Best Favicon Format: ICO, PNG, or SVG?
The best favicon format depends on which browsers you need to support and whether you want dark mode adaptability. Here is the practical breakdown.
About Best favicon format
Three formats dominate favicon implementation: ICO, PNG, and SVG. Each has different browser support, file handling, and practical tradeoffs.
ICO format: The .ico file is the oldest and most universally supported favicon format. Every browser including IE11 and legacy mobile browsers understands it. An .ico file packages multiple resolutions (16×16, 32×32, 48×48) in a single file, so the browser picks the most appropriate size automatically. The downside is that .ico cannot be easily edited and does not support dark mode adaptation.
PNG format: PNG favicons require separate link tags for each size, referenced with the sizes attribute. They support full transparency, are widely supported in modern browsers, and are easy to generate from any image editor. PNG is the recommended format for apple-touch-icon (180×180) because iOS reads PNG better than ICO at that size.
SVG format: SVG favicons are a single infinitely-scalable file. Supported in Safari 14+ and all modern Chromium-based browsers. SVG favicons can include a media query for prefers-color-scheme, letting the icon switch between a light and dark version automatically. The main limitation is that Firefox and older browsers still require a fallback ICO or PNG.
Recommended implementation (use all three): 1. favicon.ico — for legacy browser fallback 2. favicon-32x32.png — for modern browsers 3. apple-touch-icon.png (180×180) — for iOS 4. favicon.svg — for progressive enhancement and dark mode
This combination covers 99%+ of browsers and devices with the best quality at every size.