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Bookmarks don't show all favicons

  • 10 replies
  • 113 have this problem
  • 47 views
  • Last reply by finitarry

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My bookmarks show a lot of favicons, but not all. Those added later do when I open them, but then the favicons again disappear from the bookmarks list. Is, maybe, some cache for them full? How can I in that case increase the cache size? I have set Firefox to delete history at turn off. Maybe I have to allow history to store favicons and then again set it to delete history?

My bookmarks show a lot of favicons, but not all. Those added later do when I open them, but then the favicons again disappear from the bookmarks list. Is, maybe, some cache for them full? How can I in that case increase the cache size? I have set Firefox to delete history at turn off. Maybe I have to allow history to store favicons and then again set it to delete history?

Chosen solution

There's no "cache" for Favicons. They are saved directly in the places.sqlite file, in your Profile folder, with your bookmarks and browser history. There are a few hidden prefs that deal with Favicons, but those prefs are for the display or not of Favicons in the UI - they shouldn't affect the saving of Favicons in the bookmarks file. It is possible that your places.sqlite file is partially corrupt and is causing that problem, but the "fix" involves deleting that file with Firefox closed, so that when you start Firefox a new places.sqlite file will be created. The downside is that all your browsing history will be gone, and all your saved Favicons will also be gone. The bookmark backup file that is used to restore your bookmarks after deleting that file doesn't backup the Favicons.

From what I have seen with the bookmarks I have saved over the years, like maybe 50% of the websites out there even have Favicons and some websites don't follow the established standards for Favicons. The Favicon may appear in the URL bar and on a Tab, but Firefox won't save it because the Favicon image is the wrong format or it's hidden in a remote file and Firefox can't save it when the bookmark is used for the first time.

Also, if you are in the Private Browsing mode, Firefox won't save the Favicon. http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Private+Browsing

Read this answer in context 👍 6

All Replies (10)

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Chosen Solution

There's no "cache" for Favicons. They are saved directly in the places.sqlite file, in your Profile folder, with your bookmarks and browser history. There are a few hidden prefs that deal with Favicons, but those prefs are for the display or not of Favicons in the UI - they shouldn't affect the saving of Favicons in the bookmarks file. It is possible that your places.sqlite file is partially corrupt and is causing that problem, but the "fix" involves deleting that file with Firefox closed, so that when you start Firefox a new places.sqlite file will be created. The downside is that all your browsing history will be gone, and all your saved Favicons will also be gone. The bookmark backup file that is used to restore your bookmarks after deleting that file doesn't backup the Favicons.

From what I have seen with the bookmarks I have saved over the years, like maybe 50% of the websites out there even have Favicons and some websites don't follow the established standards for Favicons. The Favicon may appear in the URL bar and on a Tab, but Firefox won't save it because the Favicon image is the wrong format or it's hidden in a remote file and Firefox can't save it when the bookmark is used for the first time.

Also, if you are in the Private Browsing mode, Firefox won't save the Favicon. http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Private+Browsing

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If you have another computer, one prevention method is to use Xmarks which syncs your bookmarks to other computers. That way, if your favicons disappear on one computer you can upload the good bookmarks (from the other computer) to the server then download them on the computer with the bad bookmarks. This has worked for me.

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I have this problem on my Mac. Since upgrading to the latest Firefox ALL my Favicons have vanished from my Bookmark Menu. Please how do I get them back on a Mac? I noticed someone was complaining they had APPEARED! Lucky someone, is all I can say.

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That issue should be fixed on Mac with the latest Firefox 10.0.2 version, so if you do not have it yet then please update.

See also:

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Thank you cor-el. Having had to put up with the loss of the Google Toolbar when I last upgraded my Mac, and the useful layout of earlier Firefox versions when I upgraded my Windows machines, I was loth to upgrade my Mac again. However this solution worked on my Mac, for that 'Thank you': and fortunately I had bookmarked the previous Mozilla Start-up Page, complete with its Google Toolbar, so I have a work-around to get the Google Toolbar back. I find that the Google toolbar works, it is not 'Incompatible', it is just not THERE on the later Skins! Now all we have to do is persuade Mozilla that the latest Windows version Skin is a cretinous disaster, and get them to reinstate the Browser tools, {Bookmarks etc.} back in full view where they belong. Not buried in a sub-menu, which incidentally compounds the felony by covering them from view by other sub-menu options. If anyone wants the Google Toolbar Workaround for Mac it is at <http://www.google.co.uk/firefox?client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official> Thanks again cor-el for the tip.

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I have the same problem on a brand-new Windows 7 computer with a brand-new load of Firefox 10.0.2. No links were imported from any other software or computer.

Roughly 50% of websites I visit will correctly render a favicon in the address bar, but will not display a favicon when I drag the address to a folder on the bookmarks toolbar. Examples that fail:

http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/central/ <--yes, really! http://www.quantumvibe.com/

Modified by bargle

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Hello bargle,

Upgrading to the latest Firefox, solved most of the problems and Customising the toolbars most of the remainder. {I didn't know about Right-Clicking the toolbar space and the Alt key, but I do now. I had been unwilling to Upgrade because the later skins were so user unfriendly, but upgrading and Right-Click with or without the Alt key, as required, did the trick, mostly.} Sorry I cannot help you any further on the Favicons that are still missing.

Mind, I'd like to post a little GRIPE here, as a Brit! Americans tend to unwittingly export everything they create, good and bad. But there is ONE Americanism that I agree with wholeheartedly:-

'It it ain't broke, DON'T FIX IT.'

And that extends to perfectly good computer software! Take note

Mozilla,

Microsoft,

Adobe -------

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I had this problem after reinstalling Firefox 12.0 and I solved it by installing the "Bookmark favicon changer" addon and right click on the faulty bookmarks when on it's website and click on "Reset favicon"

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The Roomy Bookmarks Toolbar 1.3.5 version also can cause problems with missing favicons on the Bookmarks Toolbar.

If you have the Roomy Bookmarks Toolbar extension then update to the 1.3.6 version on the Versions page.

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The extension CheckPlaces can restore favicons. It can also check the validity of the bookmarks. If you do not like the default theme for Firefox, you can use third party themes. I have been doing that all along.