How to create a favicon

Level of difficulty: Easy

The meaning of favicon means “favorite icon”. It is a small icon, which is displayed on the browser URL bar, on the navigation tabs, and bookmark list. A favicon improves the look of your blog considerably, make your icon unique so that when people browse through your website, they will be able to recognize your site by your icon and bookmark it. So go ahead, follow these few steps and create your own favicon.

Materials Needed:
- Specialized software
Step 1
If you want, you can use Photoshop, as it is one of the best alternatives for designing a favicon.
Step 2
Photoshop does not gel well with .ico, so it is better to download a Windows Icon Photoshop Plug in that will match with Photoshop. After you have installed the plug in, create a 64 x 64 pixels canvas, and go ahead with it.
Step 3
Design the favicon, resize it to the size you want it, by going to Image Size menu and then click Resample Image. Once the image is made smaller, clarity will increase. Then save it as 16 x 16 size.
Step 4
Microsoft Paint will create a good favicon as the image is very simple and the easiest way to create a JPEG image, size 32 x 32 is by using Paint. Use the online 'Favicon from Pics' link to change from JPEG image to favicon.
Step 5
When you get over with the designing of the favicon upload it to your site and keep it in the right directory in the index file.
Step 6
Last of all, you have to change the header, you need to add a line to it. A header is a code between the head and head tags.
Step 7
If the favicon is kept in the root directory, then only will this code work. After this is done, test it by opening your site to see if your favicon appears, bookmark the site. Check out how your favicon looks and if you are not satisfied with it, then go to the drawing board and re do it.
Step 8
The size of a favicon is about 16 pixels by 16 pixels. Using graphics in such a small frame is very difficult so make the image or letters simple yet dynamic. Match the color of the favicon with your site so that when people view your site, they will be able to associate the favicon with your site.