Website Icons Not Showing in Edge & Chrome

Website icons, small images commonly called favicons, appear on browser tabs, bookmarks, and the favorites bar. For example, when you open Gmail, YouTube, or Facebook, you usually see the website’s logo next to its name.

However, sometimes website icons stop showing in Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome. You might see a blank space, a generic page symbol, or just the website title instead of its usual logo. This issue can make it harder to identify open tabs, especially when you have multiple websites running simultaneously.

The problem can happen for several reasons, including a corrupted browser cache, outdated browser software, incorrect website data, browser extensions, or problems with the website itself. Fortunately, you can usually fix it without reinstalling your browser.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to troubleshoot missing website icons in Edge and Chrome.

Website Icons Not Showing in Browser [Edge & Chrome]

If website icons are not showing in Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome, try refreshing the affected website, clearing cached images and files, checking browser extensions, and updating your browser. You can also test the website in a private browsing window to determine whether the problem comes from your browser settings or the website itself.

Follow the steps below to identify the cause and restore missing website icons in Edge or Chrome. 

Menu names may vary slightly depending on your browser version.

Step 1: Refresh the Website and Reopen the Browser

The first thing to try is a simple page refresh. Sometimes, a website’s favicon fails to load because of a temporary network interruption or a delayed response from the website’s server.

Open the affected website in Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome and press Ctrl + R on your keyboard. Wait a few seconds for the page to reload and check whether the icon appears next to the tab title. You can also press Ctrl + Shift + R to perform a hard refresh in many desktop browser versions. This forces the browser to request page resources again rather than relying entirely on cached copies.

If refreshing does not help, close the affected tab and open the website in a new one. You can also close the browser completely and reopen it. Before doing so, save any unfinished work in your open tabs.

If the website icon appears after refreshing, the issue was likely temporary. Otherwise, continue to the next step.

Step 2: Clear Cached Images and Files

A corrupted or outdated browser cache is one possible reason website icons fail to display. Browsers save images and other website resources locally to make pages load faster. If the saved data becomes outdated or damaged, the browser may struggle to display the correct favicon.

In Chrome, open Settings > Privacy and security > Delete browsing data. Select the appropriate time range, such as All time, and check Cached images and files. Click Delete data to remove the cached resources.

In Edge, navigate to Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Clear browsing data > Choose what to clear. Select the desired time range, check Cached images and files, and click Clear now.

After clearing the cache, reopen the affected website and give it a moment to load. The browser may take slightly longer to display the page while downloading fresh resources.

You generally do not need to delete saved passwords or all your browsing history to fix missing icons. Leave those options unchecked unless you have another reason to remove that information.

Step 3: Check Whether Browser Extensions Are Causing the Problem

Some browser extensions can interfere with website resources. Ad blockers, privacy tools, script blockers, and security extensions may prevent certain images or requests from loading correctly.

To check this in Chrome, select More (three-dot menu) > Extensions > Manage Extensions. Review your installed extensions and temporarily disable any that might block website content.

In Edge, open More (three-dot menu) > Extensions > Manage extensions. Turn off potentially interfering extensions temporarily, then reload the affected website.

You can also use a private browsing window to test the problem. In Chrome, press Ctrl + Shift + N to open an Incognito window. In Edge, press Ctrl + Shift + N to open an InPrivate window.

Enter the website address and check whether its icon appears. Remember that extensions may be allowed to run in private windows if you have enabled that permission, so a private window is not always a completely extension-free test.

If the icon appears after disabling an extension, enable your extensions one at a time and reload the page to identify the cause.

Step 4: Update Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome

An outdated browser can sometimes have compatibility problems or bugs that affect how website resources are loaded. Updating your browser is a useful troubleshooting step, particularly if icons are missing across multiple websites.

In Chrome, open More > Help > About Google Chrome. The browser will check for available updates automatically. If an update is available, allow it to download and follow the instructions to relaunch Chrome.

In Edge, go to More > Help and feedback > About Microsoft Edge. Edge will check for updates and install them when available.

After the update finishes, restart the browser and revisit the affected websites. Check whether the icons appear on the tabs and bookmarks.

If your browser already has the latest version, you can move to the next step. Keep in mind that updating the browser may not fix a favicon that is missing or incorrectly configured on the website’s server.

Step 5: Check Image and Site Permissions

Browser permissions can affect how websites load certain types of content. Although favicons are usually handled automatically, blocked images or other restricted resources may contribute to display problems on some websites.

In Chrome, open Settings > Privacy and security > Site settings > Images. Check that websites are allowed to display images. Review any custom rules that might block content on the affected site.

In Edge, open Settings > Cookies and site permissions > Images. Confirm that image loading is allowed and check whether the affected website appears under a blocked list.

If the website is blocked, update the relevant permission and reload the page.

Also check whether you are using strict privacy settings, security software, or network filters that could prevent the browser from accessing website resources. Avoid disabling security protections globally. If you suspect a particular setting, test it carefully and restore your preferred protection after troubleshooting.

Step 6: Clear the Affected Website’s Stored Data

If the missing icon affects only one website, its saved cookies or site data may be contributing to the problem. Clearing the data for that specific website can help without removing information from every site you visit.

In Chrome, open Settings > Privacy and security > Third-party cookies > See all site data and permissions. Search for the affected website, select its entry, and choose the option to delete its stored data.

In Edge, navigate to Settings > Cookies and site permissions > Manage and delete cookies and site data > See all cookies and site data. Search for the website and remove its stored data.

The exact menu wording may differ by version. Once you finish, close the affected tab, open the website again, and check its icon.

Be aware that deleting site data can sign you out of the website and remove saved preferences. Make sure you know your login details before proceeding.

Step 7: Check Whether the Problem Is Specific to the Website

Sometimes, the browser is working correctly, but the website itself is not providing its favicon properly. A website may have a missing icon file, an incorrect favicon path, a server error, or a configuration problem.

To check this, open several unrelated websites in the same browser. If their icons appear normally and only one website has a missing icon, the problem may be on that website’s end.

You can also open the affected website in another browser. For example, if its icon is missing in Chrome, check the same page in Edge. If the icon is missing in both browsers, the website may not be delivering the icon correctly.

If you manage the website yourself, check the favicon file, its URL, server response, and the HTML link rel=”icon” declaration. Confirm that the icon file exists and that the server can deliver it successfully.

If you do not manage the website, there may be nothing to change on your computer. Give the website time to resolve the issue and check again later.

Step 8: Create a New Browser Profile

A damaged browser profile can cause persistent problems with bookmarks, settings, extensions, and other browsing data. If website icons are missing across many sites and the previous solutions have not worked, testing a new profile can help identify the cause.

In Chrome, select your profile icon near the top-right corner and choose the option to add a new profile. In Edge, select the profile icon and use the available option to add a profile.

Open the affected website in the new profile without installing extensions or importing old settings. Check whether its icon appears correctly.

If the icon works in the new profile, the original profile may contain a problematic setting, extension, or corrupted data. You can move to the new profile after carefully transferring your bookmarks and other necessary information.

Do not delete your original profile immediately. First, make sure your important bookmarks, passwords, and other data are safely synchronized or backed up.

Step 9: Reset Browser Settings if Nothing Else Works

If website icons remain missing across multiple sites, resetting your browser settings may help resolve a deeper configuration problem. This should be a later troubleshooting step because it can disable extensions and restore several settings to their defaults.

In Chrome, open Settings > Reset settings > Restore settings to their original defaults. Review the confirmation message and select Reset settings.

In Edge, open Settings > Reset settings > Restore settings to their default values. Review the changes and confirm the reset.

A settings reset typically affects startup pages, new tab settings, pinned tabs, search engine preferences, and extensions. It generally does not delete saved bookmarks or passwords, but you should still review the confirmation screen before proceeding.

Restart your browser, visit the affected websites, and check whether their icons are visible. If the problem continues even after resetting the browser, consider checking for operating system updates or consulting the website administrator.

FAQs

Why are website icons not showing in Chrome?

Website icons may be missing in Chrome because of a corrupted cache, interfering extensions, outdated browser software, or website configuration problems. Refresh the page, clear cached images and files, and test the website in an Incognito window to narrow down the cause.

Why are website icons not showing in Microsoft Edge?

In Edge, missing icons can result from cached resources, site permissions, browser extensions, or a problem with the website’s favicon. Start by refreshing the page, clearing the cache, and checking whether the same issue occurs on other websites.

Why are website icons missing from my bookmarks bar?

Bookmark icons may disappear when the browser cannot retrieve the favicon or when cached website data is outdated. Open the bookmarked website directly, allow it to finish loading, and check whether the icon returns. You can also remove and recreate the bookmark if necessary.

Will clearing the browser cache delete my bookmarks?

No. Selecting only Cached images and files should not delete your bookmarks. However, selecting additional browsing-data categories can remove other information, so review your selections before clearing anything.

Can a website itself cause missing icons?

Yes. A website may have a missing favicon file, an incorrect icon path, or a server configuration issue. If the icon is missing in both Edge and Chrome while other websites display their icons normally, the website itself may be responsible.

Should I reinstall Chrome or Edge to fix missing website icons?

Reinstalling the browser is usually unnecessary. Try clearing cached files, disabling problematic extensions, updating the browser, testing a new profile, and resetting settings first. Reinstallation should be considered only after these less disruptive solutions fail.