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How to change app icons on Android phones

Jibin Joseph
Written By Jibin Joseph
Updated date:
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Android PhonesHow-to
How to change app icons on Android

Android offers a lot of control over your device’s settings. However, you would be surprised to know that Android does not offer the native functionality to change app icons. If you have ended up here, you must be searching for how to change app icons on your Android phone.

Fret not; you have landed at the right place. In this blog, I have provided some workarounds to change app icons on Android.

How to change app icons on Google Pixel

Google Pixel devices offer a Dynamic Theming feature that allows you to customize app icons. You can get icons based on the colors of the wallpapers set using Pixel’s Dynamic Theming engine for all apps.

Notably, the Themed icons feature on Google Pixel phones is currently in the Beta stage, and the app icons are changed only on the home screen. The method below will not change app icons when the library is opened.

Nonetheless, here’s how to do it:

  1. Open the Settings app on Pixel → Visit the Wallpaper & style option.
  2. Under the Home screen tab, toggle on Themed icons. This will change all app icons and match them with the wallpaper’s colors.
    Select Wallpaper & Style and enabke Themed icons under Home screen tab
  3. To get the app icons of your liking, you can try changing wallpapers. To find more options, options, tap More Wallpaper.

How to customize app icons in Android Launcher

Since there is no default option to get custom app icons on Android, you can use a third-party launcher for the same.

There is no dearth of launchers on Android. If you want a neat and simplified experience, you can pick from any of the best Android launchers, like Nova Launcher. 

We’re using Nova Launcher for the demonstration purpose. Steps may vary depending on the third-party launcher you are using on your Android smartphone.

  1. With Nova Launcher running, long press on any empty space on the home screen.
  2. Choose Settings → Visit the Look & feel section from the menu.
    Go to Settings and select Look & feel
  3. Tap the Icon Style option available at the top and then select the Icon theme.
    Click on Icon style, Tap on Icon theme and select Icon pack
    • If you don’t like the icon pack included in the System (default) theme, you can get more icon packs from the Google Play Store by tapping Get more themes option.

The above method will change all app icons depending on your chosen icon pack. To change the icons of individual apps on Android, follow these steps:

  1. On the Nova launcher, long press on any app on your phone’s Home screen or in the app library and then tap the Edit option.
  2. Next, tap the app icon image.
  3. Now, you can add a custom photo from the Gallery app to change the app icon on Android.
    Press and hold on any app, select Edit, tap on app image icon, and Choose app icon

Change app icons on Android home screen using Shortcut app

There is another workaround that you can use to change app icons on the Android home screen without changing the default launcher.

May users are not aware that you can create a shortcut for an app, and this shortcut icon can be customized.

  1. Download the Shortcut Maker app and Open it on your device.
  2. Tap the Apps option → Choose the app you want to change the icon for.
  3. Select Icon.
    • Here, you can customize the app icon using the given options. You can choose an emoji as an app icon or even choose a photo from the Gallery app as the app icon.
      Open Shortcut Maker app, Choose Apps option, Select your desired app, and click Icon
  4. Once you have customized the app icon as you like, tap the Check mark at the top right → Tap Create Shortcut. 
  5. On the subsequent screen, you may select Add to home screen to add the newly created shortcut to the home screen.
    Tap Check mark, Select Create Shortcuts, and Select Add to home screen

As mentioned above, this method is a workaround. It will not change the icon of the actual app but for its shortcut on the home screen.

Video: Change app icons on Android phones

How do I change icons on Android without launcher?

There is no straightforward method to change app icons on Android without changing the launcher. A workaround that you can use is creating an app shortcut using a shortcut maker app, changing its icon, and adding it to the home screen.

How do I change the icon of an app on my Samsung?

You can use Samsung’s Galaxy Theme store to set custom app icons on your Samsung smartphone. 

Get app icons on Android!

The lack of an app icon customization feature on Android is something that many users have found troublesome. This is the reason why some tech-savvy users prefer using custom ROMs. Some of the best custom ROMs for Android offer unparalleled customization options.

However, there are different methods that you can use to change app icons on Android easily. If you want to get custom app icons on Android, the easiest way is to use a third-party launcher.

Author

  • Jibin Joseph

    Jibin's journey with Stock Android began with the classic Xiaomi Mi A1, and his passion for it has only grown stronger over the years. With a wealth of experience in content editing, he brings a keen eye for detail and a genuine enthusiasm for staying at the forefront of consumer tech and social media trends. He adheres to a simple yet effective philosophy: the more complex the tech, the simpler the explanation. When he's not refining language, he can be found indulging in his love for gardening, experimenting with his culinary skills, enjoying a game of football, or avidly following the Premier League.

    View all posts

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