Quick answer
A modern favicon setup needs a 32 × 32 px icon for browser tabs, a 180 × 180 px Apple touch icon, and 192 × 192 px and 512 × 512 px icons in the web app manifest. An SVG icon scales sharply in browsers that support it, and an .ico file covers older ones. FreeImageKit creates the PNG sizes and ICO files in your browser.
Steps
- Start from a square master image, at least 512 × 512 px, with the logo centred and some padding.
- Resize it to 32, 180, 192 and 512 px with Resize Image to Common Dimensions or Resize Image.
- Convert a PNG to ICO if you need a .ico file, then reference all the icons from your page head and manifest.
Start with a square master
Design the icon at 512 × 512 px or larger on a square canvas, and keep important detail away from the edges. Very small sizes lose fine detail, so simple, high-contrast shapes survive best.
Where each size is used
32 × 32 px (and 16 × 16 px) icons appear in tabs and bookmarks. The 180 × 180 px apple-touch-icon is used when a page is added to an iOS home screen. The 192 × 192 px and 512 × 512 px icons declared in the web app manifest are used for Android home screens and installed web apps.
PNG, ICO and SVG
PNG icons are universally supported. An ICO file bundles bitmaps for older browsers and some Windows contexts, and FreeImageKit creates PNG-backed ICO files up to 256 px. An SVG favicon stays sharp at any size in browsers that support it, so many sites ship SVG plus PNG fallbacks.
| Size | Used for | Where to declare it |
|---|---|---|
| 16 × 16 and 32 × 32 px | Browser tabs and bookmarks | link rel="icon" or favicon.ico |
| 180 × 180 px | iOS home screen | link rel="apple-touch-icon" |
| 192 × 192 px | Android home screen, installed web apps | Web app manifest icons |
| 512 × 512 px | Install splash and store-quality icon | Web app manifest icons |
| SVG | Sharp icon at any size | link rel="icon" type="image/svg+xml" |
Frequently asked questions
Do I still need a favicon.ico?
Most modern browsers accept PNG or SVG icons, but an ICO file is a safe fallback for older browsers and some tools.
Can I make an ICO file for free?
Yes. FreeImageKit's PNG to ICO converter creates PNG-backed ICO files up to 256 px in your browser, with no upload.
What size should the source image be?
A square image of at least 512 × 512 px, so every smaller size is scaled down, not up.
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Keep reading
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This guide describes format behaviour and product capability, not a guarantee for every source image or third-party workflow. Keep your original files and verify important exports.