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Text Favicon Generator
Create a favicon from 1–3 letters, initials or characters. Choose a font, colors and shape, check the actual-size preview, and download ICO and PNG files for your website.
Design your text favicon
Use 1–3 characters. One or two usually read best at 16 px.
Fonts use the families available on your device. Downloads are raster images, so the exported lettering stays the same on other devices.
Preview at actual favicon sizes
Actual pixel sizes below. Check legibility before downloading.
Download your favicon files
One ICO, six PNG sizes, a web manifest and an HTML snippet. No watermark.
Add to your HTML head
<link rel="icon" href="/favicon.ico" sizes="16x16 32x32 48x48">
<link rel="icon" type="image/png" sizes="32x32" href="/favicon-32x32.png">
<link rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="180x180" href="/apple-touch-icon.png">
<link rel="manifest" href="/site.webmanifest">The manifest contains basic icon references. It does not add offline support or turn your site into a complete PWA.
How to create a favicon from text
1. Choose your letters
Start with a single letter or two initials. Long names lose detail in a browser tab.
2. Tune the shape and spacing
Choose a typeface and contrasting colors. Adjust padding and inspect the 16, 32 and 48 px previews.
3. Download and install
Download the package, place the files in your public directory and add the supplied HTML tags. Review the paths for your framework.
Letter and initial favicon ideas
A text favicon gives a website a recognizable mark before you have a full logo. Start with the part of your name that visitors are most likely to remember, then test it at tab size. These examples are starting points to recreate in the editor.
One letter for a personal site
Use the first letter of your name, publication or product. A single character leaves room for a heavier stroke and more breathing space, which helps when browser tabs are narrow.
Two initials for a portfolio
A pair of initials can connect a portfolio, newsletter or small business website to its name. Compare a wide pair such as MW with narrower letters: the same padding will not make every pair look equally large.
A short label for a project
A three-character abbreviation can work for a developer tool or side project. Check the 16 px preview carefully; if the letters merge, shorten the label rather than relying on the enlarged preview.
How to keep a text favicon readable at 16 px
The enlarged preview helps with styling, but the smallest preview is the better place to judge recognition. Change one setting at a time so you can see what actually improves the result.
Choose the letters before the font
Try a single initial and a two-letter version before settling on three characters. For a long brand name, use a familiar abbreviation instead of squeezing the full name into a tiny square.
Balance font weight and open spaces
Bold letters can survive reduction better than thin strokes, but the heaviest weight may close the spaces inside B, R or a. Compare the available weights at 16 and 32 px, and keep the version with a clear outline.
Check contrast on light and dark tabs
Use a text color that stands apart from the background. Switch the preview background to inspect transparent corners and edges. A circular design with generous padding gives the letters less room than a square design.
Leave room around the lettering
Reduce padding if the initials look too small; increase it if the strokes feel crowded against the edge. Rounded corners and circles change the space available, so review the smallest preview again after changing the shape.
Favicon file formats and PNG sizes
| File | Size | Use |
|---|---|---|
| favicon.ico | 16 / 32 / 48 px | Three PNG images inside one ICO file for browser favicon use. |
| favicon-16x16.png, favicon-32x32.png, favicon-48x48.png | 16 / 32 / 48 px | Individual small icons for tabs, bookmarks and other website UI. |
| apple-touch-icon.png | 180 × 180 px | A home-screen icon candidate. Choose a square background when you need an opaque tile. |
| android-chrome-192x192.png, android-chrome-512x512.png | 192 / 512 px | Larger icons referenced by the included web manifest; these are not maskable icons. |
The manifest contains basic icon references. It does not add offline support or turn your site into a complete PWA.
How to add your favicon to a website
Choose the installation method for your project. Keep the downloaded filenames unless you also update their references, and check the deployed site after replacing an older icon.
HTML and static websites
Extract the ZIP into the directory served at your website root. Copy the HTML tags from the editor into the page head. If your assets live in a subfolder, update the icon and manifest paths; also check the image paths inside site.webmanifest.
View the installation codeNext.js projects
Use the ICO or PNG with your project’s favicon convention or metadata configuration. Check whether the app already defines an icon before adding another reference. The Next.js guide explains file placement and common conflicts.
Next.js favicon installation guideWordPress websites
Use the 512 px PNG when setting a Site Icon. WordPress generates its own image sizes for that workflow, so you do not need to upload every file from the ZIP. Follow the guide for the setting available in your WordPress setup.
WordPress site icon guideWhy is my new favicon not showing?
First confirm that the generated file looks right, then check how the website serves it. A correct preview here does not verify your website’s paths or configuration.
The browser still shows the old icon
Open the deployed icon URL directly and confirm that it contains the new design. If it does, try a fresh browser session and review browser or CDN caches. Also check for an older icon reference in your HTML, framework metadata or site settings.
The icon is missing or looks blurry
Check that the icon URL returns an image, rather than a missing-page response or login screen. Use a suitable exported size instead of enlarging the 16 px PNG. If the file itself is hard to read, reduce the number of characters or adjust weight and padding.
Google Search has not updated the icon
Google needs to crawl the homepage and the icon file. Keep the icon URL stable and accessible; a browser update does not mean the search result will change immediately. Google does not guarantee that a favicon will appear in results.
Text Favicon Generator FAQ
What is a text favicon?
A text favicon uses a letter, initials or a few characters to identify a website in a browser tab. It is useful when you do not yet have a logo, or when a full wordmark is too detailed at small sizes.
How many letters should I use?
The editor accepts up to three characters. One or two bold letters usually work best at 16 × 16 pixels. Use the actual-size previews to check your own design; thin strokes or three wide letters may be difficult to read.
Can I use Chinese characters or accented letters?
Yes, provided a font on your device can display them. Combining accents are counted with their letter. Inspect the preview for missing glyphs before downloading. The PNG and ICO files preserve the rendered result.
Why do the font choices name Arial, Georgia and Courier?
These choices use common font families with system fallbacks. The exact face can vary between operating systems. The exported PNG and ICO files contain pixels, not editable font references, so visitors do not need to install your font.
Do I need to upload anything or create an account?
No. The text is rendered and the images are generated in your browser. The tool does not upload your text, and you can download the files without signing up.
Can I use the package with Next.js or WordPress?
The ICO and PNG files can be used in either project, but installation paths differ. Use our Next.js and WordPress guides to select the right file location or site-icon setting. The supplied HTML snippet is a starting point for HTML sites.
Is the generated manifest a complete PWA setup?
No. It provides names, colors and ordinary icon references. A PWA still needs project-specific setup and testing. Use the PWA Icon Generator for maskable icons, additional platform assets and more manifest settings.
Text favicon or image-based logo?
Keep using this editor for letters and initials. Choose Logo Maker when you need a symbol with a name or tagline, or Favicon Generator to resize an existing image. A simplified symbol can be a better fit when your full logo loses detail at tab size.