# App icons

Source: https://developer.apple.com/design/human-interface-guidelines/app-icons
Skill: hig-foundations
Snapshot: 2025-02-02

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> **Source**: Apple Inc. Canonical content at https://developer.apple.com/design/human-interface-guidelines/app-icons.
> This file is a structured index of that content, snapshot 2025-02-02.
> Apple HIG text and imagery are © Apple Inc.; this repository provides organization and cross-referencing for AI agent consumption only.

# App icons

## Layer design

**Prefer clearly defined edges in foreground layers.**

**Vary opacity in foreground layers to increase the sense of depth and liveliness.**

**Design a background that both stands out and emphasizes foreground content.**

**Prefer vector graphics when bringing layers into Icon Composer.**

## Icon shape

  * iOS, iPadOS, macOS 
  * tvOS 
  * visionOS, watchOS 

**Produce appropriately shaped, unmasked layers.**

**Keep primary content centered to avoid truncation when the system adjusts corners or applies masking.**

## Design

**Provide a visually consistent icon design across all the platforms your app supports.**

**Consider basing your icon design around filled, overlapping shapes.**

**Include text only when it’s essential to your experience or brand.**

**Prefer illustrations to photos and avoid replicating UI components.**

**Don’t use replicas of Apple hardware products.**

## Visual effects

**Let the system handle blurring and other visual effects.**

**Create layer groupings to apply effects to multiple layers at once.**

## Appearances

**Keep your icon’s features consistent across appearances.**

**Design dark and tinted icons that feel at home beside system app icons and widgets.**

**Use your light app icon as the basis for your dark icon.**

**Consider offering alternate app icons.**

## Platform considerations

### tvOS

**Include a safe zone to ensure the system doesn’t crop your content.**

### visionOS

**Avoid adding a shape that’s intended to look like a hole or concave area to the background layer.**

### watchOS

**Avoid using black for your icon’s background.**

## Specifications

  * sRGB (color)

  * Gray Gamma 2.2 (grayscale)

  * Display P3 (wide-gamut color in iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS only)

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For the complete guidance, including worked examples and illustrations, see the canonical page: https://developer.apple.com/design/human-interface-guidelines/app-icons