Your app icon is one of the first things users see — on the home screen, in the app drawer, in the recents list, and on the Play Store. Getting the sizes right means your icon looks crisp on every device, from budget phones to the latest flagships. Here's everything you need to know.
What Is an Android App Icon?#
Android uses launcher icons to represent your app across the system. The same image appears in several places:
- Home screen — the icon users tap to open your app
- App drawer — the full list of installed apps
- Recents screen — the task switcher thumbnail header
- Play Store listing — your app's storefront icon (512×512)
- Notifications and Settings — small representations of your app
What Sizes Do You Need?#
Android uses a density-independent pixel system. Rather than one image that gets scaled, you provide separate files for each screen density bucket:
| Folder | Density | Size | Devices |
|---|---|---|---|
| mipmap-mdpi | ~160dpi | 48×48px | Low-density (rare) |
| mipmap-hdpi | ~240dpi | 72×72px | Older mid-range phones |
| mipmap-xhdpi | ~320dpi | 96×96px | Most mid-range phones |
| mipmap-xxhdpi | ~480dpi | 144×144px | High-end phones |
| mipmap-xxxhdpi | ~640dpi | 192×192px | Flagship phones |
For the Play Store, you also need a 512×512 PNG uploaded separately during app submission.
A Note on Adaptive Icons#
Android 8.0 (API 26) introduced adaptive icons — a system that separates your icon into a foreground layer and a background layer, letting the launcher apply shapes (circles, squircles, rounded squares) consistently across all apps. Adaptive icons require an XML descriptor and two separate PNG layers.
For most apps, providing a standard PNG in each density folder is perfectly fine. The system will use your PNG as-is, and it will display correctly on all Android versions.
Getting Your Icon Files from IconKraft#
When you generate an icon with IconKraft and download the ZIP, the android/ folder is already structured exactly like an Android project's res/ folder — mipmap subfolders and all:
icon-kraft-[name]/
android/
mipmap-mdpi/
ic_launcher.png ← 48×48
ic_launcher_round.png ← 48×48 (circular crop)
mipmap-hdpi/
ic_launcher.png ← 72×72
ic_launcher_round.png
mipmap-xhdpi/
ic_launcher.png ← 96×96
ic_launcher_round.png
mipmap-xxhdpi/
ic_launcher.png ← 144×144
ic_launcher_round.png
mipmap-xxxhdpi/
ic_launcher.png ← 192×192
ic_launcher_round.png
play_store_icon.png ← 512×512
No manual resizing or renaming needed.
Adding Icons in Android Studio#
Step 1: Locate your res folder#
In Android Studio's Project panel, switch to Android view. You'll see a res/ folder with subfolders like mipmap-hdpi, mipmap-xhdpi, etc.
Step 2: Copy the mipmap folders#
The IconKraft ZIP already uses the correct folder and file names. Copy the contents of the android/ folder directly into your project's res/ directory — the mipmap-* subfolders map one-to-one:
IconKraft ZIP → Your project
android/mipmap-mdpi/ → app/src/main/res/mipmap-mdpi/
android/mipmap-hdpi/ → app/src/main/res/mipmap-hdpi/
android/mipmap-xhdpi/ → app/src/main/res/mipmap-xhdpi/
android/mipmap-xxhdpi/ → app/src/main/res/mipmap-xxhdpi/
android/mipmap-xxxhdpi/ → app/src/main/res/mipmap-xxxhdpi/
Each folder already contains ic_launcher.png (square) and ic_launcher_round.png (circular crop) — no renaming required.
Step 3: Verify your manifest#
Open AndroidManifest.xml and confirm the <application> tag references your icon:
<application
android:icon="@mipmap/ic_launcher"
android:roundIcon="@mipmap/ic_launcher_round"
...>
If you're only providing a standard PNG (not an adaptive icon with separate round variant), you can point both android:icon and android:roundIcon to the same file.
Step 4: Run on device or emulator#
Build and run your app. Long-press to add it to the home screen, then check it looks sharp on the device's display density.
Verifying the Play Store Icon#
The play_store_icon.png file (512×512) from the IconKraft ZIP is uploaded directly in the Google Play Console under Store listing → App icon. It must:
- Be exactly 512×512 pixels
- Have no alpha/transparency (Play Store rejects transparent icons)
- Be under 1MB
IconKraft generates a solid-background icon, so it will pass these requirements.
Common Mistakes#
Using only one size — Android won't crash, but your icon will look blurry on high-density screens. Always provide all density sizes.
Wrong file name — The filename must match what's in AndroidManifest.xml. If the manifest says @mipmap/ic_launcher, the file must be named ic_launcher.png.
Putting icons in drawable/ instead of mipmap/ — Launcher icons belong in mipmap-* folders, not drawable. The mipmap folders are preserved even when the system strips other resources for low-memory devices.
Transparent Play Store icon — The Play Store rejects icons with transparency. Use a solid background color.
Ready to Generate Your Android Icons?#
IconKraft generates a complete, production-ready Android icon set — plus iOS app icons and favicons — from a single AI-powered prompt. No design skills needed.