How to Change Your WordPress Site's Favicon: A Full Guide
Ergun O.
Founder @Behoove
May 15, 2025
/
3 MIN READ
Text
Your site’s favicon might be small, but it plays a big role in how your brand shows up online. That tiny icon in the browser tab isn’t just decoration—it’s a visual cue, a digital signature, and often the very first impression your visitors get when navigating across multiple tabs.
And yet, it’s one of the most overlooked elements in early-stage web design.
If your website is still rocking the generic WordPress globe icon or—worse—an outdated logo that no longer reflects your brand, this is your sign to make the switch. In this guide, we’ll walk you through exactly how to update your favicon in WordPress (whether you're using a classic theme, a block-based theme, or a custom builder), why it matters more than you think, and a few bonus tips for making it pixel-perfect.
First, What Is a Favicon? And Why Should You Care?
In case you’ve never heard the term, “favicon” is short for “favorite icon.” It’s that tiny image you see next to your website title in browser tabs, bookmarks, and mobile search results. Most are simple—an initial, a monogram, or a brand mark scaled down to 16x16 or 32x32 pixels.
That might sound like a tiny detail, but think about how most users interact with your site:
They may open 10+ tabs at once (yep, we all do it).
They might save your site as a shortcut on their mobile device.
Or they’ll bookmark your blog to read later.
In each of those cases, your favicon shows up. It’s your brand’s quick wave. And when it's missing, misaligned, or blurry, your brand loses a little trust and polish.
At Behoove, we treat favicon design and setup as part of the visual identity system—not a post-launch afterthought. Because every detail matters.
How to Change the Favicon in WordPress (The Easy Way)
Luckily, WordPress makes updating your favicon extremely simple—even if you’re not a designer or developer.
Here’s how to do it step by step:
1. Prepare Your Favicon File
Before you upload anything, make sure your favicon design follows these best practices:
Ideal size: 512 x 512 pixels (WordPress will auto-resize)
File type: .png, .jpg, or .ico
Keep it simple. Tiny images need bold, recognizable marks.
Transparent background is a bonus if your icon doesn’t fill the entire canvas.
If you don’t have a favicon yet, tools like Favicon.io or your brand’s logo suite can help you create one.
2. Go to Your WordPress Customizer
In your WordPress dashboard:
Appearance > Customize > Site Identity
This is where your site’s title, tagline, and site icon settings live.
3. Upload Your Favicon Under ‘Site Icon’
Scroll down to the “Site Icon” section. Here, you’ll see a button to upload or change your current favicon. Select your image file and crop it if needed. WordPress will then generate multiple sizes automatically for different devices and contexts.
Once you hit Publish, the changes should go live across your site.
Using a Block-Based Theme or FSE? The Process Is the Same
Even if you’re using a Full Site Editing (FSE) theme like Twenty Twenty-Three or a custom Gutenberg setup, the process doesn’t change much. Your favicon settings are still managed under the Site Identity section of the Customizer or directly within the Site Editor in some cases.
Just keep in mind that some ultra-minimal FSE themes may hide the Customizer. If that's the case, head to:
Appearance > Editor > Settings (top right corner) > Site Details
From there, you’ll find the same upload option.
Bonus: Favicon Design Tips From a Branding Studio
If you’re updating your favicon as part of a larger rebrand, keep these quick tips in mind:
Don’t just shrink your full logo. Most logos don’t scale well to 16x16 pixels. Instead, use a symbol, initial, or simplified version.
Check contrast. Tiny icons need to stand out even on dark tabs or mobile bookmarks.
Test it live. Upload, preview, and test on multiple browsers before finalizing.
Include it in your brand guidelines. Yes, even the favicon deserves a page.
At Behoove, we often deliver a favicon suite alongside our full logo system—including multiple file types, fallback options, and retina-ready exports.
Troubleshooting: What If My Favicon Doesn’t Show Up?
If you’ve followed the steps above but still don’t see your new favicon:
Clear your browser cache. Browsers often store favicons aggressively.
Try another browser or incognito mode.
Use a CDN? Make sure the favicon path is correctly cached and refreshed.
Check for caching plugins like WP Rocket or W3 Total Cache—clear and regenerate.
Still stuck? Try uploading a .ico version as a fallback.
Final Thought: Small Icon, Big Impact
Your favicon may be one of the tiniest parts of your website—but it’s also one of the most visible. Especially as more users browse on mobile, save links, or multitask with multiple tabs open, these micro moments of branding really add up.
So don’t treat your favicon like a technical checkbox. Treat it like your digital handshake.
Ready to Refresh Your Website’s Look?
If you’re thinking about updating your WordPress site—from your favicon to your full visual identity—we can help. At Behoove, we build brand systems that look stunning at any size.
Let’s make something bold, beautiful, and unmistakably you.
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Related Articles
How to Change Your WordPress Site's Favicon: A Full Guide
Ergun O.
Founder @Behoove
May 15, 2025
/
3 MIN READ
Text
Your site’s favicon might be small, but it plays a big role in how your brand shows up online. That tiny icon in the browser tab isn’t just decoration—it’s a visual cue, a digital signature, and often the very first impression your visitors get when navigating across multiple tabs.
And yet, it’s one of the most overlooked elements in early-stage web design.
If your website is still rocking the generic WordPress globe icon or—worse—an outdated logo that no longer reflects your brand, this is your sign to make the switch. In this guide, we’ll walk you through exactly how to update your favicon in WordPress (whether you're using a classic theme, a block-based theme, or a custom builder), why it matters more than you think, and a few bonus tips for making it pixel-perfect.
First, What Is a Favicon? And Why Should You Care?
In case you’ve never heard the term, “favicon” is short for “favorite icon.” It’s that tiny image you see next to your website title in browser tabs, bookmarks, and mobile search results. Most are simple—an initial, a monogram, or a brand mark scaled down to 16x16 or 32x32 pixels.
That might sound like a tiny detail, but think about how most users interact with your site:
They may open 10+ tabs at once (yep, we all do it).
They might save your site as a shortcut on their mobile device.
Or they’ll bookmark your blog to read later.
In each of those cases, your favicon shows up. It’s your brand’s quick wave. And when it's missing, misaligned, or blurry, your brand loses a little trust and polish.
At Behoove, we treat favicon design and setup as part of the visual identity system—not a post-launch afterthought. Because every detail matters.
How to Change the Favicon in WordPress (The Easy Way)
Luckily, WordPress makes updating your favicon extremely simple—even if you’re not a designer or developer.
Here’s how to do it step by step:
1. Prepare Your Favicon File
Before you upload anything, make sure your favicon design follows these best practices:
Ideal size: 512 x 512 pixels (WordPress will auto-resize)
File type: .png, .jpg, or .ico
Keep it simple. Tiny images need bold, recognizable marks.
Transparent background is a bonus if your icon doesn’t fill the entire canvas.
If you don’t have a favicon yet, tools like Favicon.io or your brand’s logo suite can help you create one.
2. Go to Your WordPress Customizer
In your WordPress dashboard:
Appearance > Customize > Site Identity
This is where your site’s title, tagline, and site icon settings live.
3. Upload Your Favicon Under ‘Site Icon’
Scroll down to the “Site Icon” section. Here, you’ll see a button to upload or change your current favicon. Select your image file and crop it if needed. WordPress will then generate multiple sizes automatically for different devices and contexts.
Once you hit Publish, the changes should go live across your site.
Using a Block-Based Theme or FSE? The Process Is the Same
Even if you’re using a Full Site Editing (FSE) theme like Twenty Twenty-Three or a custom Gutenberg setup, the process doesn’t change much. Your favicon settings are still managed under the Site Identity section of the Customizer or directly within the Site Editor in some cases.
Just keep in mind that some ultra-minimal FSE themes may hide the Customizer. If that's the case, head to:
Appearance > Editor > Settings (top right corner) > Site Details
From there, you’ll find the same upload option.
Bonus: Favicon Design Tips From a Branding Studio
If you’re updating your favicon as part of a larger rebrand, keep these quick tips in mind:
Don’t just shrink your full logo. Most logos don’t scale well to 16x16 pixels. Instead, use a symbol, initial, or simplified version.
Check contrast. Tiny icons need to stand out even on dark tabs or mobile bookmarks.
Test it live. Upload, preview, and test on multiple browsers before finalizing.
Include it in your brand guidelines. Yes, even the favicon deserves a page.
At Behoove, we often deliver a favicon suite alongside our full logo system—including multiple file types, fallback options, and retina-ready exports.
Troubleshooting: What If My Favicon Doesn’t Show Up?
If you’ve followed the steps above but still don’t see your new favicon:
Clear your browser cache. Browsers often store favicons aggressively.
Try another browser or incognito mode.
Use a CDN? Make sure the favicon path is correctly cached and refreshed.
Check for caching plugins like WP Rocket or W3 Total Cache—clear and regenerate.
Still stuck? Try uploading a .ico version as a fallback.
Final Thought: Small Icon, Big Impact
Your favicon may be one of the tiniest parts of your website—but it’s also one of the most visible. Especially as more users browse on mobile, save links, or multitask with multiple tabs open, these micro moments of branding really add up.
So don’t treat your favicon like a technical checkbox. Treat it like your digital handshake.
Ready to Refresh Your Website’s Look?
If you’re thinking about updating your WordPress site—from your favicon to your full visual identity—we can help. At Behoove, we build brand systems that look stunning at any size.
Let’s make something bold, beautiful, and unmistakably you.
How to Change Your WordPress Site's Favicon: A Full Guide
Ergun O.
Founder @Behoove
May 15, 2025
/
3 MIN READ
Text
Your site’s favicon might be small, but it plays a big role in how your brand shows up online. That tiny icon in the browser tab isn’t just decoration—it’s a visual cue, a digital signature, and often the very first impression your visitors get when navigating across multiple tabs.
And yet, it’s one of the most overlooked elements in early-stage web design.
If your website is still rocking the generic WordPress globe icon or—worse—an outdated logo that no longer reflects your brand, this is your sign to make the switch. In this guide, we’ll walk you through exactly how to update your favicon in WordPress (whether you're using a classic theme, a block-based theme, or a custom builder), why it matters more than you think, and a few bonus tips for making it pixel-perfect.
First, What Is a Favicon? And Why Should You Care?
In case you’ve never heard the term, “favicon” is short for “favorite icon.” It’s that tiny image you see next to your website title in browser tabs, bookmarks, and mobile search results. Most are simple—an initial, a monogram, or a brand mark scaled down to 16x16 or 32x32 pixels.
That might sound like a tiny detail, but think about how most users interact with your site:
They may open 10+ tabs at once (yep, we all do it).
They might save your site as a shortcut on their mobile device.
Or they’ll bookmark your blog to read later.
In each of those cases, your favicon shows up. It’s your brand’s quick wave. And when it's missing, misaligned, or blurry, your brand loses a little trust and polish.
At Behoove, we treat favicon design and setup as part of the visual identity system—not a post-launch afterthought. Because every detail matters.
How to Change the Favicon in WordPress (The Easy Way)
Luckily, WordPress makes updating your favicon extremely simple—even if you’re not a designer or developer.
Here’s how to do it step by step:
1. Prepare Your Favicon File
Before you upload anything, make sure your favicon design follows these best practices:
Ideal size: 512 x 512 pixels (WordPress will auto-resize)
File type: .png, .jpg, or .ico
Keep it simple. Tiny images need bold, recognizable marks.
Transparent background is a bonus if your icon doesn’t fill the entire canvas.
If you don’t have a favicon yet, tools like Favicon.io or your brand’s logo suite can help you create one.
2. Go to Your WordPress Customizer
In your WordPress dashboard:
Appearance > Customize > Site Identity
This is where your site’s title, tagline, and site icon settings live.
3. Upload Your Favicon Under ‘Site Icon’
Scroll down to the “Site Icon” section. Here, you’ll see a button to upload or change your current favicon. Select your image file and crop it if needed. WordPress will then generate multiple sizes automatically for different devices and contexts.
Once you hit Publish, the changes should go live across your site.
Using a Block-Based Theme or FSE? The Process Is the Same
Even if you’re using a Full Site Editing (FSE) theme like Twenty Twenty-Three or a custom Gutenberg setup, the process doesn’t change much. Your favicon settings are still managed under the Site Identity section of the Customizer or directly within the Site Editor in some cases.
Just keep in mind that some ultra-minimal FSE themes may hide the Customizer. If that's the case, head to:
Appearance > Editor > Settings (top right corner) > Site Details
From there, you’ll find the same upload option.
Bonus: Favicon Design Tips From a Branding Studio
If you’re updating your favicon as part of a larger rebrand, keep these quick tips in mind:
Don’t just shrink your full logo. Most logos don’t scale well to 16x16 pixels. Instead, use a symbol, initial, or simplified version.
Check contrast. Tiny icons need to stand out even on dark tabs or mobile bookmarks.
Test it live. Upload, preview, and test on multiple browsers before finalizing.
Include it in your brand guidelines. Yes, even the favicon deserves a page.
At Behoove, we often deliver a favicon suite alongside our full logo system—including multiple file types, fallback options, and retina-ready exports.
Troubleshooting: What If My Favicon Doesn’t Show Up?
If you’ve followed the steps above but still don’t see your new favicon:
Clear your browser cache. Browsers often store favicons aggressively.
Try another browser or incognito mode.
Use a CDN? Make sure the favicon path is correctly cached and refreshed.
Check for caching plugins like WP Rocket or W3 Total Cache—clear and regenerate.
Still stuck? Try uploading a .ico version as a fallback.
Final Thought: Small Icon, Big Impact
Your favicon may be one of the tiniest parts of your website—but it’s also one of the most visible. Especially as more users browse on mobile, save links, or multitask with multiple tabs open, these micro moments of branding really add up.
So don’t treat your favicon like a technical checkbox. Treat it like your digital handshake.
Ready to Refresh Your Website’s Look?
If you’re thinking about updating your WordPress site—from your favicon to your full visual identity—we can help. At Behoove, we build brand systems that look stunning at any size.
Let’s make something bold, beautiful, and unmistakably you.
We're an Istanbul-based design studio that blends aesthetics & functionality to innovate the past, elevate the present, & integrate the future.
We're an Istanbul-based design studio that blends aesthetics & functionality to innovate the past, elevate the present, & integrate the future.
We're an Istanbul-based design studio that blends aesthetics & functionality to innovate the past, elevate the present, & integrate the future.