Safari Favorite Icons/Favicons missing: How to Fix

Sadique Hassan•Updated Apr 26, 2023

In this guide, we will show you various methods to fix the issue of Favorite icons/Favicons missing in Safari. When it comes to the browser domain, then most users are usually content with the built-in offering from the Cupertino giant. Apart from being able to checkmark most of the prerequisites, its deep integration into the Apple ecosystem is one major reason why many are inclined toward it. On the flip side though, it occasionally hits a few roadblocks as well.

In this regard, numerous users have voiced their concern that the favorite icons/Favicons are missing from the Safari browser. Whether it’s the bookmark, history, extensions, or the tab, all these icons are neither missing, greyed out, or has been replaced by a generic icon. If you are also facing a similar issue, then this guide will make you aware of numerous workarounds that should help you rectify this bug. Follow along.

Table of Contents

Fix Safari Favorite Icons/Favicons missing

It is recommended that you try out each of the below-mentioned workarounds and then see which one spells out success. So with that in mind, let’s get started.

FIX 1: Delete Safari Icon Cache

First and foremost, you should consider deleting the browser’s icon cache and let them repopulate a fresh instance of the same from scratch. Here’s how it could be done:

First off, close Safari. Then launch Finder and head over to the below location
```
Username/Library/Safari/Favicon Cache/
```
Then select all the contents inside the Favicon Cache folder and delete them.
Now relaunch Safari and check if the missing Favorite icons/Favicons are back or not.

FIX 2: Toggle Favorites Bar

Next up, you should disable and re-enable the Favorites bar in Safari. This will refresh its underlying settings and could well rectify the issue that we are currently dealing with. So give it a try using the below-listed steps and check out the results.

Launch Safari, click on View > Hide Favorites Bar, and close Safari.
Then relaunch Safari > click on View > Show Favorites Bar.
Check if it fixes the issue of Favorite icons/Favicons missing in Safari.

FIX 3: Use Safari Private Window

You might also get bugged by this issue if a third-party extension or the cache/cookies gets corrupted. To verify and rectify the same, you should open Safari in a private window by pressing the Command+Shift+N shortcut keys. Once in that window, check if the Favorite icons/Favicons are visible in Safari or not. If they are, then you may now close this window and go back to the normal window.

FIX 4: Boot to Safe Mode

In some instances, a third-party app or service might conflict with the proper functioning of the browser. In such instances, your best bet is to disable all these third-party services by booting your PC to Safe Mode. If the issue gets rectified in this mode, then the culprit is definitely a third-party app that needs to eb removed from your PC at the earliest. Here’s how all of this could be carried out:

For Mac M1/M2 chipset: 
Power off your Mac. 
Then press and hold the power button until “Loading startup options” appear. 
Now select your disk, press and hold the Shift key, and click Continue in Safe Mode.

For Mac with Intel chipset: 
Restart your Mac. 
Then press and hold the Shift key until the login window appears. 
Now log into your Mac and it will boot to Safe Mode.

Once your Mac is in Safe Mode, check if you are still facing the Favorite icons/Favicons missing issue in Safari. If you aren’t, then restart your Mac to normal mode and uninstall all the recently installed apps, one at a time, until you are no longer able to reproduce the issue. Once that happens, the last removed app is the culprit and you should maintain a safe distance from it.

FIX 5: Create a New User

In rare instances, the issue might stem from the current user account as well. So you should consider switching over to a different account or creating a new account and then try accessing Safari. Here’s how it could be done:

Open System Settings and go to Users and Groups.
Then click on Add Account and type in your password.
Now select the account type as administrator [recommended].
Then fill in the rest of the details and hit Create User.
Now log out of your current account and sign in via the new account.
Check if it fixes the issue of Favorite icons/Favicons missing in Safari.

FIX 6: Restore from Time Machine

Your last course of action should be to restore the Safari backup from the last backed-up point. If there’s something wrong with the current Safari data, then this should rectify the issue. So let’s give it a try using the below-listed steps and check out the results.

Open Safari, then open Launchpad > Others > Time Machine.
Use the arrows and timeline to browse the local snapshots and backups.
Now select the Safari backup data and hit Restore.
Check it if fixes the underlying icon display issues.

That’s it. These were the various methods that should help you fix the issue of Favorite icons/Favicons missing in Safari. If you have any queries concerning the aforementioned steps, do let us know in the comments. We will get back to you with a solution at the earliest.

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