The quickest way to change app icons depends on your phone type
On an iPhone, you use the Shortcuts app to create custom icons that launch your real apps—the actual app icon on your home screen stays the same, but you can make it look however you want. On Android, the method varies by phone brand and launcher, but most phones let you long-press an app icon, tap "Edit icon" or similar, and choose a new image from your phone or a custom icon pack.
Both methods are free and take between two and ten minutes per app. You do not need to read anything extra on iPhone beyond what comes with iOS. On Android, you may want to read a third-party launcher or icon pack app if your phone's built-in options feel limited, but the basic feature is already there.
Key Takeaways
- iPhone users create custom icons through the Shortcuts app, which lets you design a new look while the real app runs in the background.
- Android users can usually long-press an app icon and select "Edit icon" to pick a new image, though the exact steps vary by phone brand.
- Icon packs and third-party launchers on Android offer more design choices, but they are optional—the basic feature works without them.
- Custom icons on iPhone take up a small amount of storage because each one is technically a shortcut, but the difference is negligible for most people.
How to change app icons on iPhone using Shortcuts
Open the Shortcuts app (it comes pre-installed on iPhone). Tap the plus sign to create a new shortcut. Search for "Open App" and select it. Choose the app you want to customize from the list. Tap the three dots at the top right, then tap "Add to Home Screen."
A dialog box appears asking for a name and icon. Type the name you want (or leave it blank if you prefer no label). Tap the icon preview—it shows the app's current icon. You can now choose a photo from your library, take a new photo, use an emoji, or pick a color. Once you are happy with it, tap "Add" and the custom icon appears on your home screen. The original app icon stays in your app library unchanged.
Repeat this process for each app you want to customize. If you want all your custom icons to look cohesive, consider downloading an icon pack from the App Store first—these are collections of matching designs you can save to your phone and use as your custom icons.
How to change app icons on Android phones
The steps depend on your phone brand and which launcher you use. On Samsung phones, long-press the app icon on your home screen. A menu appears with options like "Edit icon" or "Change icon." Tap that option. You can then select a new image from your phone's gallery, use an emoji, or pick from preset icon designs if your phone offers them.
On Google Pixel phones and other Android devices using the default launcher, the process is similar: long-press the icon, look for an edit or customize option, and select a new image. If your phone does not show these options, you may be using a launcher that does not support icon customization—in that case, you can read a third-party launcher like Nova Launcher or Microsoft Launcher from the Google Play Store, which both let you change icons freely.
Some Android phones also support icon packs, which are themed collections of icons designed to work together. You can read these from the Play Store, and your launcher will let you explore the whole pack at once rather than changing icons one by one.
Using icon packs for a coordinated look
Icon packs are sets of matching app icons designed by artists and developers. They are available on both iPhone (through the App Store) and Android (through the Google Play Store). On iPhone, you read a pack, save images from it to your phone, and use those images when you create shortcuts. On Android, you read a pack, and your launcher automatically recognizes it and lets you explore it to your apps.
Popular icon pack apps include Linebit, Elta, Pix, and Viral Icons, though new ones appear regularly. Most are free or cost between one and five dollars. If you want a specific aesthetic—minimalist, colorful, retro, monochrome—searching the store for that style usually surfaces several options. You can preview how each pack looks before you read it.
What happens to your original app icons
On iPhone, your original app icons remain in the App Library (swipe to the rightmost home screen page). The custom icons you create are shortcuts that sit on your home screen. If you delete a custom icon from your home screen, the real app is still on your phone and still works—you just removed the shortcut.
On Android, changing an icon does not affect the app itself. The app still works exactly as before; you are only changing how it looks on your home screen. If you uninstall a custom launcher or icon pack, your apps revert to their default icons, but the apps themselves are unharmed.
Troubleshooting common icon-change problems
On iPhone, the custom icon does not appear on your home screen: Make sure you tapped "Add to Home Screen" at the end of the Shortcuts setup. If you only tapped "Done," the shortcut was saved to the Shortcuts app but not placed on your home screen. Open Shortcuts, find the shortcut you created, long-press it, and select "Add to Home Screen."
On Android, the "Edit icon" option does not appear: Your launcher may not support icon customization. Try downloading Nova Launcher or another third-party launcher from the Google Play Store, setting it as your default launcher, and then long-pressing the app icon again. The option should appear.
The custom icon looks blurry or stretched: This usually means the image you chose is too small or the wrong aspect ratio. Try using a square image at least 512 pixels wide. On iPhone, emoji and solid colors always look sharp. On Android, icon packs are designed to fit perfectly, so using a pack instead of a custom image often solves this.
The shortcut is slow to open the app (iPhone): Shortcuts take a fraction of a second longer to launch than native app icons because they are running a command rather than opening the app directly. This is normal and usually unnoticeable, but if it bothers you, you can delete the shortcut and use the app's native icon instead.
When to call a professional or contact support
Changing app icons is a built-in phone feature and does not require technical support. If you are having trouble, the issue is almost always a misunderstanding of the steps rather than a phone problem. Reread the steps for your phone type, watch a video tutorial on YouTube, or ask in a phone-brand community forum.
If your phone is crashing when you try to create a shortcut or change an icon, restart your phone first. If the problem persists, contact your phone manufacturer's support line or visit a carrier store. These situations are rare.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change app icons without using Shortcuts on iPhone?
Not with the built-in tools. Shortcuts is the official way Apple lets you customize icons. Some third-party launcher apps claim to do this, but they are not as reliable and may slow down your phone. Shortcuts is free and comes with iOS, so it is the best option.
Will changing my app icons use a lot of storage?
No. Each custom icon on iPhone is a small file, and even if you customize fifty apps, you are using less than 50 megabytes of storage. On Android, icon packs are similarly tiny. This will not noticeably affect your phone's available space.
Can I change the icons of system apps like Settings or Messages?
On iPhone, yes—you can create a shortcut that opens any app, including system apps, and give it a custom icon. On Android, it depends on your phone and launcher. Some launchers let you change system app icons; others do not. Try long-pressing the app icon and looking for an edit option. If it does not appear, your launcher does not support it for that app.
What if I want to undo all my custom icons?
On iPhone, delete the custom icon shortcuts from your home screen. The real apps are still in your App Library. On Android, delete the custom icons or uninstall the icon pack and launcher if you used one. Your apps will show their default icons again. Nothing is permanent.
Do custom icons work on the lock screen?
On iPhone 16 and newer, you can add app shortcuts to your lock screen, and they will use your custom icons. On older iPhones, lock screen customization is limited. On Android, lock screen icon customization depends on your phone model and launcher—most phones do not support it, but some newer models do.