The app icon is the first thing a user sees in the store. If it does not meet platform requirements, the submission will be rejected. A tab bar icon drawn without considering optical weight confuses navigation. We solve these problems based on 10+ years of experience in mobile development and over 50 delivered projects.
Why is it important to comply with App Store and Google Play icon requirements?
App Store: requires a 1024×1024px PNG image with no alpha channel. Xcode generates the remaining sizes via Asset Catalog. Until recent iOS versions, 20+ sizes were needed; now modern Xcode versions accept Single Size and scale automatically. But we still verify the result on physical devices: the scaling algorithm sometimes produces blurry edges at small sizes. According to App Store Review Guidelines (Section 4.2), the icon must be text-free and reflect the app's functionality.
Google Play: 512×512px PNG for the store listing + an adaptive icon for the launcher. The adaptive icon has two layers: foreground (108×108dp, with a 72×72dp safe zone) and background. As of Android 13, a monochromatic icon (third layer) is supported. Without an adaptive icon on Android 8+, the launcher may crop the icon into a circle, cutting off the logo.
| Platform | Base Size | Specifics |
|---|---|---|
| iOS | 1024×1024px PNG | Single Size, Asset Catalog, test on devices |
| Android | 512×512px PNG + adaptive icon | Foreground 108×108dp, background, monochromatic (13+) |
How to choose between SF Symbols and custom icons?
On iOS, the default is SF Symbols — a system library of over 5000 icons supporting all font weights, multicolor, and animation (as of iOS 17). If the design uses SF Symbols, the development gets scaling, theming, and accessibility for free. Custom icons are needed only where SF Symbols doesn't cover — for example, branded symbols for fintech or healthcare. On Android, the equivalent is Material Symbols with the same capabilities.
Using SF Symbols instead of custom icons reduces development time by 30–40% and speeds up design by 2–3 times, since it eliminates the need to draw and export each element.
Export formats for developers
| Framework | Format | Tool |
|---|---|---|
| iOS/SwiftUI | PDF vector in Asset Catalog | Scales: Single Scale |
| Android | Vector Drawable XML | Android Studio → File → New → Vector Asset |
| React Native | SVG via react-native-svg | SVGR for transformation into components |
| Flutter | SVG via flutter_svg | FlutterIcon.com for conversion |
SVG must be clean: no extra groups, no transformations on the root element, no embedded bitmaps. We check in Figma before export: Outline Stroke on all strokes, Flatten on complex boolean operations.
What is included in icon creation work
- Requirements analysis — we review the design mockup, platform guidelines, and style.
- Grid design — we choose a uniform size (24×24 or 28×28pt) and optical weight.
- Drawing — we create icons in Figma considering visual alignment.
- Export — we prepare files for each platform (PDF, XML, SVG).
- Verification — we test on physical devices and simulators.
- Handoff — we deliver source files and ready sets to the developer.
Icon checklist before submitting to the store
- Sizes meet App Store and Google Play requirements
- No alpha channel (iOS)
- Adaptive icon displays correctly on Android 8+
- Interface icons are optically aligned
- Exported files have no unnecessary groupings
Icon set for an app
Typical set for a medium-complexity app: 30–80 icons. Tab bar (4–5), toolbar actions (8–15), category icons (10–30), system icons (close, back, share). All icons are drawn in a uniform grid with the same visual weight — optical alignment, not mathematical. A circular icon must be slightly larger than a square one of the same size to appear equal.
Timeline: 2–3 days for a full set for an average app. Cost is calculated individually; quality is confirmed by over 50 projects. Order a turnkey icon development — contact us to assess your project. Get a consultation on your app's icons.