Check a favicon candidate before saving or reusing it

Favicon Downloader requests cached icon candidates from Google S2 and Icon Horse. It displays each provider's result and its actual image dimensions, then offers PNG conversion for supported raster responses. A provider image may be a cached favicon, a small icon or a generated fallback; it is not a verified original brand asset.

Original size-and-path inspection exercise

Enter https://example.com/workshops/booking?session=demo. The lookup domain is example.com: the path and query are discarded. Google S2 receives a request for 128 pixels, while Icon Horse chooses its own candidate. The interface reports the dimensions that actually load. In our October 8, 2026 browser check, example.com returned a 16 by 16 Google S2 candidate despite the 128-pixel request, and a 256 by 256 Icon Horse candidate. SimplyUtils returned 128 by 128 and 150 by 150 respectively. Provider caches and fallbacks can change; these measurements do not certify authenticity.

Compare a requested size with the preview dimensions before exporting. A 16 by 16 image saved as PNG remains 16 by 16; the tool neither upscales it nor adds detail. A generic globe or letter is a fallback candidate, not proof that the website lacks a favicon. An error card means the preview failed, and its download button stays disabled.

Try the website's www hostname separately when it exists. This tool preserves www rather than assuming it is interchangeable with the root domain. Providers can use different cached records for those hostnames. For a brand handoff or print project, obtain an approved asset from the owner instead of enlarging a small browser icon.

What the PNG download does

After an Icon Horse preview loads, select its PNG button. Google S2 is preview/open-only because its tested response blocks cross-origin byte access. The browser fetches the image with cross-origin permission, decodes it, draws it at its original dimensions and requests a PNG download. Supported response types are PNG, JPEG, WebP and common ICO types. Download input is limited to 2 MiB and dimensions to 4,096 pixels per side. SVG and unexpected responses are not converted.

A visible preview does not guarantee download access: browsers can display a cross-origin image while denying JavaScript permission to read its bytes. If conversion fails, the tool shows an error without opening a popup. The explicit provider image link lets you choose to open the image and use your browser's save command. A browser download request does not confirm that you selected a destination or that the operating system saved the file.

Preview and download deadlines are 20 seconds. Cancel or edit the input to ignore a late conversion. Cancellation can stop a browser fetch, but it may not interrupt image decoding already running in the browser. A changed address clears the earlier candidates so that an old site's icon is not labelled as the new site's result.

Discovery and ownership limits

This tool does not fetch the website's HTML or discover Apple Touch icons, SVG link declarations, manifest icons or every available resolution. A cache may lag a recently changed icon. Inspect the website's icon declarations or contact its owner if you need the current original. The retired Clearbit public Logo API is no longer offered as a working option.

Downloading an icon does not grant a trademark license, permission to imply endorsement or permission to redistribute it. Check the owner's usage rules before adding it to a public directory, client design or marketing material. For an icon you own, Favicon Generator provides a separate creation workflow.

Third-party services and processing

Google S2 and Icon Horse receive the normalized domain and normal connection information directly from your browser. SimplyUtils does not perform these icon lookups on its server. Enter a public HTTP or HTTPS domain without credentials or a nonstandard port; the interface rejects IP literals and private-looking names. Paths and query strings are not sent to the providers. See the Privacy Policy for site-wide practices.

If one provider fails, compare the other candidate or use the owner's original file. Check the domain spelling, browser network restrictions and provider availability. The tool cannot guarantee a provider's cache freshness, availability, icon authenticity or permission to export.

An original handoff checklist

For a controlled comparison, use a public test domain you own and record three things separately: the normalized hostname, each provider name and the dimensions that actually loaded. Request an icon, then save the supported PNG and inspect its width and height in an image viewer. The expected exported dimensions should match that candidate rather than the requested Google size. If a provider returns a generic letter or globe, label it as a provider candidate; do not present it to a client as an approved brand file.

When an icon changes on your test site, compare the live site with the providers again and note the time of your observation. A provider cache can lag the current declaration, so a difference is not proof that the site’s own icon configuration failed. Retain the owner-supplied original for work requiring authenticity or a larger resolution. A record of this comparison is more useful than a universal claim that one cache is always current or that a download proves permission to reuse a logo.

Recover from an unavailable provider

If both previews fail, verify a simple public hostname before assuming the website has no icon. Managed networks, browser filters and provider outages can affect these connections independently. Do not repeatedly submit private internal hostnames: the lookup sends the normalized public domain to external providers. Copying a provider link is an optional reference action, not evidence that its image bytes can be read for conversion. The preview, byte download and PNG export have separate failure conditions and should be recorded separately when reporting a reproducible problem.

Favicon Downloader: Preview Cached Website Icons