How to Add Favicon to WordPress: Complete Step-by-Step Guide (2026)

Learn how to add a favicon to your WordPress website in just a few simple steps. Works with all WordPress themes and versions. Includes troubleshooting tips.

⏱️ Time: 2 minutes | 💰 Cost: Free | 📊 Difficulty: Beginner

This guide covers the easiest way to add a favicon to WordPress using the built-in Site Icon feature. Works with WordPress 4.3+, including the latest version.

What You'll Need

WordPress admin access - Login credentials for your WordPress dashboard
A favicon image - PNG format, at least 512x512 pixels (create one with our free favicon generator)

💡 Pro Tip

Don't have a favicon yet? Create one in seconds with our free favicon generator. All sizes, one click.

1 Login to WordPress Dashboard

Go to your WordPress website and add /wp-admin to the URL:

https://yourwebsite.com/wp-admin

Enter your username and password to login.

2 Navigate to Appearance → Customize

In the WordPress dashboard, look for "Appearance" in the left sidebar menu. Hover over it and click on "Customize".

Navigation Path:

Dashboard → Appearance → Customize

This will open the WordPress Customizer with your site's live preview.

3 Click on "Site Identity"

In the Customizer sidebar, look for "Site Identity" and click on it. This is where you can change your site title, tagline, and favicon.

📍 What You'll See

The Site Identity panel includes: Site Title, Tagline, Site Icon (favicon), and Logo options. You can upload different images for each.

4 Upload Your Favicon

Find the "Site Icon" section and click the "Select Site Icon" button.

✅ Recommended Size

WordPress recommends a 512x512 pixel image. The image should be square (equal width and height).

Select your favicon file from your computer and click "Open" or "Choose".

WordPress will automatically crop the image into a circle. You can adjust the cropping if needed by dragging the image.

5 Publish Changes

Once you're happy with how your favicon looks, click the blue "Publish" button at the top of the Customizer to save your changes.

🎉 You're Done!

Your favicon is now live! It may take a few minutes to appear due to browser caching.

How to Verify Your Favicon

After publishing, verify your favicon appears correctly:

Open your website in a new tab (not the Customizer preview)
Clear browser cache (Ctrl+Shift+Delete or Cmd+Shift+Delete)
Refresh the page (F5 or Cmd+R)
Check the browser tab - your favicon should be visible
Test on mobile devices - add to home screen and verify

Alternative Method: Upload via FTP/cPanel

If the Customizer method doesn't work, you can manually upload your favicon via FTP or file manager:

Generate or prepare your favicon

Use our favicon generator to create favicon-32x32.png and favicon.ico files
Connect to your server via FTP or use cPanel File Manager
Navigate to /wp-content/themes/your-theme/
Upload favicon files

Upload favicon.ico and favicon.png to your theme's root folder
Clear cache

Clear your WordPress cache (if using a caching plugin) and browser cache

Troubleshooting Common Issues

❓ Favicon not appearing after uploading

Solutions:

Clear browser cache (Ctrl+Shift+Delete)
Clear WordPress cache (if using caching plugins like WP Rocket, W3 Total Cache)
Try in incognito/private browsing mode
Wait 5-10 minutes for CDN to update (if using Cloudflare or similar)

❓ "Select Site Icon" button missing

Possible causes:

WordPress version is too old (need 4.3+) - update WordPress
Theme doesn't support Site Icon feature - use manual FTP method
Plugin conflict - temporarily disable plugins and try again

❓ Favicon looks blurry or pixelated

Solution:

Use a higher resolution source image (512x512 or larger). WordPress will automatically scale it down for different sizes.

❓ Favicon appears squared instead of circular

Solution:

This is the default WordPress behavior. To make it circular, you need to use a plugin or add custom CSS. Most modern WordPress themes handle this automatically.

WordPress Favicon Best Practices

✅ DO

• Use a high-resolution image (512x512 recommended)
• Choose a simple, recognizable design
• Test on both desktop and mobile devices
• Update favicon when rebranding
• Use PNG format with transparency if needed

❌ DON'T

• Use rectangular images
• Use copyrighted images without permission
• Upload multiple favicon files to root directory
• Forget to clear cache after updating
• Use low-resolution or blurry images

Video Tutorial

📹 Video tutorial coming soon!

In the meantime, follow our step-by-step guide above or use our quick start guide.

Need to Create a Favicon First?

Generate all favicon sizes in seconds with our free online tool. No signup required.

Create Favicon Now →

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between Site Icon and Logo in WordPress? ▼

Site Icon (favicon): Appears in browser tabs, bookmarks, and mobile home screens. Should be simple and square.

Logo: Appears in the header/footer of your website. Can be any shape or size. Used for branding purposes.

Why can't I see the Site Icon option in WordPress? ▼

The Site Icon feature was introduced in WordPress 4.3. If you don't see it, either your WordPress version is outdated (update it) or your theme doesn't support this feature (use manual FTP method instead).

Do I need to upload multiple favicon sizes? ▼

No! WordPress automatically generates multiple sizes from the single 512x512 image you upload. This creates favicons for browser tabs, iOS devices, Android devices, and more.

Can I use the same favicon for logo and site icon? ▼

Yes, you can use the same image for both. However, keep in mind that the site icon (favicon) will be cropped into a circle and displayed at very small sizes (16x16, 32x32). Simple, bold logos work best as favicons.

How long does it take for the favicon to appear? ▼

The favicon should appear immediately after publishing. If you don't see it, clear your browser cache. If using a CDN (like Cloudflare) or caching plugin, it may take 5-10 minutes to propagate.

Need Help Creating Your Favicon?

Our free favicon generator makes it easy. Upload your image and download all sizes instantly.

Start Generating →