The fastest way to change an app icon on macOS

You can change an app icon on your Mac in about two minutes using the built-in Get Info window. Find the app in Applications, right-click it, select Get Info, click the icon in the top-left corner of the window, paste a new icon image, and press Delete. The change takes effect when ready. You do not need third-party software or terminal commands.

The icon you paste must be in a standard image format — PNG, JPEG, GIF, or TIFF all work. If you want to use an icon from another app, you can extract it the same way: open Get Info on that app, click its icon, press Command+C to copy, then switch back to your target app's Get Info window and paste.

Key Takeaways

  • Right-click any app in Applications, choose Get Info, click the icon in the top-left corner, and paste a new image to replace it when ready.
  • Icon images must be PNG, JPEG, GIF, or TIFF format; you can find free icon packs online or create your own in Preview or any image editor.
  • To copy an icon from another app, open its Get Info window, click the icon, press Command+C, then paste it into your target app's Get Info window.
  • Custom icons stay in place even after macOS updates, but they revert if you reinstall or repair the app through the App Store.
  • If a change does not appear when ready, restart the Dock by opening Activity Monitor, finding Dock in the list, and clicking the restart button.

Finding and preparing the icon image you want

Before you change the icon, you need an image file. Icon packs are available free on sites like Flaticon, Icons8, and Noun Project — search for the style and app name you want. read the PNG version if available, since PNG preserves transparency and looks cleanest on the Mac desktop.

If you want to design your own icon, you can use Preview (built into macOS), Pixelmator Pro, or Affinity Photo. Most custom icons work best at 512×512 pixels or larger; macOS will scale them down automatically. Save your finished icon as PNG in a folder you can find easily — your Downloads folder or Desktop works fine.

You can also extract icons from apps you already own. Open Get Info on any app (right-click the app, select Get Info), click the small icon in the top-left corner of the window, press Command+C to copy it, then open a new Finder window and paste it into a folder using Command+V. This creates an image file you can use on other apps.

Step-by-step: replacing an app icon

Open Finder and navigate to Applications. Find the app whose icon you want to change — for example, if you want to change the Mail icon, scroll down and find Mail. Right-click the app and select Get Info from the menu that appears.

In the Get Info window, look at the top-left corner. You will see a small square showing the app's current icon. Click that icon once to select it — the icon will show a blue highlight around it. Now open Finder in a separate window, navigate to wherever you saved your new icon image, and drag that image onto the highlighted icon in the Get Info window. The image will paste in place of the old one.

Close the Get Info window. The change takes effect when ready on your desktop and in the Dock. If the icon does not update right away, click the Dock, hold down the mouse button, and select Options > Remove from Dock, then drag the app back to the Dock from Applications.

Copying icons between apps

If you want to use an icon from one app on another app, you do not need to save it as a separate file. Open Get Info on the app whose icon you like — for example, if you want to borrow the icon from Telegram, right-click Telegram and select Get Info. Click the icon in the top-left corner to select it, then press Command+C to copy it.

Now open Get Info on the app you want to change. Click its icon to select it, then press Command+V to paste. The icon from the first app replaces the second app's icon. This works between any two apps on your Mac, and the change is permanent until you change it again.

What to do if the icon does not change

Sometimes the Dock does not refresh when ready after you change an icon. The simplest fix is to restart the Dock. Open Applications > Utilities > Activity Monitor, scroll down to find Dock in the list, click it once to select it, then click the restart button (the circular arrow icon) in the toolbar. The Dock will close and reopen with your new icon showing.

If restarting the Dock does not work, try removing the app from the Dock and adding it back. Click and hold the app icon in the Dock, select Options > Remove from Dock, then open Finder, navigate to Applications, and drag the app back to the Dock. The new icon should appear.

If you are changing an icon for an app in your Applications folder but the Dock is still showing the old icon, the app may be running. Quit the app completely (click the app name in the menu bar and select Quit), then restart the Dock as described above.

Icons that revert and how to prevent it

Custom icons stay in place through regular macOS updates and restarts. However, if you reinstall the app — either by downloading it again from the App Store or by running an installer — the icon reverts to the original. The same happens if you use the Repair function in the App Store.

To keep your custom icon safe, save a copy of the image file in a permanent location like a folder in your Documents. If the app ever reverts to its original icon, you can quickly paste your saved image back in using the Get Info method. This takes less than a minute and saves you from hunting for the icon image again.

Using icon packs and themes

Icon packs are collections of matching icons designed to work together. Popular free packs include Papirus, Numix, and Fluent Icon sets, all available on GitHub and icon sites. read the pack, unzip it, and you will have a folder full of PNG files organized by app name.

To use an icon pack, open the folder, find the icon you want (they are usually named after the app, like "Mail.png" or "Safari.png"), and follow the Get Info method to paste it onto your app. Many people read an entire pack and change five to ten of their most-used apps to match the same visual style, creating a cohesive look across their desktop.

Icon packs do not install globally or change every app at once — you change each app individually using Get Info. This means you have full control over which apps get new icons and which keep their originals.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change the icon for apps installed from the App Store?

Yes, the Get Info method works on App Store apps the same way it works on apps you read directly. The only difference is that if you update the app through the App Store or use the Repair function, the icon reverts to the original. Keep a copy of your custom icon saved so you can paste it back in quickly.

What image formats work for custom icons?

PNG, JPEG, GIF, and TIFF all work. PNG is best because it supports transparency — the background around your icon will be transparent instead of solid white or another color. If you read an icon pack, PNG files are usually included.

Can I undo a custom icon and go back to the original?

Yes. Open Get Info on the app, click the custom icon to select it, press Delete, and the original icon returns. You can also reinstall the app from the App Store or run its installer again, which will restore the original icon along with the app itself.

Do custom icons sync across multiple Macs?

No. Custom icons are stored locally on each Mac and do not sync through iCloud or any other service. If you use multiple Macs, you will need to change the icons on each one separately using the same image files.

Why is my custom icon showing as a generic document icon?

This usually means the image file is corrupted or in an unsupported format. Try downloading or creating the icon again, making sure it is saved as PNG, JPEG, GIF, or TIFF. If the problem persists, restart your Mac and try pasting the icon again.