App Icon Design Guide: Stand Out in the App Store

Your app icon is the first thing users see. It needs to communicate your app's purpose and stand out among millions.

iOS App Store: 1024×1024px (auto-scaled to all sizes)

Google Play: 512×512px

macOS: 1024×1024px (with transparency)

One focal element — Don't try to tell your whole story

Bold silhouette — Recognizable even at 29px

Limited palette — 2–3 colors maximum

No text — Except single letters (like Gmail's M)

Unique shape — Stand out against competitors in search results

iOS: Rounded rectangle applied automatically, no transparency

Android: Adaptive icons with foreground/background layers

macOS: Squircle shape, can have transparency

Place it alongside competitor icons — does it stand out?

View at actual home screen size (60×60px on iPhone)

Check on both light and dark wallpapers

Ask 5 people: "What does this app do?" based on the icon alone