What formats do i use for a favicon

The recommended formats for a favicon are PNG, ICO, and SVG. PNG is the most widely supported format, while ICO is specifically designed for favicons.

March 14, 2023 | 5 minutes read

Share this article

A favicon is a small icon that appears next to the website's name in the browser's address bar and in the bookmark menu. It helps users identify and remember your website easily. Favicon files can be in several different formats, including ICO, PNG, GIF, and JPEG. In this answer, we will go into detail about each of these formats.

1. ICO (Icon) format: The ICO format is the most common format used for favicons. It is a Windows-specific format that supports multiple sizes and color depths. An ICO file can contain multiple versions of the same icon, allowing the browser to choose the appropriate size and color depth depending on the user's device. To create an ICO file, you can use an image editing software that supports ICO format, such as Adobe Photoshop or GIMP.
2. PNG (Portable Network Graphics) format: The PNG format is a popular alternative to the format. It is a lossless compression format that supports transparency and is widely supported by modern browsers. PNG favicons can also contain multiple sizes, but they are usually saved as separate files with different names (e.g., favicon-16x16.png, favicon-32x32.png, etc.). To create a PNG favicon, you can use any image editing software that supports PNG format, such as Adobe Photoshop or Paint.net.
3. GIF (Graphics Interchange Format) format: The GIF format is an older format that is still supported by some browsers. GIFs support transparency and animation, but they are limited to 256 colors, which can make them look pixelated. GIFs are not recommended for use as favicons unless you need an animated favicon. To create a GIF favicon, you can use any image editing software that supports GIF format, such as Adobe Photoshop or GIMP.
4. JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) format: The JPEG format is a compressed image format that is commonly used for photographs. However, it is not recommended for use as a favicon because it does not support transparency and can look blurry at small sizes. JPEGs are best used for larger images on your website. To create a JPEG favicon, you can use any image editing software that supports JPEG format, such as Adobe Photoshop or Affinity Photo.
5. SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) is an XML-based vector image format that supports interactivity and animation. SVG images are resolution-independent, meaning they can be scaled to any size without losing quality.
6. JPG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) is a commonly used image format on the web, it may not be the best choice for certain use cases. When it comes to creating favicons, which are small icons typically used in a browser's address bar, JPG is not the optimal choice due to its limited resolution quality.

In summary, the most used format for favicons is ICO, but PNG is also a popular alternative that is widely supported by modern browsers. GIFs are not recommended unless you need an animated favicon, and JPEGs should not be used as they do not support transparency and can look blurry at small sizes. Regardless of the format you choose, make sure your favicon is optimized for the web by keeping its size small and its resolution high.