They may look like a standard image file, but to design an icon, one needs special icon design software capable of creating and saving an image in ICO format.

There are many web design icon sites that, with a price, help you design your own icon. These icon design sites have icon design groups that work from the look and feel of your web site or with any images; you give them, to design an icon compliant with multiple browsers. The icon design is available in different sizes like 256 color, 32x32 and 16x16 pixel designs.

Delivery of the custom made icon graphic design takes about three to four days. If there are any changes, you can make one set of revisions to the icon design at no additional cost. If at all you wish to design your own icon, all you have to do is to use any free design icon web site. Here you have to open the program, and select the icon size and color from its dropdown menu.

Your icon is created with your specifications. (Internet Explorer entertains icon designs of 16x16 pixels size only and ignores others). Now you can see a large window containing squares; this is your icon canvas. Each square represents a pixel, which you can edit to your requirements. Then you use the tools on the left-hand side of your screen to edit these pixels and to design the icon. If you cannot design your own icon, use an image that has to either be copied or pasted on the icon canvas or by pasting your image from a file.

In the case of design your own buddy icon, you have to go to a design buddy icon website. Here you have to right click the icon you like, and save it in the computer. Then, in instant messenger, you have to click on one of your buddy icons, which then take you to the buddy icon preferences page. You have to scroll to 'my buddy icon' and click that, and then select browse

and find where you saved your coolbuddy icon and select it from there. Your buddy icon is now set! You find that there are some of your favorite sites in the Internet Explorer 5 and above, having an icon displayed beside the link. This icon is a Favicon. Displaying a Favicon with a website makes the website stand out, and build brand awareness. This provides viewers with an instant recognition of your website.