Pages and copy

Favicon checker

This favicon checker finds every icon a site declares, reads each file's real type and pixel size, and tests it against Google's favicon rules, robots.txt included.

Check my favicon

Real sizes
Reads each icon file's true format and pixel size, not just its tags.
Google's rules
Square, size, format and crawl rules from Google's own favicon page.
robots.txt too
Checks that Googlebot and Googlebot-Image may crawl the home page and icon.

Past clients or mentioned on

Favicon checker: does your icon meet Google's rules?

Free, no sign-up. Enter a site and Convertica's server reads its home page, robots.txt and icon files, or paste the home page source and it is read in your browser. Below is the result for a made-up site.

Paste the home page source instead

Favicon check

3 things to review

Home page: https://www.example.com/.

3 icon links found, and a manifest. 3 reviews, 6 passes.

Google decides whether and when a favicon shows. This checks the rules it publishes.

Example result, for the made-up site in the worked example

Google search

Pass 3 icon links Google reads: icon, icon, apple-touch-icon. Google Search Central: favicon in search results
Review https://www.example.com/apple-touch-icon.png (apple-touch-icon): it is 180 x 170, not square. Google Search Central: favicon in search results
Pass 1 icon meets Google's format, square and minimum size rules. The largest is https://www.example.com/favicon.ico: ICO with 16 x 16, 32 x 32, 5 KB. Google Search Central: favicon in search results
Review The largest icon Google can use is 32 x 32. Google recommends a favicon larger than 48 x 48 pixels so it looks good on various surfaces. Google Search Central: favicon in search results
Note https://www.example.com/icon.svg?v=3 is SVG, which is not on Google's list of supported formats. The site also has an icon Google can use, so browsers can keep the SVG. Google Search Central: favicon in search results
Note https://www.example.com/icon.svg?v=3 carries a query string. Google asks for a stable favicon URL, so change the address only when the icon really changes. Google Search Central: favicon in search results
Pass robots.txt lets Googlebot crawl the home page. Google Search Central: favicon in search results
Pass robots.txt lets Googlebot-Image fetch all 3 icons it checked. Google: common crawlers (Googlebot-Image)

Browsers

Review https://www.example.com/favicon.ico says sizes="48x48", but the file holds 16 x 16, 32 x 32. The HTML Standard says sizes must not name sizes the file does not have. HTML Standard: link type icon
Pass /favicon.ico at the root answers with ICO with 16 x 16, 32 x 32, 5 KB. HTML Standard: link type icon

Apple devices and installed apps

Pass The manifest lists 2 icons: 192x192, 512x512. Google does not read the manifest for search favicons. W3C Web Application Manifest: icons

Every icon found

Icons are not shown here: this page loads images from convertica.org only. Each card gives the icon's address, what the page declares and what the file itself holds.

Link
icon

Used by
Browsers and Google search

Address
https://www.example.com/favicon.ico

Declared
sizes 48x48

In the file
ICO with 16 x 16, 32 x 32, 5 KB
robots.txt
Googlebot-Image may fetch it
Link
icon

Used by
Browsers and Google search

Address
https://www.example.com/icon.svg?v=3

Declared
type image/svg+xml

In the file
SVG, scalable, viewBox 64 x 64, 1 KB
robots.txt
Googlebot-Image may fetch it
Link
apple-touch-icon

Used by
Apple home screens and Google search

Address
https://www.example.com/apple-touch-icon.png

Declared
Nothing declared

In the file
PNG, 180 x 170, 8 KB
robots.txt
Googlebot-Image may fetch it
Link
manifest icon

Used by
Installed web apps (Google does not read it for search)

Address
https://www.example.com/icon-192.png

Declared
sizes 192x192, type image/png

In the file
Listed in the manifest, not read
Link
manifest icon

Used by
Installed web apps (Google does not read it for search)

Address
https://www.example.com/icon-512.png

Declared
sizes 512x512, type image/png

In the file
Listed in the manifest, not read

Home page fetch

Address entered: https://www.example.com/
Home page checked: https://www.example.com/
Final address: https://www.example.com/
Status: 200
Redirects: None
Content type: text/html; charset=utf-8
robots.txt: Read

How to check a favicon

To check a favicon, read the home page's HTML for its icon links, then open each icon file and look at what it really is: its format, its pixel size and whether it is square. Then make sure robots.txt lets Google crawl the home page and the file. The favicon checker does all of that in one pass.

Enter the site or paste its home page

Type the address and press "Check the favicon". Any page on the site will do: Google reads one favicon per host name, from the home page, so that is the page the checker reads.
Work through Fix, then Review

Each check is marked Fix, Review, Pass or Note and links to the documentation it comes from. A check with no source is marked as advice.
Read the icon cards

Each card sets what the page declares beside what the file holds. A sizes attribute that says 48x48 on a file that holds 16 and 32 is a common mismatch.
Ask Google to recrawl the home page

Google says crawling can take anywhere from several days to several weeks. After a fix, request indexing of the home page with the URL Inspection tool in Search Console.

To check by hand, open the home page, choose View Page Source and search for rel="icon" and apple-touch-icon, then open each address in a new tab. A browser shows the picture but not its true pixel size or format, and not robots.txt; that is what the checker adds.

By Kurt Philip, Founder. Published October 28, 2026. Updated October 28, 2026

Google's favicon requirements, and how the checker tests each one

Google's favicon requirements are short: a link in the home page's head, a square image of at least 8 x 8 pixels in a supported format, a stable address, and a home page and file that Google may crawl. The table lists each rule as Google's page states it, read on 28 October 2026, and what the favicon checker does with it.

Google's favicon rules and how the favicon checker tests them
Rule	What Google says	What the checker does
The link	Add a link to the home page's head with rel icon, shortcut icon, apple-touch-icon or apple-touch-icon-precomposed	Lists every icon link, says which ones Google reads and flags a link outside the head
Shape and size	Square (1:1), at least 8 x 8 pixels; larger than 48 x 48 recommended	Reads the real pixel size from each file's bytes, every size inside an ICO, never only the sizes attribute
Format	BMP, GIF, ICO, PNG, JPEG, PPM and TIFF	Reads the format from the file's own signature, not from its name or the server's Content-Type
Where it lives	One favicon per host name; the file may be on another host, such as a CDN	Reads the home page of the host you enter and notes icons on other hosts
Stable address	Do not change the favicon URL frequently	Notes a query string, such as a version number, on an icon address
Crawling	Googlebot must crawl the home page and follow its redirects; Googlebot-Image must crawl the file	Follows the redirects and reads robots.txt for Googlebot and for Googlebot-Image, which falls back to the Googlebot group
No guarantee	A favicon is not guaranteed to appear, even when every guideline is met	Says so. It checks the rules; Google decides what it shows

Sources: Google's favicon documentation and Google's list of common crawlers, which gives Googlebot-Image's robots.txt tokens and says its rules cover favicons. Older guides still quote "a multiple of 48 pixels". Google's page no longer says that.

Worked example: reading a favicon check

The example result at the top of this page is for a made-up coffee roaster at https://www.example.com/. Every name in it is invented. This is the head of its home page:

<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8">
  <title>Copper Kettle Coffee Roasters</title>
  <link rel="icon" href="/favicon.ico" sizes="48x48">
  <link rel="icon" href="/icon.svg?v=3" type="image/svg+xml">
  <link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="/apple-touch-icon.png">
  <link rel="manifest" href="/site.webmanifest">
</head>

The checker finds nothing to fix and 3 things to review. The favicon.ico is an ICO holding 16 x 16 and 32 x 32 images: square and in a supported format, so Google can use it. But 32 pixels is not larger than the 48 x 48 Google recommends, and the link's sizes="48x48" names a size the file does not hold.

The apple-touch-icon is a PNG of 180 x 170, so it is not square. The SVG icon is fine for browsers, but SVG is not on Google's list, and its address carries ?v=3, which changes whenever the version does. robots.txt only blocks /checkout/, so Googlebot and Googlebot-Image may crawl what they need. The manifest lists 192 and 512 pixel icons, which installed apps use and Google search does not.

The fix here: export the icon as a square PNG of a few hundred pixels, link it with rel icon, correct the sizes attribute, and keep its address the same from then on.

A clear icon helps a result stand out, and the page decides what happens after the click. The free CRO audit loads the page in a real browser at phone and desktop size and scores eight checks, from the first screen and calls to action to trust, speed and AI visibility.

Why is my favicon not showing in Google?

A favicon usually does not show in Google because the home page lacks an icon link Google reads, the file breaks one of Google's rules, robots.txt blocks a Google crawler, or Google has not recrawled the home page yet. Work through the causes in this order:

No link Google reads. A favicon.ico at the root with no link is enough for browsers, but Google's documentation asks for the link.
Not square. A wide logo squeezed into the icon slot fails the 1:1 rule.
A format Google does not list. A site whose only icon is SVG or WebP needs a PNG or ICO too.
Blocked by robots.txt. A rule meant for images, such as Disallow: /assets/ in a Googlebot-Image group, can block the favicon file.
The home page redirects somewhere Google cannot follow, or answers with an error.
Not recrawled yet. Allow days to weeks, and request indexing of the home page.

If every check passes and the favicon still does not show, Google's own words apply: a favicon is not guaranteed, and Google replaces icons it deems inappropriate with a default one. Google runs a feedback form for favicon problems, linked from the same page.

Which favicon links does a site need?

For Google, one icon link to a square file larger than 48 pixels in a supported format is enough. The other links serve browsers and devices. The checker reads all of them:

Icon links, what reads them and where the rule comes from
Link	Read by	Source
`rel="icon"`, `rel="shortcut icon"`	Browsers and Google search. The sizes attribute must not name sizes the file lacks	HTML Standard, Google
`rel="apple-touch-icon"`	Apple devices and Google search	Google
`/favicon.ico` with no link	Browsers, when the page has no icon link	HTML Standard
`rel="manifest"` icons	Installed web apps, not Google search favicons	W3C manifest
`rel="mask-icon"`	Safari pinned tabs; not on Google's list	Advice

What this favicon checker cannot tell you

This favicon checker reads the files Google's rules talk about. It cannot see Google's index, so it cannot say whether Google shows your favicon today or when it will.

The picture. This page loads images from convertica.org only, so each card shows the icon's address, real size and type rather than the icon. It cannot judge whether the icon is recognizable or appropriate.
Icons added by JavaScript. A link a script adds after the page loads is not in the HTML. The crawlability test compares the source with the rendered page.
Other ways of blocking. It reads robots.txt; a firewall that turns Google away is invisible to it.
Its own fetch. It sends a user agent that names Convertica, never Googlebot's, from Cloudflare's network, so a site that turns unknown fetchers away may block it: paste the source instead. It reads up to six icon files, follows up to five redirects, waits 8 seconds per fetch and 20 in all, and allows 10 checks per 10 minutes per IP address.

What to do once the favicon is right

A favicon helps a search result look like yours. The title and description decide whether it gets the click, and the page decides what happens next.

Check the result's text. The meta tag checker reads the title, description and share tags on the same page.
Check what crawlers receive. The crawlability test shows the text, links and indexing signals before JavaScript.
Measure the page. The free CRO audit checks the page behind the result.

See all free tools and how they fit together.

Short answer

A favicon checker finds the icons a site declares and tests each file. Convertica's free favicon checker reads every icon's real type and pixel size from its bytes, checks it against Google's favicon rules (square, at least 8 x 8 pixels, a supported format, crawlable) and reads robots.txt for Googlebot and Googlebot-Image.

Google reads rel icon, shortcut icon, apple-touch-icon and apple-touch-icon-precomposed from the home page's head, one favicon per host name.
The icon must be square and at least 8 x 8 pixels; Google recommends larger than 48 x 48. The old "multiple of 48" rule is gone.
Google lists BMP, GIF, ICO, PNG, JPEG, PPM and TIFF. SVG and WebP are not on that list.
Googlebot must crawl the home page and Googlebot-Image the icon file. Even then, Google does not guarantee a favicon appears.

Favicon checker FAQ

What is a favicon checker?

A favicon checker finds the icons a site declares, such as rel icon, apple-touch-icon and the manifest, and checks each file. This one reads every icon's real type and pixel size from the file itself and tests it against Google's published favicon rules, including whether robots.txt lets Google crawl it.

Why is my favicon not showing in Google search results?

Usually one of five things: the home page has no icon link Google reads, the file is not square, it is in a format Google does not list (SVG and WebP are not on the list), robots.txt blocks Googlebot or Googlebot-Image, or Google has not recrawled the home page yet. Even when every rule is met, Google says a favicon is not guaranteed to appear.

What size should a favicon be for Google?

Square, and at least 8 x 8 pixels. Google recommends larger than 48 x 48 pixels so it looks good on various surfaces. Google no longer asks for a multiple of 48 pixels. A single PNG of a few hundred pixels square, or an ICO that includes a size above 48, meets both.

Which favicon formats does Google support?

Google lists BMP, GIF, ICO, PNG, JPEG, PPM and TIFF. SVG and WebP are not on the list, so a site whose only icon is an SVG should add a PNG or ICO as well. Browsers can keep using the SVG.

How long does it take for a new favicon to show in Google?

Google says crawling can take anywhere from several days to several weeks. You can ask Google to recrawl the home page with the URL Inspection tool in Search Console. Keep the icon's address stable: Google asks you not to change the favicon URL often.

Do I still need a favicon.ico file?

Not for Google, which reads the link in your home page's head. Browsers ask for /favicon.ico at the root only when a page has no icon link, so keeping one there costs little and serves any browser or tool that asks for it. The checker fetches it either way and reports what it finds.

Can my favicon be hosted on a CDN?

Yes. Google's documentation says the favicon URL does not need to be hosted on your site, for example a CDN. What matters is that Googlebot-Image may crawl it, so the checker also reads the CDN's robots.txt when an icon lives on another host.

Is the favicon checker free, and where does my data go?

It is free, with no sign-up. An address you enter is sent to Convertica's server, which fetches the home page, robots.txt, up to six icon files and the manifest, and returns the result. The address, the files and the result are not stored. It allows 10 checks per 10 minutes per IP address. A pasted source is read in your browser and not sent anywhere.

Enter your website and the audit starts right away. Watch it check your page live: eight checks, each scored out of 100, and every finding, with how to fix each one.