The App Store icon is 1024 x 1024 pixels, a PNG with no transparency or rounded corners. Xcode can generate every device size from this single image. The Google Play store icon is 512 x 512 pixels, a 32-bit PNG up to 1 MB, supplied as a full square. Android launcher icons use the adaptive format: 108 x 108 dp foreground and background layers with a 66 dp safe zone. Modern iOS also supports dark, tinted, and Liquid Glass appearances.
The two store icons you must supply
Apple requires a 1024 x 1024 pixel App Store icon in PNG format, with no transparency, no alpha channel, and square corners. iOS applies its own rounded mask, so adding corners or a border creates artifacts. Google Play requires a separate 512 x 512 pixel store icon as a 32-bit PNG of no more than 1,024 KB, also as a full square, because Google applies rounded corners and a subtle shadow.
These store icons are what people see in search results, charts, and product pages, so they carry a lot of conversion weight. Design them at large sizes, but judge them at small sizes: an icon that looks rich at 1024 pixels can turn into noise at 60. Our app icon design tips cover the creative principles that hold up at every size.
iOS device icon sizes
Since Xcode 14, you can provide a single 1024 x 1024 image and let Xcode generate the device sizes, which is the recommended approach for most apps. If you need manual control, the common iPhone sizes are 180 x 180 (home screen at 3x), 120 x 120 (home screen at 2x and Spotlight at 3x), 87 x 87 and 58 x 58 for Settings, and 60 x 60 and 40 x 40 for notifications. iPad uses 167 x 167 for iPad Pro and 152 x 152 for other iPads.
Manual sizes are useful when small icons need simplified detail, such as removing fine text or thin lines that blur at 40 pixels. Whatever you choose, test on real devices in both light and dark wallpapers, because icons are seen against busy backgrounds far more often than in mockups.
Dark, tinted, and Liquid Glass appearances
iOS 18 introduced dark and tinted icon appearances, and iOS 26 introduced Liquid Glass with layered icons built in Apple's Icon Composer tool. Layered icons separate the background and foreground elements so the system can render default, dark, clear, and tinted versions with depth and lighting. If you do not provide variants, the system derives them, often with less polished results.
Providing intentional variants keeps the icon recognizable however users customize their home screens. Our guide to Liquid Glass app icons for iOS 26 walks through the layered workflow. On macOS 26, icons that are not in the standard rounded-square shape are placed inside one, so check Mac icons too.
Android adaptive and themed icons
Android launcher icons use the adaptive icon format: a foreground layer and a background layer, each 108 x 108 dp. Launchers mask the combined icon into circles, squircles, or rounded squares, and may animate the layers. Only the inner 72 x 72 dp is guaranteed to be visible, and key content should fit within a 66 dp diameter circle at the center.
Since Android 13, users can turn on themed icons, which use a monochrome layer that the system tints to match the wallpaper. Provide this layer so the icon does not look out of place on themed home screens. For legacy devices, Android Studio's Image Asset tool still generates bitmap sizes from 48 x 48 pixels (mdpi) up to 192 x 192 pixels (xxxhdpi).
Design rules that survive every size
Use one focal shape, strong contrast, and few colors. Avoid words, except a single letter that is part of the brand, and avoid photographs, which lose meaning at small sizes. Keep the silhouette distinct from your top competitors in search results, because icons are viewed side by side. Our competitor ASO analysis method includes an icon lineup exercise.
Test variations before committing. On Google Play you can test icons with store listing experiments, and on iOS with product page optimization, although alternate icons tested on iOS must be included in the app binary. Our app icon A/B testing guide explains what to test and how to read results.
A worked example: refreshing an icon safely
A budgeting app's icon shows a detailed wallet with coins, a chart, and a small logo. At 60 pixels, it reads as a brown blob next to cleaner competitors. The team simplifies it to a single bold coin shape on a solid brand color, creates dark and tinted variants, and builds an adaptive version with a monochrome layer for Android.
They test the new icon against the old one on Google Play first, where tests are quick to set up, and see a modest conversion lift without a drop in retention. They then ship it on iOS with the next app version and monitor brand search, because returning users must still recognize the app. Annotating the change date makes later analysis in App Store Connect Analytics far easier.
How to do it, step by step
- Design a master at 1024 x 1024Create the artwork on a square canvas with no transparency and no rounded corners, keeping the focal shape centered.
- Check legibility at small sizesPreview the icon at 40, 60, and 120 pixels against light, dark, and photo wallpapers, and simplify any detail that disappears.
- Create appearance variantsPrepare dark and tinted versions for iOS, and a layered Icon Composer file if you target iOS 26 and later.
- Build the Android adaptive iconSplit foreground and background layers at 108 x 108 dp, keep content in the 66 dp safe zone, and add a monochrome layer for themed icons.
- Export store icons and testExport the 1024 App Store icon and the 512 Google Play icon, then test the change on Google Play before shipping everywhere.
Before and after examples
Illustrative examples written for a generic app in this category, not client results. Swap in your own product, audience, and data.
1024 x 1024 PNG with transparent rounded corners.
1024 x 1024 PNG with square corners and a solid background.
Why it works: App Store Connect rejects icons with transparency, and iOS applies its own mask.
Wallet, coins, chart, and app name in one icon.
One bold coin shape on a solid brand color.
Why it works: Simple silhouettes stay recognizable at 40 to 60 pixels in search results.
Logo placed edge to edge on the foreground layer.
Logo within the 66 dp center circle with a separate background layer and monochrome layer.
Why it works: Launcher masks clip anything outside the safe zone, and themed icons need the monochrome layer.
Action plan
- Design one master at 1024 x 1024
- Supply the 512 x 512 Google Play icon as a full square
- Let Xcode generate iOS sizes unless detail needs simplifying
- Provide dark, tinted, and layered appearances
- Keep Android content in the 66 dp safe zone
- Test icon changes before shipping on both stores
Metrics to monitor
- Search tap-through rate
- Product page conversion rate
- Experiment lift from icon tests
- Branded search volume after a redesign
Record the baseline, release date, audience, markets, and external changes before interpreting movement. Rankings and conversion are useful signals, but a decision is stronger when activation, retention, and business value confirm that the page attracted the right users.
Frequently asked questions
What size is an iOS app icon?
The App Store icon is 1024 x 1024 pixels. Xcode can generate all device sizes, such as 180 x 180 for the iPhone home screen, from that single image.
What size is the Google Play app icon?
512 x 512 pixels, a 32-bit PNG of up to 1,024 KB, supplied as a full square without rounded corners or shadows.
Can an App Store icon have a transparent background?
No. The App Store icon must not contain transparency or an alpha channel.
What is the safe zone for Android adaptive icons?
Layers are 108 x 108 dp, the inner 72 x 72 dp is visible, and key content should sit inside a 66 dp diameter circle at the center.
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