Can I Use SVG as Favicon?

Creating SVG Favicons

SVG favicons remain crisp on any device and offer customization possibilities. To create an SVG favicon:

  1. Ensure the image is square.
  2. Add a link tag pointing to the SVG file.
  3. Set canvas width and height to 64×64 pixels for high resolution displays.
  4. Clear the canvas before drawing the icon.

Favicon Format Selection: SVG vs PNG

When choosing between SVG and PNG for a favicon:

Original ICO Format:

The original favicon format was ICO.

PNG, JPEG, and SVG Formats:

Today, preferred file formats for favicons are PNG, JPEG, and SVG. SVG is gaining popularity due to increasing browser support.

Minimal Set of Icons for Favicon

For modern browsers, a minimal set of icons is sufficient:

  • Classic favicon size: 16×16 pixels.
  • Best for high-resolution screens: 32×32 pixels.

To ensure future-proof solutions, SVG is preferred for its scalability and adaptability to different themes.

Best Practices for SVG Favicons

For optimal performance with SVG favicons:

  • Optimize file size and metadata.
  • Align vectors to pixel boundaries.
  • Use a favicon generation tool to output properly sized PNG fallbacks.

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