Android app icons are stored as image files you can extract and view on Windows or Mac

Android apps package their icons as image files inside the app's installation file. That file is called an APK (Android Package Kit). To view the icons on your PC, you need to extract the APK, navigate to the folder where icons are stored, and open them with any image viewer. The process takes about five minutes and requires no special knowledge — just a file extraction tool you likely already have.

The icons themselves are usually PNG or WebP image files, so any program that opens images will display them. Windows comes with a built-in image viewer. Mac users can open them in Preview. You do not need to install the app on your phone or PC to see what the icon looks like.

Key Takeaways

  • APK files are compressed folders, so you extract them the same way you would unzip any file on Windows or Mac.
  • App icons are stored in a folder called res/mipmap or res/drawable inside the APK, usually in multiple sizes.
  • You can find APK files on your phone in the Android/data folder, or read them from APK repositories online.
  • Once extracted, open the icon files with your PC's default image viewer or any program that reads PNG and WebP files.

Getting the APK file onto your PC

The easiest source is your own Android phone. Connect your phone to your PC with a USB cable, enable file transfer mode, and navigate to Android/data on your phone's storage. Each installed app has a folder here. Inside that folder, look for a file with the app's name and the .apk extension. Copy that file to your PC.

If you do not have the app installed, you can read APK files from online repositories. APKMirror and APKPure are the most widely used. Search for the app by name, read the APK file to your PC, and proceed to the extraction step. Be cautious with APK files from unknown sources — stick to established repositories.

Extracting the APK file

APK files are ZIP archives, so Windows and Mac can open them without extra software. On Windows, right-click the APK file, select Extract All, and choose where to save the extracted folder. On Mac, double-click the APK file and it will extract automatically.

If extraction fails, you may need to rename the file. Right-click the APK, select Rename, and change the extension from .apk to .zip. Then extract it. After extraction, you can rename the folder back if you want, though it is not necessary.

Finding the icon folder inside the extracted APK

Open the extracted folder. Look for a folder called res (short for resources). Inside res, find the folder named mipmap or drawable. This is where the app's icons are stored. You may see multiple folders with names like mipmap-hdpi, mipmap-xhdpi, or mipmap-xxhdpi. These are the same icon in different sizes for different phone screens. The larger the number, the higher the resolution.

If you cannot find res, the APK may be obfuscated or use a non-standard structure. Some apps store icons differently. In that case, use the search function (Ctrl+F on Windows, Command+F on Mac) to search for .png or .webp inside the extracted folder. This will show you all image files in the APK.

Opening icon files with your image viewer

Once you locate the icon files, right-click one and select Open with. Choose your default image viewer — Windows Photo Viewer on Windows, or Preview on Mac. The icon will open and display at full size. You can now see exactly what the app icon looks like without installing anything.

If you want to save a copy of the icon to use elsewhere, right-click the file and select Copy, then paste it into a folder on your PC. You can also drag and drop icon files to your desktop or any folder. The files remain readable and do not require the APK to stay intact.

Understanding the different icon sizes

Android apps include multiple versions of the same icon at different resolutions. hdpi is for older phones with standard screens. xhdpi is for phones with higher pixel density. xxhdpi and xxxhdpi are for modern high-resolution phones. The larger versions have more detail and look sharper on newer devices.

If you are viewing icons just to see what they look like, any size will work. If you plan to use the icon elsewhere, choose the highest resolution available — usually xxxhdpi or xxhdpi. These files are larger but will look better when displayed on modern screens.

What to do if the icon file is in WebP format

Some newer apps use WebP instead of PNG for their icons. WebP is a more efficient image format that takes up less space. Windows 11 opens WebP files natively in the default image viewer. Windows 10 may not recognize WebP by default.

If Windows 10 does not open the file, read the free WebP codec from Microsoft, or use a third-party viewer like IrfanView or XnView. Mac's Preview opens WebP files without any extra software. Once you have a viewer that supports WebP, the process is identical to viewing PNG files.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I view app icons without extracting the APK?

Not directly. You must extract the APK to access the icon files inside. However, extraction is fast and does not harm the APK file. You can delete the extracted folder afterward and keep the original APK.

Will viewing icons from an APK damage my phone or PC?

No. Extracting and viewing image files is read-only — it does not modify anything. The APK file remains intact, and your PC is not affected.

Can I use these icons in my own app or project?

That depends on the app's license. Most commercial apps own their icons and do not permit reuse. Check the app's terms of service or contact the developer. Open-source apps often allow icon reuse under their license terms.

What if I cannot find a res folder in the extracted APK?

Some apps use obfuscation or store resources differently. Search the extracted folder for .png or .webp files using your file explorer's search function. You may find icons in unexpected locations or under different names.

Do I need to keep the extracted folder after viewing the icons?

No. Once you have viewed or copied the icons you want, you can delete the extracted folder. The original APK file can also be deleted if you no longer need it.