Why the old favicon still shows after a change

Your browser saved the old icon and is still using it. Uploading a new file doesn't tell every visitor's browser to throw the old one away. Give it a new file name and wait, and it usually sorts itself out.

What to check before you start

• The new file really is on your site. Open its address directly and look at it.
• Your link tag points to the new file, not the old one.
• You know which place shows the old icon: your own browser, other people's browsers, or Google search results. The fixes differ.

Why it sticks

Browsers store files so pages load faster. That's caching. MDN explains that a stored response can be reused for a while, and how long is up to the implementation¹. Even once a stored copy goes stale, it isn't discarded straight away¹. The browser may ask the server whether it changed first.

No source gives a set time for favicons, so don't expect an exact figure.

What helps

Change the file's address

MDN describes it as a common best practice to change the URL each time the content changes¹. For a favicon, that means saving the new image under a new name, such as favicon-v2.ico, and updating the link tag to match. A new address looks like a new file to the browser.

One caution. Google asks that the favicon URL stay stable, and says not to change it frequently². So rename when you've truly made a new icon, not every week.

Make sure the tag points where you think

If you have both a linked favicon and a loose favicon.ico in the root, modern browsers choose the linked favicon instead³. A leftover tag pointing to the old file would keep the old icon showing. Read your template's head again, and see the link tag steps.

Check in a different browser or a private window

If a second browser shows the new icon, your own browser is holding the old copy. Your browser's help page explains how to clear its stored site data. That only fixes your own view, not your visitors'.

Wait

Visitors' browsers switch when their stored copies are replaced. That's up to each browser, not you.

If Google still shows the old one

Google's search results are a different system. Google says to allow time for it to recrawl and process your home page, and that crawling can take anywhere from several days to several weeks². Google also notes that you can ask for your home page to be indexed with the URL Inspection tool².

Before you wait, check that Google can reach both the page and the icon file. See Favicons in Google search results.

A short plan

1. Save the new image under a new file name.
2. Upload it and open its address to confirm it loads.
3. Update the link tag in your page head.
4. Check a private window and a second browser.
5. If Google matters to you, ask for a recrawl and give it time.