. Only one favicon per hostname is supported.
Why does Google show a default icon?
Possible reasons: not yet processed, blocked from crawling, or an inappropriate image.
How do I request an update?
Use the URL Inspection tool to request indexing of your home page.
Is a favicon guaranteed to appear?
No, even when every guideline is met.
The tag, size, format, crawling, content, scope and timing rules come from Google’s favicon page. The step-by-step routine, WordPress notes, troubleshooting table and checklists are my own.