iOS app icon sizes: a complete guide

Separate the store icon from system assets

The App Store icon is a 1024 × 1024 pixel marketing asset; the system also needs icon assets for the devices and surfaces your app supports. Use the current Xcode asset catalog and App Store Connect guidance to verify the required inputs for your project.

Export from a clean square master

Keep a high-resolution square source and generate platform assets from it. Do not bake rounded corners into iOS, iPadOS, or macOS layers; the system applies the mask. Apple’s current Icon Composer workflow can also use separate foreground and background layers.

Check transparency and appearance layers

Keep imported backgrounds opaque and review the current submission rules for each asset. Icon Composer supports default, dark, and mono appearance variants, so inspect each one against the system’s lighting and tint treatments.

Preview system appearances

Inspect the icon on a home screen and in smaller contexts such as search and Settings. Preview the default, dark, and mono variants in Icon Composer and remove details that disappear at reduced sizes.

Validate the generated asset set

Use Xcode or your build tooling to catch missing renditions and naming issues. Requirements can change with new devices and SDKs, so do not treat an old size chart as a substitute for the project’s current validation.

Where the 1024-pixel source fits

App Store Connect uses a 1024 × 1024 pixel icon for the store listing. The app’s Xcode asset catalog and build target may also need icon configurations for the operating systems and device families you support; Xcode can validate the asset set used by a particular project.

Keep the master separate from generated outputs. When Apple changes an appearance option or your app adds a platform, you can regenerate from the source rather than scaling a previously exported small icon.

Rounded corners, alpha, and layers

Apple’s current icon workflow applies platform shaping to square icon layers, so pre-rounding the corners can produce a visible double mask. Keep imported background layers opaque and check the App Store submission rules for the exact asset you upload.

Icon Composer supports layered artwork and default, dark, and mono appearance variants for compatible targets. Keep the main mark recognizable across variants and preview the final treatment in the tool rather than assuming a flat PNG will render identically.

Build a size and appearance checklist

For each supported platform, record the store icon source, the Xcode asset catalog entry, and any appearance variants your project provides. The exact resources depend on deployment targets and platform family, so inspect the actual asset catalog instead of copying a generic folder of PNG sizes.

Use Xcode’s asset warnings and the current App Store Connect submission checks as part of the final validation. Resolve missing or incorrectly configured resources before generating the release archive.

Inspect edge treatment and small details

Because the system applies the final shape, extend background color through the square source and keep the symbol away from corners that will be masked. Small strokes should remain visible after reduction and any system lighting effect.

Preview the icon at the home-screen size as well as in Settings and store search. A beautiful large master can lose its defining detail when it is rendered as a small glyph.

A reliable export workflow

Keep the original layered artwork, generate the App Store icon and project assets through the current Apple tools, and inspect the asset catalog that will be included in the archive. This is more dependable than manually saving a set of guessed pixel sizes.

For each target, note the platform family, appearance variants, source file, and validation status. The list is especially useful when the same app ships for iPhone, iPad, Mac, Watch, or other Apple platforms.

Before you submit

Open the App Store icon at its full 1024 × 1024 size and preview its appearance at a small scale. Confirm the artwork is square, its background treatment is intentional, and there are no guides or export artifacts.

Then validate the archive and inspect the processed listing. A correct icon file in a design folder does not guarantee that the release build or store page uses that version.

Store icon and in-app icon are different deliverables

The 1024 × 1024 App Store icon is uploaded as listing artwork, while the app bundle includes icon configuration for its supported Apple platforms. A project may use asset-catalog inputs or a newer Icon Composer workflow; follow the current Xcode guidance for the target SDK and platform family.

Do not assume the store image alone is enough for a release build, or that every old per-device PNG should still be added manually. Inspect the project’s asset catalog, build warnings, and archive validation.

Prepare appearance variants with one recognizable core

When using Icon Composer, create default, dark, and mono variants from a consistent primary symbol. Adjust background and foreground treatments for legibility while preserving a recognizable silhouette across appearances.

Preview the finished output on the supported platforms and OS versions. A variant that looks balanced on an iPhone home screen may have a different shape or depth treatment on another Apple device family.