Favicon Not Showing (in Browser Tab or Google Search Results)
Your favicon is not showing — the browser tab shows a blank page or globe icon, or Google search results show a generic icon or your old logo. It is usually caching, a wrong file path, or Google not having rechecked yet.
Common signs of this issue
- Your favicon is not showing in the browser tab — you see a blank page icon, a globe, or the first letter of your site instead.
- Google search results show a generic globe icon next to your site name instead of your logo.
- You changed your logo or favicon, but browsers or Google still show the old one.
- The icon appears on your computer but not on a colleague's, or not on your phone.
- It shows on the homepage but disappears on some other pages.
- Bookmarks or home screen shortcuts to your site show a blank or blurry icon.
Safe checks you can do yourself
None of these require sharing passwords with anyone.
- Rule out your own browser first. Open the site in a private or incognito window, or a different browser. Browsers cache favicons very stubbornly — often far longer than the rest of the page — so the old or missing icon may only be on your machine.
- Check the file actually exists. Try visiting yourdomain.com/favicon.ico directly. If it shows your icon, the file is there. If you get a 404 page or someone else's icon (common after a move from a builder or template), that is a clue.
- Find which icon the page is asking for. Right-click the page, choose View page source, and press Ctrl+F (Cmd+F on Mac) to search for
rel="icon". The address next to it is the file browsers load. Paste that address into a new tab and see whether it opens. A typo, an old domain, or anhttp://address on an https site will all stop it loading. - On WordPress, set it in the proper place: Appearance, then Customize, then Site Identity, then Site Icon, or in newer block themes via the Site Editor or Settings, depending on your WordPress version. Upload a square image — WordPress asks for at least 512 by 512 pixels. If a theme option or a plugin also sets a favicon, they can conflict; use one.
- Check the image itself. It should be square, simple enough to read at tiny sizes, and in a supported format such as ICO, PNG, or SVG. A wide rectangular logo gets squashed or ignored.
- For Google search results, check Google's favicon rules: the icon must be declared with a link tag on your homepage, be square, and be at least 8 by 8 pixels, though Google recommends larger than 48 by 48. A multiple of 48 (such as 48, 96, or 144 pixels) is a safe choice. Google also wants one stable favicon URL per site.
- Make sure Google is allowed to fetch it. If your robots.txt blocks the folder the icon lives in, or a security plugin or firewall blocks unusual bots, Google may show a generic globe. In Search Console, run URL Inspection on your homepage and choose Test live URL to confirm Google can load the page.
- After fixing it, request indexing of your homepage once in Search Console, then wait. Google updates favicons when it recrawls, which can take days to several weeks. Browsers will pick up the change once their cache clears.
What this usually means
When the favicon is missing in a browser tab, the cause is usually simple: the browser cached an old or missing icon, the page points to a file that is not there, or the link was left behind from an old theme, builder, or domain. Browsers remember favicons separately from the rest of the page, so a fix can look like it did nothing until the cache lets go. Checking in a private window or on another device tells you quickly whether the problem is real.
Google search results are a separate system. Google fetches your favicon on its own schedule and applies its own rules: square, declared on the homepage, crawlable, and not something it considers inappropriate. If any of those fail, it shows a generic globe. Even when everything is right, a new icon can take weeks to appear in results, and there is no button to force it. That delay is normal and is not a penalty.
Very occasionally the favicon is a symptom of something else. If /favicon.ico or the icon file suddenly shows a strange image, or your pages link to icons on unfamiliar domains, that can be a sign of tampering, and it is worth reading signs your website may be hacked. More often, a favicon that stopped showing after a redesign is simply one small piece of a site that did not fully update — see website changes not showing.
What not to do
- Don't keep re-uploading new favicon files in the hope one sticks. Check the path and the cache first.
- Don't set the favicon in the theme, a plugin, and the Site Icon setting at the same time. Pick one place.
- Don't use a wide rectangular logo as the icon. Make a square version, even if it is just your initial or symbol.
- Don't block your images or theme folders in robots.txt. Google needs to reach the icon file to show it.
- Don't assume a missing icon in Google search is a penalty. It is almost always a technical or timing issue.
- Don't change the favicon file name or location every few days. A stable address helps Google pick it up faster.
When to get help
A favicon is small, but if you have fixed the file and path, waited several weeks, and Google still shows a globe, something is usually blocking Google from reading your homepage properly — a firewall rule, a redirect chain, a robots.txt mistake, or a caching layer serving an old version. Those same problems can quietly affect how Google sees the rest of your site too, which is why they are worth tracking down rather than ignoring. It is also worth getting help if the icon shows something you did not put there.
Glenn, who runs WebsiteSelfHelp, sorts out these small-but-annoying branding glitches along with the bigger issues they sometimes point to. Describe what you are seeing and where — the tab, Google results, or both — and you will get a straightforward read on the cause, with no passwords needed to start.
Not sure what to do next?
Answer a few short questions and we'll point you to the safest next step — DIY, a freelancer, or a direct review. No passwords required.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my favicon not showing in Google search results?
Usually because Google has not recrawled your homepage since you added it, the icon is not square or is too small, it is not declared on the homepage, or Google is blocked from fetching it. Fix those, request indexing of the homepage once, and give it a few weeks.
How long does it take for a new favicon to show in Google?
There is no set time. It often takes days to a few weeks after Google recrawls your homepage. There is no way to force an immediate update.
Why does my old favicon still show in my browser?
Browsers cache favicons for a long time, separately from the page itself. Check in a private window or another browser. If it looks right there, your site is fine and your own browser will catch up.
What size should a favicon be?
Make it square. For WordPress Site Icon, upload at least 512 by 512 pixels and it creates the smaller sizes. For Google, larger than 48 by 48 is recommended, and a multiple of 48 is a safe choice.
What does a globe icon in Google search results mean?
It means Google could not find or use a favicon for your site, so it shows a generic icon instead. It does not affect rankings, but a proper icon helps your listing look trustworthy.
Can I fix a missing favicon myself?
Usually, yes. Uploading a square icon in the right setting and checking the file loads fixes most cases. It becomes a job for someone else when Google still cannot fetch it after the basics are correct.