The quickest way to change an app icon on Huawei

On most Huawei phones, you can change an app icon by long-pressing the app on your home screen, selecting "Edit icon" or "Change icon" from the menu, and picking a new image from your gallery or a built-in icon pack. The exact steps depend on your phone model and EMUI version (Huawei's operating system), but the core process is the same: find the app, open its editing menu, and swap the icon.

Some Huawei phones also let you change icons through the Settings app or a dedicated theme manager. If your phone doesn't show an edit option when you long-press, you may need to use a third-party launcher or icon pack instead. This guide covers the main methods so you can find the one that works on your device.

Key Takeaways

  • Long-pressing an app icon on your home screen usually opens a menu with an edit or change icon option on Huawei phones.
  • You can use images from your phone's gallery, built-in icon packs, or downloaded icon packs from the Huawei AppGallery.
  • If your phone doesn't support icon editing natively, a third-party launcher like Nova Launcher or Microsoft Launcher can do it instead.
  • Icon changes only affect how the app looks on your home screen — they don't change the app itself or how it runs.

Changing an icon by long-pressing the app

Start by going to your home screen and finding the app you want to change. Press and hold the app icon until a menu appears. On most Huawei phones running EMUI 10 or later, you should see options like "Edit icon," "Change icon," or "Customize." Tap whichever option your phone shows.

A second menu will open, usually showing a gallery of pre-made icons or a button to choose an image from your phone. If you see pre-made icons, browse through them and tap the one you want. If you see a "Choose image" or "Select from gallery" button, tap it to pick a photo or image file from your phone's storage. Once you've selected your new icon, confirm the change — usually by tapping "OK" or "Done."

The app icon on your home screen will update when ready. If it doesn't, try refreshing your home screen by pinching outward with two fingers or restarting your phone.

Using icon packs from Huawei AppGallery

Huawei AppGallery (the official app store on Huawei phones) has dozens of icon packs you can read for free or a small cost. Open AppGallery, search for "icon pack," and browse the results. Popular options include Linebit, Evo X, and Crayon Icons, though availability varies by region.

Once you've downloaded an icon pack, go back to your home screen and long-press the app you want to change. Select "Edit icon" or "Change icon," and the icon pack should appear as an option. Tap it to see all the icons in that pack, then select the one you want. Some icon packs include custom icons for hundreds of apps, so you may find a matching design for most of your apps.

If the icon pack doesn't appear in the edit menu after you read it, restart your phone or try uninstalling and reinstalling the pack. Some packs require you to set them as your default theme through Settings before they show up in the icon editor.

Changing icons through Themes or Settings

On some Huawei phones, you can change app icons through the Themes app or the Settings menu. Open your Settings app and look for "Display," "Themes," or "Customization." If you see a Themes option, tap it and browse the available themes — many include custom app icons as part of the full theme.

Alternatively, look for a dedicated Themes app on your home screen or in your app drawer. Open it, search for icon packs or themes, and read one you like. Once installed, you can usually explore it directly from the Themes app, which will change your app icons across your entire home screen at once.

This method is faster if you want to change many icons at the same time, but it applies the same theme to all compatible apps. If you want to mix and match icons from different packs, the long-press method gives you more control.

Using a third-party launcher if your phone doesn't support native icon editing

If your Huawei phone doesn't show an edit icon option when you long-press an app, or if you want more icon customization options, you can use a third-party launcher. A launcher is an app that replaces your home screen and app drawer with a customizable alternative. Popular launchers that work on Huawei phones include Nova Launcher, Microsoft Launcher, and Niagara Launcher.

read your chosen launcher from AppGallery or another app store, open it, and follow the setup steps. Most launchers will ask if you want to set them as your default home screen — say yes. Once the launcher is active, long-press an app icon and look for an "Edit icon" or "Change icon" option. The process is similar to the native method, but third-party launchers often have more icon packs built in or let you upload custom images more easily.

Keep in mind that switching to a third-party launcher changes how your entire home screen looks and works, not just the icons. If you don't like it, you can switch back to your phone's default launcher through Settings > Apps > Default apps > Home screen, or by long-pressing the home screen and selecting "Home settings."

Creating custom icons from photos or images

If you want to use a photo, screenshot, or custom image as an app icon, most Huawei phones let you do this through the long-press edit menu. When you select "Change icon" and see a "Choose image" or "Select from gallery" option, tap it and navigate to the image you want. You can use any image file on your phone — a photo, a screenshot, a downloaded image, or a file from cloud storage.

The image will be cropped to fit the icon shape (usually square or rounded square, depending on your phone's icon style). If the crop doesn't look right, try editing the image in your phone's gallery app first to make sure the important part is centered. Some phones let you adjust the crop before confirming, so look for a crop or zoom option in the icon editor.

Custom photo icons are fun but can make your home screen harder to scan at a glance, since each icon will look different. Consider using them sparingly — perhaps for your most-used apps or apps you want to stand out.

Troubleshooting icon changes that don't stick

If you change an app icon but it reverts to the original after you restart your phone, your phone may not support persistent icon changes. Some older Huawei models or EMUI versions don't save custom icons permanently. In this case, a third-party launcher is your best option, since launchers store icon changes in their own database rather than relying on the system.

If you're using a third-party launcher and icons still revert, check that the launcher is still set as your default home screen. Go to Settings > Apps > Default apps > Home screen and make sure your launcher is selected. If another app is set as default, tap your launcher to switch back.

If an icon pack you downloaded isn't showing up in the edit menu, try restarting your phone or clearing the cache of the app that manages icons (usually called "Themes" or "Home screen"). To clear cache, go to Settings > Apps, find the app, tap "Storage," and select "Clear cache." Do not tap "Clear data," as that will erase your customizations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change icons on apps I don't own or didn't read?

Yes. You can change the icon of any app on your home screen, whether it came pre-installed on your phone or you downloaded it yourself. The icon change only affects how it looks on your home screen — it doesn't change the app's name, function, or where it's stored.

Will changing an app icon affect how the app works?

No. Changing an icon is purely visual. The app will run exactly the same way, update the same way, and store data the same way. You're only changing the picture that represents it on your home screen.

What if I want to change the icon back to the original?

Long-press the app again, select "Edit icon" or "Change icon," and look for a "Reset" or "Default" option. If you don't see one, you can manually select the original icon from your icon pack or gallery. If you used a third-party launcher, you can also uninstall the launcher to go back to your phone's default home screen and original icons.

Can I use icons from an icon pack for one app and icons from a different pack for another?

Yes, if you use the long-press method to change icons one at a time. You can mix and match icons from different packs or use custom images. If you explore a full theme through the Themes app, all compatible apps will use icons from that theme, but you can still manually override individual icons afterward.

Do I need to read icon packs, or can I use images already on my phone?

You can use images already on your phone. When you select "Change icon" and choose "Select from gallery," you can pick any image file stored on your device. Icon packs are optional — they're just pre-made collections of matching icons that save you time if you want a cohesive look.