How to Add a WordPress Favicon: 3 Simple Methods

technologhy
Aug 2, 2023
10m
Anna Pham
wordpress favicon

Enhance your WordPress website's identity and branding with a custom favicon! 

In this concise guide, we'll show you how to add a WordPress favicon, that tiny yet impactful icon that appears in the browser's tab or address bar. Whether you're a blogger, an entrepreneur, or a website owner, a unique favicon sets your site apart and leaves a lasting impression on visitors. 

We'll walk you through simple step-by-step methods suitable for beginners and those with intermediate WordPress skills. Elevate your website's aesthetics, professionalism, and credibility with this small but essential detail – let's begin and make your mark in the digital world!

What Is WordPress Favicon?

A WordPress favicon is a small, distinctive icon that represents a website and appears in the browser's tab or address bar when visitors access the site. The favicon serves as a visual identity for the website, enhancing its branding and recognition. It helps users identify and differentiate the site among their open tabs and bookmarks, adding a professional touch to the overall browsing experience. 

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WordPress favicons are customizable, allowing website owners to design and upload their unique icons, aligning with their brand's logo or theme, and leaving a lasting impression on their audience.

Why you need to create a WordPress favicon?

According to my experience, creating a WordPress favicon is a crucial step in enhancing your website's overall identity and branding. 

Here are 7 reasons why having a favicon is essential:

  • Brand recognition 

Favicon actives as a symbol of your brand. By creating a favicon that aligns with your logo or website's theme, you reinforce brand recognition. Visitors who see your favicon frequently will associate it with your brand, increasing brand recall and credibility.

  • Professionalism 

A custom favicon adds a touch of professionalism to your website. It shows that you pay attention to detail and care about your online presence. Having a generic or default favicon can make your site appear unprofessional and less reliable.

  • User experience 

In a sea of open tabs and bookmarks, a favicon helps users identify and locate your website quickly. It makes navigation more convenient and improves the overall user experience.

  • Visual consistency 

By having a consistent favicon, you maintain visual consistency across different platforms and devices. This consistency increases trust and strengthens your brand's message.

  • Stand out from competitors

A well-designed favicon can help your website stand out among competitors. It sets your website apart, making it more memorable and encouraging users to return.

  • Social media sharing

When users bookmark your website or share it on social media platforms, the favicon appears alongside the link. This visibility reinforces your brand even outside of your website.

  • Mobile devices

On mobile devices, the favicon appears on the home screen when users add your website as a shortcut. Having a customized favicon enhances your website's professional appearance on mobile devices.

Creating a WordPress favicon is a simple yet powerful way to leave a lasting impression on your website's visitors. Don't underestimate the impact of this small but significant detail – invest the effort to design and add a custom favicon to elevate your website's identity and boost your online presence.

How to add a favicon to your WordPress website?

Adding a favicon WordPress, is a powerful strategy to distinguish your website from competitors and enhance user experience. 

There are 3 effective methods to add a favicon to your website.

#Methods 1: Using WordPress customizer

To add a favicon using WordPress Customizer, follow these straightforward steps. This method is ideal for users with WordPress version 4.3 or higher and works well with classic themes.

  • Step 1: From your WordPress dashboard, go to Appearance > Click Customizer
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  • Step 2: Select Site Identity: In the Customizer, click on the “Site Identity" tab in the left sidebar > Click the "Select site icon" button. 
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  • Step 3: Upload your favicon image or select one from the existing media library. Once you've made your choice, click Select.
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  • Step 4: Preview and publish: The new favicon will immediately appear in your browser tab as you set it. To apply the changes permanently, click the "Publish" button, saving the modification to your site.
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#Methods 2: Using a WordPress favicon plugin

To add a favicon to WordPress using a plugin, consider utilizing the highly-rated Favicon by RealFaviconGenerator

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To get started, follow these simple steps:

  • Step 1: Access the Favicon settings: From your WordPress dashboard, go to Appearance > select Favicon.
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  • Step 2: Click on "Select from the Media Library" to either upload your favicon image or choose one from the existing media library. The plugin will automatically handle any required image editing, eliminating the need for external software. (For optimal results, ensure your image is at least 260 x 260 px in size.)
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  • Step 3: Generate Your Favicon: Click "Generate favicon" within the plugin. This action will redirect you to the RealFaviconGenerator website, where you can further customize your image.
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  • Step 4: Customize Your Image: At this stage, you have the option to either use the original image as is or add margins and a plain background to modify the image size and background color.
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  • Step 5: Generate Favicon and HTML Code: Scroll down and click "Generate your Favicon and HTML code." Once you do this, you will be taken back to the WordPress admin dashboard.
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  • Step 6: Your WordPress website's favicon should now be successfully set up. To verify, you can check the favicon in the plugin's admin panel by clicking the "Check your favicon" button. 
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#Methods 3: Manually add a favicon to WordPress site

To manually add a favicon in WordPress, follow these steps carefully to avoid any issues. To begin, ensure you are using a child theme to modify your site files

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  • Step 1:  Upload your favicon.ico file to your website (You may download an FTP client like FileZilla if it's not a local installation). You can choose to upload the favicon either to the root directory or the child theme folder.

Note: Whether to place the favicon in the theme folder, the root directory, or both is up for debate. To guarantee its display in feed readers, we advise putting it in the root directory. Regardless of your chosen location, it is crucial to link to the file location in your header. 

  • Step 2: To link your favicon, use an HTML link tag within your theme or child theme's header file (header.php) inside the head tag.

Here are two examples:

Eg 1: Add the next code within the head tag to link to the favicon (in ICO format) located in the theme's (or child themes) root folder:

 <link rel="icon" type= "image/x-icon" href="<?php echo get_stylesheet_directory_uri(); ?>/favicon.ico">

Eg 2: Use the following to put the favicon.ico file in the theme's root folder (for example, www.yourwebsite.com/wp-content/themes/twentyfourteen/favicon.ico):

 <link rel="icon" type="image/x-icon" href="http://www.yourdomain.com/favicon.ico">

With the introduction of WordPress 4.3, the favicon implementation became much more convenient, simplifying the process and making it easier for users to customize their sites effectively.

Final Thoughts

Adding a favicon to your WordPress website is a simple yet impactful step to elevate your online presence. Whether you manually add it to your theme files, use it to customize through the WordPress customizer, or employ a dedicated plugin like Favicon by RealFaviconGenerator, the result remains the same: a visually striking and memorable icon that enhances your brand identity. 

With a well-crafted WordPress favicon, your website will stand out, leaving a lasting impression on visitors and solidifying your digital footprint in the ever-competitive online landscape.