App Icon Size Guide 2026: iOS, Android & Web

Quick size reference

Start with one clean master icon

The easiest way to make icon exports painless is to begin with a large square master icon. That source should already have the right padding, contrast, and visual hierarchy before you create smaller files for different platforms.

If the master icon is weak, every export will inherit the same problems. Thin strokes, tiny details, and cramped layouts may look acceptable at full size but quickly fall apart in launchers, settings screens, and browser tabs.

• Design from a square canvas at high resolution
• Keep the core symbol bold and recognizable
• Leave enough padding so the icon does not feel cramped at small sizes

The core sizes you actually need

Apple, Google, and the web all ask for slightly different icon outputs. You do not need to memorize every single variant, but you do need a dependable export workflow and a short list of sizes that cover the most common real-world cases.

In practice, most teams care about three groups: iOS app icons, Android launcher and Play Store icons, and web icons such as favicon, Apple touch icon, and manifest icons.

• iOS commonly needs 180, 167, 152, 120, 87, 80, 76, 60, 58, 40, 29, and 20 pixel outputs, plus a 1024 App Store icon
• Android typically needs 48, 72, 96, 144, 192, and 512 pixel exports depending on launcher and store usage
• Web usually needs 16 and 32 pixel favicon files, a 180 Apple touch icon, and 192 and 512 pixel PWA icons
• Export exact platform sizes instead of resizing manually in multiple tools

iOS app icon sizes and design guidance

For iOS, visual clarity matters more than decorative detail. Your icon has to stay recognizable in small contexts such as search results, settings, and Spotlight, so overly fine shapes usually perform badly.

A practical workflow is to design one polished master icon, preview it at reduced sizes, and then export a complete set for iPhone, iPad, Spotlight, Settings, notifications, and App Store submission.

If you want a more Apple-native finish, especially when exploring Liquid Glass style treatments, it is worth reviewing Apple's Icon Composer workflow in addition to standard exported PNG assets.

• Start from a square composition with generous padding
• Always prepare a 1024 by 1024 App Store version
• Avoid relying on text inside the icon
• Check legibility at the smallest preview sizes before exporting
• Make sure the icon still reads clearly on light and dark device backgrounds
• Use Apple's Icon Composer workflow if you want to push toward a more refined Liquid Glass presentation

Android and adaptive icon considerations

Android icons often break down when foreground and background layers are not planned with adaptive icons in mind. Even if your design is simple, it helps to think about safe areas, masks, and how launchers may crop or reshape the final result.

Google Play's official icon specification is also worth treating separately from launcher exports. For the Play listing itself, Google asks for a 512 by 512 PNG in sRGB, uploaded as a full square. Google Play then applies the final corner radius and shadow dynamically, so those effects should not be baked into the outer container of the artwork.

Edge-to-edge artwork is risky here. What looks dramatic on a square artboard can feel cramped once different masks and launchers start clipping the composition.

• Prepare a dedicated 512 by 512 PNG for the Play listing
• Do not pre-round the outer corners of the Play Store asset
• Do not add the final outer shadow to the Play Store asset
• Keep the main symbol inside a safe visual area
• Leave visual breathing room around the main symbol
• Prepare foreground and background layers when possible
• Use strong shape contrast so the icon remains identifiable
• Preview the icon against different masks and surfaces

Favicon, Apple touch icon, and PWA sizes

Web projects often need more than one icon file. A modern setup usually includes a favicon for tabs and bookmarks, an Apple touch icon for iOS home screens, and larger manifest icons for installable PWA experiences.

This is where manual export becomes frustrating very quickly. The files are simple, but the repetition makes mistakes more likely, especially when you update branding later.

• Use 16 and 32 pixel assets for favicon coverage
• Include a 180 by 180 Apple touch icon for iPhones and iPads
• Generate 192 and 512 pixel manifest icons for install prompts and splash contexts
• Keep the web icon set visually consistent with your native app icons

A simple export workflow that scales

The fastest reliable workflow is to refine the icon once, then export all required variants from the same source setup. That keeps your branding aligned across platforms and removes a lot of repetitive resizing work.

When you turn icon generation into a repeatable release step, publishing new apps, microsites, and landing pages becomes much faster. More importantly, you reduce the chance of shipping mismatched assets or forgetting a required size.

• Pick a master icon with clear geometry
• Adjust background, padding, and contrast in one place
• Preview the icon at small sizes before final export
• Export iOS, Android, and web assets together
• Store the final package with your release files