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App icons

A unique, memorable icon communicates the purpose and personality of your experience and can help people recognize your app or game at a glance in the App Shop and on their devices.

Beautiful app icons are an important role of the user feel on all Apple tree platforms and every app and game must have one. Each platform defines a slightly different style for app icons, so yous want to create a pattern that adapts well to different shapes and levels of particular while maintaining strong visual consistency and messaging. To download templates that aid yous create icons for each platform see Apple Blueprint Resources. For guidance on creating other types of icons, see Icons.

Best practices

Embrace simplicity. Unproblematic icons tend to be easier for people to empathize and recognize. Find a concept or element that captures the essence of your app or game, brand it the focus point of the icon, and express it in a unproblematic, unique way. Avoid calculation too many details, because they tin exist hard to discern and can make an icon appear dingy, peculiarly at smaller sizes. Prefer a unproblematic groundwork that puts the emphasis on the principal image — you don't need to fill the entire icon with content.

Create a design that works well on multiple platforms and so that information technology feels at dwelling on each. If your app or game runs on more than one platform, use a similar image and color palette for all icons while rendering them in the style that'due south advisable for each platform. For example, in iOS and watchOS, the Postal service app icon uses a streamlined, graphical mode to depict the white envelope on a blueish background; macOS uses a similar blue background, calculation depth and detail to the envelope, giving it a realistic weight and texture.

Adopt including text only when it'southward an essential part of your feel or brand. Text in icons is often too small to read easily, can make an icon appear cluttered, and doesn't support accessibility or localization. In some contexts, the app name appears about the icon, making information technology redundant to display the name within it. Although using a mnemonic like the outset letter of the alphabet of your app'south name can assistance people recognize your app or game, avoid including nonessential words that tell people what to practise with it — like "Sentry" or "Play" — or context-specific terms similar "New" or "For iOS."

Prefer graphical images to photos and avoid replicating UI components in your icon. Photos are full of details that don't work well when viewed at small sizes. Instead of using a photograph, create a graphic representation of the content that emphasizes the features you want people to notice. Similarly, if your app has an interface that people recognize, don't just replicate standard UI components or employ app screenshot in your icon.

If needed, arrange your icon to look expert in all sizes that people can encounter. For example, the App Store displays a large version, while the arrangement can display small versions in places similar Spotlight search results, Settings, and notifications. In iOS, iPadOS, and watchOS, the system can use your 1024×1024 px app icon to generate all other sizes; in macOS and tvOS, you demand to supply all sizes. If you desire to forego the system-generated versions of your app icon and instead create your own, brand certain the image remains clear as icon size decreases. For example, y'all might remove fine details and unnecessary features, simplifying the prototype and exaggerating primary features. In general, information technology's all-time to brand subtle changes so that your app icon remains visually consistent in every context.

The 512x512 px Safari app icon (on the left) uses a circumvolve of tick marks to indicate degrees; the 16x16 px version of the icon (on the right) doesn't include this detail.

Pattern your icon as a full-bleed square image. On most platforms, the system applies a mask that automatically adjusts icon corners to match the platform's artful. For example, watchOS automatically applies a round mask. The exception is macOS: Although the system applies the rounded rectangle advent to the icon of an app created with Mac Catalyst, yous need to create your macOS app icon in the right shape. For downloadable production templates that help y'all create app icons for each platform, see Apple Design Resources.

Consider offering an alternate app icon. In iOS, iPadOS, and tvOS, people can cull an alternate version of an icon, which can strengthen their connection with the app or game and heighten their experience. For example, a sports app might offering different icons for dissimilar teams. Make sure that each alternate app icon you blueprint remains closely related to your content and experience; avoid creating a version that people might mistake for the icon of a unlike app. When people want to switch to an alternate icon, they tin visit your app'south settings.

NOTE As with a primary app icon, alternate app icons are also subject to app review and must adhere to the App Shop Review Guidelines.

Don't use replicas of Apple tree hardware products. Apple tree products are copyrighted and tin can't be reproduced in your app icons.

Platform considerations

iOS, iPadOS

Don't add an overlay or border to your Settings icon. iOS automatically adds a 1-pixel stroke to all icons and so that they look good on the white groundwork of Settings.

macOS

In macOS, app icons share a mutual set of visual attributes, including a rounded-rectangle shape, front end-facing perspective, level position, and uniform drop shadow. Rooted in the macOS design linguistic communication, these attributes showcase the lifelike rendering style people expect in macOS while presenting a harmonious user experience.

Consider depicting a familiar tool to communicate what people utilize your app to practice. To give context to your app's purpose, yous can use the icon background to portray the tool's surround or the items it affects. For example, the TextEdit icon pairs a mechanical pencil with a sheet of lined newspaper to suggest a utilitarian writing experience. Afterward you create a detailed, realistic prototype of a tool, it often works well to let it float only above the background and extend slightly by the icon boundaries. If you practise this, brand sure the tool remains visually unified with the background and doesn't overwhelm the rounded-rectangle shape.

If yous draw real objects in your app icon, make them look similar they're made of concrete materials and have actual mass. Consider replicating the characteristics of substances like fabric, glass, paper, and metallic to convey an object's weight and experience. For instance, the Xcode app icon features a hammer that looks like it has a steel head and polymer grip.

Apply the drop shadow in the icon-pattern template. The app-icon template includes the arrangement-defined drop shadow that helps your app icon coordinate with other macOS icons.

Consider using interior shadows and highlights to add definition and realism. For case, the Mail app icon uses both shadows and highlights to give the envelope authenticity and to propose that the flap is slightly open up. In icons that include a tool that floats to a higher place a background — such as TextEdit or Xcode — interior shadows can strengthen the perception of depth and make the tool expect real. Shadows and highlights should suggest a light source that faces the icon, positioned merely above centre and tilted slightly downward.

Avoid defining contours that suggest a shape other than a rounded rectangle. In rare cases, y'all might desire to fine-tune the basic app icon shape, but doing so risks creating an icon that looks like it doesn't belong in macOS. If yous must alter the shape, prefer subtle adjustments that continue to express a rounded rectangle silhouette.

Keep primary content within the icon grid bounding box; keep all content within the outer bounding box. If an icon's master content extends across the icon filigree bounding box, information technology tends to wait out of place. If yous overlay a tool on your icon, it works well to align the tool's top edge with the outer bounding box and its bottom edge with the inner bounding box, as shown below. You tin can use the filigree to aid y'all position items within an icon and to ensure that centered inner elements like circles use a size that'due south consequent with other icons in the system.

tvOS

tvOS app icons use betwixt two and five layers to create a sense of depth and vitality as people bring them into focus. For guidance, encounter Layered images.

Apply appropriate layer separation. If your icon includes a logo, separate the logo from the background. If your icon includes text, bring the text to the front end and so information technology'due south not hidden by other layers when the parallax upshot occurs.

Use gradients and shadows charily. Background gradients and vignettes can clash with the parallax consequence. For gradients, prefer top-to-bottom, light-to-dark styles. Shadows usually await best as abrupt, hard-edged tints that are baked into the groundwork layer and aren't visible when the app icon is stationary.

Leverage varying opacity levels to increase the sense of depth and liveliness. Artistic use of opacity tin make your icon stand out. For example, the Photos icon separates its centerpiece into multiple layers that incorporate translucent pieces, bringing greater liveliness to the pattern.

Make sure your Home Screen icon adheres to rubber-zone specifications. During focus and parallax, the arrangement may ingather content around the edges of your app icon as the icon scales and moves. To ensure your icon's content isn't cropped besides tightly, allow some boosted infinite equally shown in Specifications > tvOS.

watchOS

A watchOS app icon is round and displays no accompanying text.

Avoid using black for your icon'south background. Lighten a black background or add a border so the icon doesn't blend into the display background.

Specifications

App icon attributes

App icons in all platforms use the PNG format and support the following colour spaces:

• Display P3 (wide-gamut color)
• sRGB (color)
• Gray Gamma 2.2 (grayscale)

The layers, transparency, and corner radius of an app icon can vary per platform. Specifically:

Platform	Layers	Transparency	Asset shape
iOS, iPadOS	Unmarried	No	Square
macOS	Single	Yes, as advisable	Square with rounded corners
tvOS	Multiple	No	Rectangle
watchOS	Unmarried	No	Square

App icon sizes

iOS, iPadOS app icon sizes

You need to provide a large version of your app icon, measuring 1024x1024 pixels, to display in the App Store. Y'all can allow the system automatically scale downward your large app icon to produce all other sizes, or — if you want to customize the appearance of the icon at specific sizes — you can supply multiple versions.

@2x (pixels)	@3x (pixels) iPhone but	Usage
120x120	180x180	Home Screen on iPhone
167x167	–	Home Screen on iPad Pro
152x152	–	Home Screen on iPad, iPad mini
80x80	120x120	Spotlight on iPhone, iPad Pro, iPad, iPad mini
58x58	87x87	Settings on iPhone, iPad Pro, iPad, iPad mini
76x76	114x114	Notifications on iPhone, iPad Pro, iPad, iPad mini

macOS app icon sizes

For the App Store, create a 1024x1024 px version of your macOS app icon. In addition, yous too need to supply the icon in the following sizes.

@1x (pixels)	@2x (pixels)
512x512	1024x1024
256x256	512x512
128x128	256x256
32x32	64x64
16x16	32x32

tvOS app icon sizes

For the App Store, create a 1280x768 px version of your tvOS app icon. In addition, you lot also need to supply the icon in the following sizes.

@1x (pixels)	@2x (pixels)	Usage
400x240	800x480	Home Screen

Consider allowing a prophylactic zone in your Home Screen icon. During focus and parallax, content around the edges of your app icon may be cropped equally the icon scales and moves. To ensure your icon'due south content isn't cropped too tightly, you lot might want to include some additional animate room.

watchOS app icon sizes

For the App Store, create a 1024x1024 px version of your watchOS app icon. You can let the system automatically scale this version downwardly to all other sizes, or — if you want to customize the appearance of your app icon at specific sizes — you can supply the following sizes. All size values are @2x.

38mm	40mm	41mm	42mm	44mm	45mm	Usage
80x80 px	88x88 px	92x92 px	80x80 px	100x100 px	102x102 px	Home Screen
48x48 px	55x55 px	58x58 px	55x55 px	58x58 px	66x66 px	Notification Center
172x172 px	196x196 px	196x196 px	196x196 px	216x216 px	234x234 px	Short await

If y'all take a companion iPhone app, yous besides need to supply your watchOS app icon in the following sizes.

@2x (pixels)	@3x (pixels)
58x58	87x87

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Source: https://developer.apple.com/design/human-interface-guidelines/foundations/app-icons