ANSWER

Quick answer

Declare a modern SVG or square PNG with rel=icon and keep a working /favicon.ico fallback. Chrome compares type, sizes, and document order when more than one candidate is available.

Last verified
July 31, 2026
Evidence
Primary documentation plus transparent editorial analysis
Primary sources
2
01

Desktop Chrome discovery

Declare a modern SVG or square PNG with rel=icon and keep a working /favicon.ico fallback. Chrome compares type, sizes, and document order when more than one candidate is available.

Inspect the Elements panel after JavaScript and framework metadata have run. The final link elements and their resolved public URLs matter more than the source template.

Connected next stepFavicons in Microsoft Edge: Tabs, Favorites, PWAs, and Cache for the closest prerequisite or comparison.

02

Android and installed PWA icons

Link a valid web app manifest and provide at least 192×192 and 512×512 icon entries. Add separate maskable artwork when the icon needs to fill adaptive Android shapes without letterboxing.

Use Chrome DevTools’ Application panel to inspect the manifest, icon downloads, installability information, and the maskable safe-area preview.

Connected next stepSafari Favicons: Tabs, Pinned Tabs, and Apple Touch Icons for the next connected implementation decision.

03

Refresh a stale Chrome icon

First request the new icon URL directly and confirm the response bytes and Content-Type. Then test a clean profile, close pinned tabs, and remove an installed shortcut before reinstalling it.

Avoid changing icon URLs on every request. Use an intentional version when replacing a browser asset, while keeping the search-facing favicon stable enough for recrawling.

Connected next stepOpen the most relevant production tool and verify the decision with a working output.

DOWNLOADABLE EVIDENCE

Review the headings, sources, implementation artifact, and update record for this guide as structured JSON.

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Primary references
Evidence scope
Guide
Chrome Favicons: Tabs, Android, PWAs, and Cache Checks
Coverage
Client behavior can change by browser, operating system, platform version, cache state and deployment configuration. Unperformed manual observations are not claimed.
Q&A

Questions, answered

Why does Chrome show the right tab icon but the wrong home-screen icon?+

Tabs and installed apps can select different files. Check the manifest’s 192, 512, and maskable entries.

Where can I inspect the selected icon?+

Use the Network and Elements panels for tab icons and the Application panel for manifest-driven app icons.