Friday, November 29, 2024

How to Add a Shortcut Icon for Safari Favorites

 To make your blog display a custom icon (often called a favicon or web app icon) in the Safari browser on an iPad or any other device:

Steps to Add a Shortcut Icon for Safari Favorites


Steps to Add a Shortcut Icon for Safari Favorites:

  1. Create Your Icon File:

    • The recommended size for Safari’s "Add to Home Screen" icon is 180x180 pixels.
    • Save the file in PNG format with a transparent background (if desired).

  2. Rename Your Icon:

    • Name your icon file apple-touch-icon.png. This name is specific for Apple devices.

  3. Upload the Icon to Your Blog:

    • Place the apple-touch-icon.png file in the root directory of your blog’s website. This is usually the same place where your index.html file resides.

    Example:

    arduino
    https://yourblogdomain.com/apple-touch-icon.png

  4. Add Code to Your Blog's HTML:

    • Edit the <head> section of your blog’s HTML and add the following code:

      html
      <link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="/apple-touch-icon.png">

    • Replace /apple-touch-icon.png with the correct path if your icon is in a subdirectory.

  5. Clear Cache and Test:

    • On your iPad, clear the Safari cache to ensure the new icon loads.
      • Go to Settings > Safari > Clear History and Website Data.
    • Visit your blog and add it to favorites or home screen to check if the icon appears.

Tips:

  • Multiple Sizes: For best results across all Apple devices, you can provide icons in different sizes:

    html
    <link rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="180x180" href="/apple-touch-icon-180x180.png">
<link rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="152x152" href="/apple-touch-icon-152x152.png">
<link rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="120x120" href="/apple-touch-icon-120x120.png">
<link rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="76x76" href="/apple-touch-icon-76x76.png">

  • Favicon Generator: You can use online tools like Favicon Generator to create the required icon in various sizes.

Once these steps are completed, your blog should have a custom icon displayed in the Safari favorites or home screen shortcut!


here are a few things to verify to ensure it works properly:

Verification and Suggestions:

  1. Correct Placement of the <link> Tags:

    • Your <link rel="apple-touch-icon" ...> tags are in the correct location within the <head> section. This is necessary for proper rendering.

  2. File Paths:

    • Make sure the href attribute in each <link> tag correctly points to the favicon file's location on your server.
    • For example:
      • If your favicon files are located in the root directory, the paths you’ve used are correct (e.g., /apple-touch-icon-180x180.png).
      • If the files are in a subdirectory (e.g., /images/icons/), adjust the paths accordingly:
        html
        <link rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="180x180" href="/images/icons/apple-touch-icon-180x180.png">

  3. Additional Favicon for Browser Tabs:

    • To ensure compatibility with non-Apple browsers and desktop devices, add a traditional favicon as well:
      html
      <link rel="icon" type="image/png" sizes="32x32" href="/favicon-32x32.png">
<link rel="icon" type="image/png" sizes="16x16" href="/favicon-16x16.png">
<link rel="shortcut icon" href="/favicon.ico">

  4. Test Your Icons:

    • Visit your site on an Apple device and add it to the Home Screen or Favorites to test if the icons display properly.
    • For testing without waiting for the browser to cache the files, use Safari's Developer Tools on a Mac or clear Safari’s cache on your iPad.

  5. Cache Issues:

    • Browsers often cache icons. To ensure updates are reflected:
      • Clear the cache in Safari: Settings > Safari > Clear History and Website Data.
      • Add a query string to the href to bypass caching:
        html
        <link rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="180x180" href="/apple-touch-icon-180x180.png?v=1">

  6. Check Favicon Generator Compatibility:

    • If you encounter issues, consider using tools like Real Favicon Generator to generate and validate your favicon files.

  7. HTML Validation:

    • Your HTML code is valid, but if your blog platform modifies the head content, ensure that your custom favicon code is not being stripped out or overridden by the platform.

By following these steps and verifying file paths, your favicon should display correctly on all devices, including iPads and Apple devices.


Online tools available to test your favicon's compatibility across devices and browsers



online tools available to test your favicon's compatibility across devices and browsers


There are several online tools available to test your favicon's compatibility across devices and browsers. These tools analyze your website and verify if your favicon is properly configured for all platforms, including desktops, mobile devices, and tablets. Here are some of the best ones:

1. Real Favicon Generator

  • URL: https://realfavicongenerator.net/favicon_checker
  • Features:
    • Tests your favicon on various devices and browsers.
    • Checks for all necessary favicon sizes and formats.
    • Provides suggestions for missing icons or incorrect configurations.
    • Validates your apple-touch-icon and other platform-specific icons.

2. Favicon Checker by SEOptimer

  • URL: https://www.seoptimer.com/favicon-checker
  • Features:
    • Quick and simple test for favicon presence and visibility.
    • Shows how your favicon appears in different scenarios (e.g., browser tabs, bookmarks, home screens).

3. Favicon Test by Varvy

  • URL: https://varvy.com/favicon.html
  • Features:
    • Checks if your favicon is accessible and loads properly.
    • Tests for proper HTML code and favicon file location.

4. BrowserStack (Live Device Testing)

  • URL: https://www.browserstack.com/
  • Features:
    • Allows you to view your website on real devices and browsers.
    • Lets you verify how your favicon appears on multiple devices (iOS, Android, desktop).
    • Paid tool, but offers free trials for testing.

5. Favicon Validator

  • URL: https://faviconvalidator.com/
  • Features:
    • Tests your favicon setup for compliance with browser standards.
    • Shows detailed feedback on missing or incorrectly configured favicon files.

6. Am I Responsive?

Recommended Approach

  • Start with Real Favicon Generator, as it provides the most comprehensive analysis and actionable recommendations.
  • Once your favicon is optimized, use tools like BrowserStack or actual devices to visually confirm its appearance.
realfavicongenerator.net/favicon_checker



From the results displayed in your screenshot, here are the specific issues and how to fix them:

1. Classic and SVG Favicon

  • Issue:

    • There is no SVG favicon.
    • Missing PNG favicon (96x96).
    • Missing smaller ICO sizes (32x32 and 16x16).

  • Solution:

    1. Generate Missing Files:
      • Use a favicon generator like Real Favicon Generator to create the required files, including SVG, PNG, and ICO formats.
    2. Add to Your HTML: Include these lines in your <head> section:
      html
      <link rel="icon" type="image/png" sizes="96x96" href="/favicon-96x96.png">
<link rel="icon" type="image/png" sizes="32x32" href="/favicon-32x32.png">
<link rel="icon" type="image/png" sizes="16x16" href="/favicon-16x16.png">
<link rel="icon" type="image/svg+xml" href="/favicon.svg">

2. Touch Icon

  • Issue:

    • The touch icon is declared, but the file cannot be found at the specified path.
    • No web app title declared.

  • Solution:

    1. Verify the File Path:
      • Upload the apple-touch-icon-180x180.png to the root directory of your website.
      • Ensure it is accessible at the URL shown in the error (https://tvlavin.blogspot.com/apple-touch-icon-180x180.png).
    2. Add a Web App Title:
      • Include the following meta tag in your <head>:
        html
        <meta name="apple-mobile-web-app-title" content="TV LAVIN">
      This will define the title displayed when added to the home screen.

3. Web App Manifest

  • Issue:

    • No web app manifest file is present.

  • Solution:

    1. Create a Manifest File:
      • Create a manifest.json file and upload it to the root directory of your website.
      • Example manifest.json:
        json
        {
  "name": "TV LAVIN",
  "short_name": "TV LAVIN",
  "icons": [
    {
      "src": "/apple-touch-icon-180x180.png",
      "sizes": "180x180",
      "type": "image/png"
    },
    {
      "src": "/favicon-96x96.png",
      "sizes": "96x96",
      "type": "image/png"
    },
    {
      "src": "/favicon-32x32.png",
      "sizes": "32x32",
      "type": "image/png"
    }
  ],
  "start_url": "/",
  "display": "standalone",
  "theme_color": "#ffffff",
  "background_color": "#ffffff"
}
    2. Link the Manifest in HTML: Add this line to your <head>:
      html
      <link rel="manifest" href="/manifest.json">

4. Clear Cache and Retest

  • After making these changes, clear your browser cache and run the favicon checker again to ensure all issues are resolved.


On Google Blogspot (Blogger), the favicon you upload through the settings is typically stored in Blogger's server and is linked automatically to your blog. However, it’s not uploaded to the root directory of your blog (like /favicon.ico or /apple-touch-icon.png), which is why tools like Real Favicon Generator might fail to detect it properly.

Here’s where it might be:

1. Blogger’s Favicon Setting

  • When you upload a favicon in Blogger, it is saved as part of your blog’s metadata but not necessarily at the standard paths like /favicon.ico.
  • Check if your favicon is working on the blog itself by:
    • Viewing your blog in a browser and checking the browser tab to see if the favicon appears.
    • Right-clicking on the favicon in the browser tab and selecting Inspect or Open Image in New Tab to find its actual URL.

2. How Blogger Handles Favicons

  • Blogger generates a path for your favicon dynamically, which might look something like:
    arduino
    https://tvlavin.blogspot.com/favicon.ico
  • This path may work for browsers, but Apple devices specifically look for files like apple-touch-icon.png in the root directory.

3. Testing the Existing Favicon

  • If you’ve already uploaded a favicon through Blogger settings, try accessing it directly by visiting:
    arduino
    https://tvlavin.blogspot.com/favicon.ico
  • If this works, you’ll see your favicon. If not, you may need to upload it manually.

4. What You Can Do for Better Compatibility

Since Blogger does not allow direct access to your blog’s root directory, you’ll need a workaround for touch icons and manifests:

Option 1: Use a Hosting Service

  • Upload your apple-touch-icon.png and other favicon files to a third-party image hosting service or Google Drive.
  • Get a public URL for the file and add it to your blog's HTML:
    html
    <link rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="180x180" href="https://your-image-host.com/apple-touch-icon-180x180.png">

Option 2: Use Blogger Theme Editor

  • Go to Theme > Edit HTML in Blogger.
  • Add the touch icon code manually in the <head> section:
    html
    <link rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="180x180" href="https://tvlavin.blogspot.com/apple-touch-icon-180x180.png">
  • For this to work, you’ll need to host the file elsewhere, as Blogger doesn’t support uploading arbitrary files like apple-touch-icon.png.

tvlavin favicon icon

From the screenshot and the URL provided, it seems that your favicon (favicon.ico) is successfully uploaded and accessible at the following location:

URL:
https://tvlavin.blogspot.com/favicon.ico

However, this file is specifically for the browser's tab or bookmarks, and Apple devices require a separate apple-touch-icon.png file. Since the Real Favicon Generator is reporting a missing apple-touch-icon.png, you'll need to:

Next Steps to Fix Apple Icon Issue

  1. Upload the Touch Icon File

    • Create an image named apple-touch-icon.png (recommended size: 180x180 pixels) in PNG format.
    • Since Blogger does not support direct file uploads, you need to:
      • Host this file elsewhere (e.g., on an image hosting platform like Imgur, Google Drive, or a custom hosting server).
      • Alternatively, use another hosting tool like GitHub Pages if needed.

  2. Link the Hosted File

    • Add the following code to the <head> section of your blog's HTML via Theme > Edit HTML:
      html
      <link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="https://your-hosted-link/apple-touch-icon.png">

  3. Test the Touch Icon

  4. Ensure Compatibility

    • For full compatibility across all devices, include multiple sizes:
      html
      <link rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="180x180" href="https://your-hosted-link/apple-touch-icon-180x180.png">
<link rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="152x152" href="https://your-hosted-link/apple-touch-icon-152x152.png">
<link rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="120x120" href="https://your-hosted-link/apple-touch-icon-120x120.png">
<link rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="76x76" href="https://your-hosted-link/apple-touch-icon-76x76.png">

Why Apple Touch Icons Are Separate

Apple devices use apple-touch-icon specifically for shortcuts added to the home screen or Safari favorites. Without this file, your favicon might not display correctly in these areas, even though it works in browser tabs.

Let me know if you need help hosting or linking your apple-touch-icon.png!

tvlavin favicon icon


Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------