HTML favicon

Introduction

A favicon, which is an abbreviation for "favorite icon," is a small file that includes one or multiple icons that symbolize a website or a blog. It is also referred to as a tab icon, website icon, URL icon, or bookmark icon.

The favicon is visible on different parts of the browser like the address bar, tab, history, and bookmarks. It is typically saved as an image file in .ico format. While there are multiple file formats available, all major browsers are compatible with the .ico format.

Purpose and Importance of Favicons for Websites

✅ Brand Recognition: Favicons frequently include the logo, initials, or other distinctive symbols of a website. They are a visible representation of the website's brand, making it simpler for users to recognize and remember it.
✅ User Experience: By offering visual clues in browser tabs, favicons enhance the overall user experience. Users can navigate the web more effectively by instantly identifying and switching between many open tabs.
✅ Favourites and Bookmarks: The favicon is often shown next to the website name when users bookmark or add a website to their favourites. Users may find and visit their favourite websites more quickly because of this visual association.
✅ Professionalism: Using a favicon displays professionalism and attention to detail in web design. It offers websites a clean, professional look.
✅ Tab Identification: To manage several open web pages, tabs are a widespread feature in modern web browsers. Favicons make it simpler for users to locate and return to particular web pages by assisting in the distinction between tabs.
✅ Visual Consistency: Favicons help a website's visual branding across all platforms and devices, strengthening the website's identity.

Favicon File Format and Size

In order to ensure compatibility across different devices and browsers, favicons come in a range of file formats and sizes. Selecting the right file format and size is essential for both functionality and visual appeal. Here are the specifics:

File Formats:

✅ ICO (Icon): The most popular and suggested file format for favicons is ICO (Icon). It is a type of Windows icon file that supports various picture sizes and color levels. ICO favicons can be seen in browsers running on different operating systems, including Windows, macOS, and Linux.
✅ PNG (Portable Network Graphics): Another popular favicon type is PNG. It is a lossless picture format that offers visuals of excellent quality. While PNG favicons aren't as widely accepted as ICO, they function effectively in contemporary browsers, especially on non-Windows platforms.

Image Sizes

✅ 16x16 pixels: A favicon's standard size is 16x16 pixels. This site is used for favicons shown in bookmarks, favourites lists, and browser tabs. It guarantees a little, easily recognized icon.
✅ 32x32 Pixels: Some browsers may use a larger 32x32 pixel favicon for better clarity and aesthetic appeal, especially on high-resolution displays. Offering versions in 16x16 and 32x32 pixels can improve the user experience.

Different Sizes and Variations:

To ensure broad compatibility with various devices and scenarios, it is advisable to provide a range of sizes and favicon variations. This includes variations in dimensions such as 16x16, 32x32, and so on, as well as differences in color depths like 16-bit and 32-bit for both ICO and PNG file formats.

Having a favicon with a transparent background can be beneficial for different scenarios and devices, including larger dimensions like 64x64 pixels.

Creating a distinctive collection of touch icons tailored for mobile devices can significantly elevate the visual appeal of smartphones and tablets.

How to Create a Favicon

Following are the steps for creating the favicon:

✅ Click on the following URL to generate the favicon: https://www.favicon.cc/
✅ Once the favicon is successfully completed, we can download the favicon by clicking on the download favicon option.
✅ After the downloading, a favicon with the name favicon.ico is available in the file system drive.

Adding a Favicon to a Website

One of the common and widely accepted methods to include a favicon on a website is by utilizing the <link> element within the HTML markup. Below are the steps to implement this technique effectively:

✅ Creating the Favicon

Start by generating a favicon image in the specified dimensions and file types initially. The commonly used formats are ICO and PNG.

✅ Proceed to upload the Favicon to Your Web Server:

To ensure your website displays a favicon, you need to upload the favicon files to your web server and confirm they are accessible from the root directory of your website.

✅ Integrating the Favicon Code into HTML:

In the HTML section of your website, you can specify the location of the favicon file by utilizing the tag, setting the rel attribute to either "icon" or "shortcut icon."

Firstly, access the HTML file. Next, utilize the provided syntax to embed the favicon within the HTML file.

Insert the provided syntax into the HTML file's tag. Save the file and proceed to open it in a web browser. The icon should be visible on the displayed webpage.

HTML Code for Linking to a Favicon:

Below is a representation of HTML markup demonstrating the utilization of the <link> tag to create a link to a website's favicon:

Example


<html>  

<head>  

<link rel="shortcut icon" href="favicon.ico" type="image/x-icon">  

</head>  

<title> Example of favicon</title>  

<body>  

<br>  

<br>  

<p align="center">  

<img src="https://placehold.co/200x150/1abc9c/ffffff?text=Sample+Image">  

</p>  

</body>  

</html>

Output:

Creating Custom Favicons

Developing unique favicons is a crucial task in web development to establish a distinctive and easily identifiable icon for your website. This can be achieved by crafting custom favicons using graphic design tools or utilizing online favicon creation tools. Below are details of each method:

By Using Favicon Generators

✅ Choose a Favicon Generator:

Utilizing web-based tools for creating favicons simplifies the process. There are various online platforms dedicated to generating favicons, such as "Favicon.io" and "RealFaviconGenerator.net."

✅ Generate Your Favicon by Creating or Uploading It:

Certain tools allow users to upload a preexisting image, while others provide user-friendly design features to create a custom favicon directly within the tool.

✅ Adjust Settings:

If needed, adjust settings such as dimensions, background hue, and opacity.

✅ Creating the Favicon

To generate the favicon files, choose either the "Generate" or "Create Favicon" function.

Download the Favicon Package by following the provided link.

Obtain the set of favicon files that the generator typically offers, which includes various sizes and formats such as ICO and PNG. Acquire this package immediately.

By Using Graphic Design Software:

✅ Choose a Graphic Design Software:

To create a favicon, you can utilize popular graphic design software such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program), or simpler tools like Canva.

✅ Generating a New Design Area

Begin by setting up a fresh canvas using the recommended dimensions for the favicon, which are commonly 16x16 pixels. To cater to devices with better display quality, consider creating a larger variant, such as 32x32 pixels.

✅ Initiate Favicon Design:

Enhance the visibility of your website's favicon by opting for a simple yet striking design. Consider incorporating the initials, logo, or any unique symbol associated with your website.

Ensure the favicon retains its visual crispness and appears appealing when scaled down.

✅ Export the file to PNG or ICO format:

Export your favicon in the appropriate file format and dimensions. You may need a plugin or a dedicated ICO conversion tool for ICO files.

✅ Recommended Dimensions for a Favicon:

Favicons are typically suggested to be 16x16 pixels in size, which is the standard dimension for displaying them on browser tabs. At this small scale, the favicon should remain easily identifiable.

It is recommended to provide larger variations, like 32x32 pixels, alongside the usual 16x16 pixel dimension. Certain browsers may utilize the bigger size to achieve a sharper display, particularly on screens with high resolutions.

Touch Icons for Mobile Devices

Touch icons, also referred to as Apple Touch Icons or iOS Icons, are small images specifically designed for mobile devices, particularly iOS gadgets such as iPhones and iPads. These icons play a crucial role in enhancing user experience when individuals save a website to their device's home screen or access it as a web application. The utilization of touch icons is particularly advantageous for Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) and web-based applications. Below are the steps to incorporate touch icons to elevate the user experience on smartphones and tablets:

Adding Touch Icons:

✅ Creating the Touch Icon

Start by creating an image for the touch icon. It is recommended that for iOS devices, the touch icon should be 180x180 pixels in size. Make sure that the image represents your website or web application well and is visually appealing.

✅ Instructions for Uploading the Touch Icon:

Just as you would do with a regular favicon, you should upload the touch icon image to the server of your website.

Include the following HTML snippet:

Utilize the <link> tag within the <head> part of your HTML file to specify the location of the touch icon image by setting the rel attribute to "apple-touch-icon."

HTML Code for Adding a Touch Icon: