How to Set an iOS App Icon

Your iOS app icon appears on the home screen, in Spotlight search, in the Settings app, and on the App Store. Apple requires specific pixel sizes for every context, and Xcode has a dedicated interface for managing them. Here's a complete walkthrough.

What Is an iOS App Icon?#

iOS uses your app icon in several places simultaneously:

• Home screen — the primary icon users tap
• Spotlight — the small icon shown in search results
• Settings — appears next to your app in the Settings list
• App Store — your app's storefront icon
• Notifications — shown in notification banners

Each context uses a different size, and Apple expects you to provide them all as separate PNG files.

What Sizes Do You Need?#

iOS sizes are defined in points, then multiplied by the screen scale factor (@1x, @2x, @3x). Most modern iPhones are @3x; older devices and iPads vary.

The App Store icon (1024×1024) is included in your asset catalog but is never shown on device — Apple uses it for the store listing.

Xcode 15+ Single-Size Icons#

Xcode 15 introduced a simplified workflow where you provide a single 1024×1024 PNG and Xcode generates all other sizes automatically. This works well for solid icons, but providing all sizes explicitly gives you more control over how each size renders.

Getting Your Icon Files from IconKraft#

When you generate an icon with IconKraft and download the ZIP, the ios/ folder contains a ready-to-use AppIcon.appiconset — the exact format Xcode expects:

icon-kraft-[name]/
  ios/
    AppIcon.appiconset/
      Contents.json       ← Xcode metadata (already filled in)
      Icon-20@2x.png      ← iPhone Notification @2x (40×40)
      Icon-20@3x.png      ← iPhone Notification @3x (60×60)
      Icon-29@2x.png      ← iPhone Settings @2x (58×58)
      Icon-29@3x.png      ← iPhone Settings @3x (87×87)
      Icon-40@2x.png      ← iPhone Spotlight @2x (80×80)
      Icon-40@3x.png      ← iPhone Spotlight @3x (120×120)
      Icon-60@2x.png      ← iPhone App @2x (120×120)
      Icon-60@3x.png      ← iPhone App @3x (180×180)
      Icon-76@2x.png      ← iPad App @2x (152×152)
      Icon-83.5@2x.png    ← iPad Pro App @2x (167×167)
      Icon-1024@1x.png    ← App Store (1024×1024)

No manual resizing or renaming needed. The Contents.json file is already wired up — Xcode will recognize the set immediately.

Adding Icons in Xcode#

Step 1: Replace the AppIcon.appiconset folder#

The IconKraft ZIP includes a complete AppIcon.appiconset folder with all PNGs and a pre-filled Contents.json. The simplest way to use it:

1. In Finder, navigate to your project's Assets.xcassets/ folder.
2. Delete (or rename) the existing AppIcon.appiconset folder.
3. Copy the AppIcon.appiconset folder from the IconKraft ZIP in its place.

Xcode will pick it up automatically — no slot-by-slot dragging required.

Step 2: Verify in Xcode#

Open Assets.xcassets in Xcode and click AppIcon. All slots should be filled. If any appear empty, confirm the Contents.json references match the PNG filenames in the folder.

Step 3: Build and verify#

Build your app (Cmd+B) and confirm there are no "missing icon" warnings in the Issue Navigator. Run on a simulator or device and check the home screen.

App Store Submission Requirements#

Apple enforces strict rules for App Store icons:

• No alpha channel / transparency — App Store Connect rejects icons with a transparent background. Use a solid color.
• No rounded corners in your artwork — iOS applies rounded corners automatically. If you add them yourself, the result will be double-rounded.
• PNG format only — JPEG is not accepted for App Store icons.
• Exactly 1024×1024 pixels — No other size is accepted for the store listing slot.

IconKraft generates square icons with solid backgrounds, so they pass these requirements out of the box.

Common Mistakes#

Missing sizes — Xcode will warn about empty slots but won't always fail the build. App Store Connect will reject a build with missing required sizes.

Adding rounded corners yourself — iOS masks your icon to a rounded rectangle automatically. Pre-rounding your image creates an ugly double-curve effect.

Transparent background — Apple rejects transparent icons at App Store submission. Always use a solid background color.

Using JPEG files — Only PNG is supported for app icons in Xcode's asset catalog.

Forgetting the 1024×1024 App Store slot — It's easy to overlook since it's not shown on device, but App Store Connect requires it.

Ready to Generate Your iOS Icons?#

IconKraft generates a complete, production-ready iOS icon set — plus Android app icons and favicons — from a single AI-powered prompt. No design skills needed.