Search Icons
The magnifying glass is one of the most universally recognized icons on the web — search bars, filter inputs, header navigation, empty-state "no results" illustrations. This page collects search icon variants across Pathwork's libraries, from a plain thin-stroke glass to bolder or rounded takes on the same shape, so you can match the exact weight your input field or button needs.
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Frequently Asked Questions
The magnifying glass is one of the most standardized icons in UI design — a circle with a diagonal handle — so most libraries stick close to that shape since deviating from it risks the icon not being immediately recognized as 'search'. Differences are mostly limited to stroke weight, handle angle, and corner rounding.
Both patterns are common. Placing the icon inside the input (usually on the left) works well for a persistent visual cue that the field is for searching, while a separate search button works better when search requires an explicit submit action rather than live-as-you-type results. Your choice often depends on whether search is instant or requires pressing enter.
Visually they're often the identical magnifying glass shape, and the meaning is inferred from context rather than the icon itself — inside a text input it reads as 'search', while next to an image it reads as 'zoom in'. If ambiguity is a concern, pairing the icon with a label or tooltip resolves it either way.
This depends on your input's height, but a common range is 16-20px for standard-sized inputs, positioned with enough padding that it doesn't crowd the placeholder text. Previewing the icon directly inside your actual input component is the most reliable way to judge sizing.
Each icon keeps the license from its source library attached to it, and terms can differ depending on which library a specific icon comes from. Check the license shown on the individual icon's page before using it commercially.
The icons themselves on this page are static; a loading pulse or spin effect is typically built with your own CSS animation applied to the icon, or you'd swap to a dedicated loading spinner from Pathwork's Loading & Spinner collection while results are being fetched.