Why Adaptive Icons Matter

Unified Look Across All Devices

Adaptive icons ensure consistent appearance across all Android launchers, regardless of icon shape.

• Circle
• Squircle
• Rounded square
• Teardrop
• Custom OEM shapes

Better Brand Recognition

Consistent, crisp icons help users identify your app instantly on crowded home screens.

Support for System Animations

• Zoom effects
• Parallax motion
• Touch reveal animations

Dynamic Theming (Android 12+)

Adaptive icons support Material You, allowing Android to recolor icons dynamically based on wallpaper themes.

Understanding Adaptive Icon Anatomy

1. Foreground Layer

• Main symbol or logo
• Transparent background
• Must stay inside the safe zone

2. Background Layer

• Solid color or subtle gradient
• No logo or text
• Simple for clean masking

Safety Zones & Sizing

Free Tools You Can Use

Figma (Free)

Ideal for vector design, layer separation, and iterative workflows.

Inkscape

Best open-source vector editor for logos and precise control.

Android Studio

Used to generate adaptive icon XML, test masks, and export assets.

Free Online Generators

Quick solutions for beginners to upload logos and export layers instantly.

How to Make Adaptive Icons (Step-by-Step)

Step 1: Design the Logo

• Keep it bold and simple
• Avoid thin lines
• Ensure scalability

Step 2: Create the Foreground

• Transparent background
• Centered logo
• Strong contrast

Step 3: Create the Background

• Solid or subtle gradient
• No symbols or text

Step 4: Test in Android Studio

Preview your icon under all launcher shapes and export mipmap assets.

Step 5: Optimize Performance

• Use SVGs when possible
• Minimize colors
• Keep total size under 200KB

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Overly complex backgrounds
• Ignoring safe zones
• Bitmap-only icons
• No multi-shape testing