In today’s competitive app market, first impressions matter—and your app icon is the first thing users see. With Android’s adaptive icons, you can ensure a polished, consistent look across all devices. But how do you design icons that stand out while following platform guidelines?
In this guide, we’ll cover:
✅ What are adaptive icons?
✅ Best design practices (safe zones, layers, and sizing)
✅ Top tools to generate adaptive icons (including our free generator!)
✅ Seasonal & dynamic icon tips
Since Android 8.0 (Oreo), adaptive icons allow your app icon to:
✔ Change shape (masked by OEM themes)
✔ Support animations & dynamic effects
✔ Maintain consistency across different launchers
But if your icon isn’t designed correctly, it could get clipped or distorted.
Canvas size: 108×108 dp (with a safe zone of 66×66 dp)
Foreground & background layers: Keep key elements centered to avoid clipping.
Use circular, square, or squircle masks for testing.
Avoid placing text or critical details near edges.
Preview your icon in:
Android Studio’s Icon Preview
Different launcher themes (e.g., Samsung’s rounded icons vs. Pixel’s teardrop shape)
💡 Pro Tip: Use our free Adaptive Icon Generator to instantly preview how your icon looks on various backgrounds!
Manually designing icons for every resolution is tedious. Instead, try:
Our Adaptive Icon Generator: Upload an image, adjust layers, and download ready-to-use icons.
Android Studio’s built-in tool (for basic icons)
Vector-based tools (Figma, Adobe XD) for scalability
Need seasonal or holiday-themed icons? Just tweak the foreground layer while keeping the background consistent!
A well-designed adaptive icon improves:
🔹 Brand recognition
🔹 User engagement
🔹 App store conversions