How to Change the Favicon in WordPress

Have you ever noticed the small icon in your browser tab next to a website’s title? That tiny image is called a favicon, and it plays a big role in your site’s identity. It helps users recognize your brand in a sea of open tabs and bookmarks, making your website more professional and memorable. If your WordPress site is still showing the default icon, it’s time for an upgrade.

Changing your favicon is a simple but powerful way to enhance your brand presence. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know, from creating the perfect icon to adding it to your WordPress site. We’ll cover multiple methods, so you can choose the one that works best for you.

What is a Favicon and Why Do You Need One?

A favicon, short for “favorite icon,” is a small, typically 16×16 or 32×32 pixel icon that represents your website. It appears in browser tabs, bookmark lists, history folders, and even as an app icon on mobile devices when a user saves your site to their home screen.

While it may seem like a minor detail, a favicon offers several key benefits:

• Brand Recognition: A custom favicon reinforces your brand identity. It’s a visual cue that helps users quickly identify your website among many others.
• User Experience: In a browser with multiple tabs open, a favicon makes it easy for users to navigate back to your site. This small convenience improves the overall user experience.
• Professionalism and Trust: A website with a custom favicon appears more polished and credible. It shows attention to detail and signals to visitors that you take your online presence seriously.
• SEO (Indirectly): While a favicon isn’t a direct ranking factor for search engines like Google, it can indirectly boost SEO. A good user experience, improved brand recognition, and increased time on site can lead to better rankings over time.

Preparing Your Favicon Image

Before you can change the favicon in WordPress, you need to have an image ready. Here are some guidelines for creating an effective favicon:

Favicon Design Best Practices

• Keep it Simple: The icon is tiny, so intricate designs will be lost. Opt for a simple, bold image that is easily recognizable. Your company logo, or a simplified version of it, is often the best choice.
• Use Brand Colors: Stick to your brand’s color palette to maintain consistency.
• Square Dimensions: Your favicon should be a perfect square. The recommended size is 512×512 pixels. WordPress will automatically resize it for different uses, but starting with a larger, high-quality image ensures it looks great everywhere.
• File Format: While .ico was the traditional format, modern browsers support .png and .jpeg files. A PNG file is often the best choice because it supports transparency, which is great if your icon isn’t a perfect square.

If you don’t have a graphic designer, you can use free online tools to create a favicon. These tools allow you to upload an existing image and convert it into the correct size and format.

Method 1: Using the WordPress Customizer (Easiest Method)

Since WordPress 4.3, changing your favicon has become incredibly simple. This method is built directly into the WordPress core and is the recommended approach for most users.

Here’s how to change the favicon using the WordPress Customizer:

1. Navigate to the Customizer: From your WordPress dashboard, go to Appearance > Customize. This will open the live theme customizer panel on the left side of your screen, with a preview of your site on the right.
2. Find Site Identity Settings: Look for a tab labeled “Site Identity”. Click on it to open the settings. Here, you’ll find options for your site title, tagline, and the site icon (favicon).
3. Select Your Site Icon: Under the “Site Icon” section, click the “Select site icon” button. This will open your WordPress Media Library.
4. Upload or Choose Your Image: You can either upload your prepared 512×512 pixel favicon image from your computer or select one that’s already in your Media Library.
5. Crop If Necessary: If your image is not perfectly square, WordPress will prompt you to crop it. Adjust the cropping box to ensure your icon looks right.
6. Publish Your Changes: Once you are happy with the preview, click the “Publish” button at the top of the Customizer panel.

That’s it! Your new favicon should now be visible in the browser tab and the customizer preview. Clear your browser cache if you don’t see the change immediately.

Method 2: Using a WordPress Plugin

If your theme doesn’t support the Site Identity option in the Customizer or you want more control, using a plugin is another excellent choice. Several plugins are designed specifically for this task. A popular and reliable option is “Favicon by RealFaviconGenerator.”

This plugin offers more advanced features, ensuring your favicon is compatible with all browsers and devices, including iOS, Android, and Windows Metro.

Here’s a step-by-step guide:

1. Install and Activate the Plugin: From your WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins > Add New. Search for “Favicon by RealFaviconGenerator,” then click “Install Now” and “Activate.”
2. Access Plugin Settings: Once activated, go to Appearance > Favicon to configure your settings.
3. Generate Your Favicon: Click on “Select from the Media Library” to choose your main favicon image (at least 260×260 pixels is recommended for this plugin).
4. Customize for Different Platforms: After selecting your image, the plugin will redirect you to the RealFaviconGenerator website. Here, you can customize how your favicon will appear on different devices and browsers. You can adjust background colors, margins, and more.
5. Install Your Favicon: Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click the “Generate your Favicons and HTML code” button. The plugin will automatically download the necessary files to your site and insert the required code into your header.
6. Check Your Setup: The plugin will redirect you back to your WordPress dashboard and show you a preview of how your icon looks on various platforms.

This method is more thorough and ensures maximum compatibility, making it a great option for businesses that want a perfectly optimized brand presence across all devices.

Method 3: Manually Adding a Favicon via FTP

For more advanced users who are comfortable editing theme files, you can manually add a favicon to your WordPress site. This method gives you complete control but involves more risk. Warning: Always create a backup of your site before editing theme files. It’s also best practice to use a child theme for any modifications.

1. Create and Upload Your Favicon File: Create your favicon image and save it as favicon.ico. You can use an online converter to create this file type from a PNG or JPG.
2. Connect to Your Site via FTP: Use an FTP client (like FileZilla) or your hosting provider’s File Manager to connect to your website’s server.
3. Upload the Favicon: Upload the favicon.ico file to the root directory of your WordPress installation (the same folder where your wp-config.php file is located).
4. Add Code to Your Header: To ensure all browsers find your favicon, you should add a line of code to your theme’s header. Go to Appearance > Theme File Editor and select your header.php file. Insert the following code just before the closing </head> tag:<link rel=”icon” href=”/favicon.ico” type=”image/x-icon”>
5. Save Your Changes: Click “Update File” to save your changes.

This method will load the favicon directly from your root directory. Clear your cache to see the changes take effect.

Final Thoughts

Changing the default WordPress favicon is a quick task that significantly impacts your site’s branding and user experience. Whether you use the simple WordPress Customizer, a powerful plugin, or the manual FTP method, adding a custom favicon is a must-do for any serious website owner.

It’s a small detail that makes a big difference, helping your visitors recognize your brand at a glance and adding a layer of professionalism to your digital presence. Follow the steps in this guide, and your website will have its unique identity shining in browser tabs in no time.