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Do I Need to Support favicon.ico in My Website in 2025?

A practical guide to favicon.ico support in 2025. Learn why modern browsers don't require it, but why you should still include it to avoid server log noise and ensure compatibility with legacy tools.

The Short Answer

Technically, modern browsers (Chrome, Edge, Safari, Firefox) don't require the .ico file anymore. However, in practice, it's strongly recommended to keep it.

If you don't include favicon.ico, your server logs will be flooded with 404 errors. Many legacy bots and RSS readers don't read your HTML header—they directly request /favicon.ico from the root directory.

The 2025 Best Practice Configuration

You only need 3-4 files to cover all scenarios. No need to generate dozens of different-sized legacy format files:

1. favicon.ico (32×32) – Legacy Compatibility & Fallback

  • Must be placed in the website root directory (/favicon.ico)
  • Primarily prevents log errors and serves legacy tools

2. icon.svg – Modern Standard (Primary)

  • Preferred by modern browsers
  • Supports infinite scaling without quality loss

3. apple-touch-icon.png (180×180) – iOS Devices

  • Used when users "Add to Home Screen" on iPhone/iPad
  • No need for multiple sizes—180×180 covers all iOS devices

4. manifest.webmanifest (Optional)

  • Primarily for Android and PWA installations
  • Defines 192×192 and 512×512 PNG icons

Implementation Code (HTML / Nuxt Head)

Here's the most concise and modern approach: 

<head>
  <!-- 1. Modern SVG (highest priority) -->
  <link rel="icon" href="/icon.svg" type="image/svg+xml">

  <!-- 2. Apple iOS icon -->
  <link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="/apple-touch-icon.png">

  <!-- 3. Traditional .ico (fallback) -->
  <!-- Note: Adding sizes="any" tells Chrome this is a bitmap, -->
  <!-- so Chrome will prefer SVG over ICO -->
  <link rel="icon" href="/favicon.ico" sizes="any">
  
  <!-- 4. Android/PWA configuration -->
  <link rel="manifest" href="/manifest.webmanifest">
</head>

For Nuxt.js Projects

In your nuxt.config.ts or page component: 

useHead({
  link: [
    { rel: 'icon', href: '/icon.svg', type: 'image/svg+xml' },
    { rel: 'apple-touch-icon', href: '/apple-touch-icon.png' },
    { rel: 'icon', href: '/favicon.ico', sizes: 'any' },
    { rel: 'manifest', href: '/manifest.webmanifest' },
  ],
})

Why Keep favicon.ico?

Server Log Health

Without favicon.ico, your server logs will be filled with 404 errors. Every time a bot, crawler, or RSS reader requests /favicon.ico (which happens automatically), you'll get an error entry. This creates noise in your logs and makes it harder to identify real issues.

Legacy Tool Compatibility

Many older tools, RSS readers, bookmark managers, and browser extensions still expect favicon.ico at the root. While modern browsers don't require it, these tools often don't read HTML headers and make direct requests to the root path.

Zero Cost, Maximum Benefit

Including a 32×32 favicon.ico file is trivial in terms of file size (usually under 2KB) and requires no maintenance. The benefit of clean server logs and universal compatibility far outweighs the minimal cost.

The Modern Approach: SVG First

While you should keep favicon.ico for compatibility, your primary favicon should be SVG:

  • Resolution-independent: Looks crisp at any size, from 16×16 to 512×512
  • Smaller file size: Often smaller than equivalent PNG files
  • Future-proof: Works perfectly on high-DPI displays and future devices
  • Single file: One SVG replaces multiple PNG sizes

Modern browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge) all support SVG favicons. The sizes="any" attribute on the ICO link ensures browsers prefer the SVG version when available.

Key Takeaways

  • Don't delete .ico: While browsers may not use it, keep it in the root directory to maintain server log health and legacy tool compatibility.
  • SVG is the future: Maintain a single SVG file to solve most resolution issues.
  • Minimal setup: With just 3-4 files (favicon.ico, icon.svg, apple-touch-icon.png, and optionally manifest.webmanifest), you cover all use cases.
  • Priority order matters: List SVG first, then ICO with sizes="any" to ensure modern browsers choose the best format.

Conclusion

In 2025, you don't technically need favicon.ico for modern browsers, but keeping it is a best practice. It prevents server log noise, ensures compatibility with legacy tools, and costs virtually nothing. Combine it with a modern SVG favicon, and you have the optimal setup for both current and future web standards.

The key is simplicity: maintain one SVG as your primary favicon, keep a small ICO file for compatibility, add an Apple touch icon for iOS, and optionally include a manifest for PWA support. This minimal configuration covers all scenarios without the complexity of managing dozens of different-sized files.