Free App Icon Generator for iOS and Android: What It Should Output
Use a free app icon generator to turn one 1024 px image into an Xcode AppIcon set, Android adaptive and themed icons, and a 512 px Google Play icon.
ScreenShipper team · · 7 min read
TL;DR: An app icon generator turns one square master image into the files each platform expects: an Xcode AppIcon set for iOS, Android adaptive icon layers with a monochrome layer for themed icons, and the 512 × 512 px Google Play icon. ScreenShipper's free app icon generator does exactly that from one image and downloads everything as a single zip, so you only design once.
What a Good App Icon Generator Should Output
Many "icon generators" only resize an image into a pile of PNGs. That is not enough anymore. Each platform has its own structure, and a generator is only useful if its output drops straight into your project.
| Platform | Files you need | What to check in the output |
|---|---|---|
| iOS and iPadOS | An AppIcon.appiconset folder with a Contents.json file and a 1024 × 1024 px PNG | The PNG is opaque, square and has no alpha channel |
| Android | Adaptive icon XML in mipmap-anydpi-v26, plus foreground and background layers | Layers are 108 dp with the logo inside the 66 dp safe zone |
| Android themed icons | A monochrome layer referenced from the adaptive icon XML | One flat color on a transparent background |
| Google Play listing | A 512 × 512 px 32-bit PNG up to 1,024 KB | Full square, no rounded corners or drop shadow |
| Older Android versions | 48 dp PNG launcher icons in each mipmap density folder | Only needed if your minimum SDK is below 26 |
ScreenShipper's free tool covers the first four rows: the Xcode AppIcon set, Android adaptive and themed icons, and the Play 512 px icon, all in one zip. If your app still supports Android 7.1 or older, add legacy PNG icons as well; Android Studio can generate them.
For the reasoning behind every number in that table, see the App Icon Size Guide.
Prepare Your Master Image First
A generator can only be as good as the image you give it. Before you upload anything, check your master against this list:
- 1024 × 1024 px, square. Starting smaller means upscaling, which looks soft on the App Store.
- No rounded corners and no drop shadow. iOS, Android launchers and Google Play all apply their own masks and shadows.
- Opaque background. The iOS icon and the Play icon should not contain transparency. A fully opaque image saved with an alpha channel can still fail App Store validation.
- A centered, compact symbol. Android shows only the central 72 dp of a 108 dp layer and promises not to clip the central 66 dp. A symbol within about 61% of the canvas width survives every mask.
- Simple enough for one color. Themed Android icons and tinted iOS icons reduce your design to a single tint, so the shape has to work on its own.
- No text beyond a brand letter. Words become unreadable at Home Screen size. App Icon Design Tips covers the design side in detail.
Tip: On a Mac, run sips -g hasAlpha icon.png in Terminal. If it prints hasAlpha: yes, flatten the image before you use it as an iOS or Play icon. How to Remove the Alpha Channel shows several ways to do it.
How to Use ScreenShipper's Free App Icon Generator
- Export your master as a 1024 × 1024 px PNG from Figma, Sketch, Illustrator or any design tool.
- Open the app icon generator in your browser. There is nothing to install.
- Upload your image.
- Download the zip. It contains the Xcode AppIcon set, the Android adaptive and themed icon files, and the Google Play 512 px icon.
- Add each part to the right place, as described in the next section.
Because everything comes from one source image, your App Store icon, Android launcher icon and Google Play listing icon stay identical, which helps people recognize your app across stores and after install.
Adding the Generated Files to Your Projects
Xcode
- In your project's asset catalog, replace the contents of
AppIcon.appiconsetwith the generated folder's contents, or drag the generated set in and point to it. - Check that the Primary App Icon Set Name build setting matches the set's name.
- Archive the app and run Validate App in the Organizer. Validation catches missing or invalid App Store icons before App Review does.
Remember that the App Store icon comes from your build. You do not upload it separately in App Store Connect. More detail is in iOS App Icon Requirements.
Android Studio
- Copy the generated
resfolders intoapp/src/main/res, replacing the existing launcher icon files. - Confirm the manifest uses
android:icon="@mipmap/ic_launcher"(andandroid:roundIconif you provide a round version). - Install on a device, turn on themed icons in the system settings and check that the monochrome version looks right.
See Android Adaptive Icon Guidelines for how the layers and the XML fit together.
Play Console
Open your app's main store listing in Play Console and upload the 512 × 512 px PNG as the app icon. This listing icon is separate from the launcher icon inside your app, so update both when you change your design. Google Play Icon Requirements lists the content rules.
Generator vs. Xcode vs. Android Studio vs. Manual Export
| Option | Covers | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online app icon generator | iOS, Android and Google Play from one image | Shipping on both stores quickly | Check the output for alpha channels and safe zone fit |
| Xcode single-size icon | All iPhone and iPad sizes from one 1024 px image | iOS-only apps | Does not help with Android or Google Play |
| Apple Icon Composer | Layered Liquid Glass icons for iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch | Taking full control of Apple's layered icon format | Apple platforms only; macOS required |
| Android Studio image asset tooling | Android launcher icons, adaptive and legacy | Android developers working in the IDE | Does not produce iOS or Play listing files |
| Manual export from a design tool | Anything you set up | Teams with custom per-size artwork | Slow and easy to get wrong across densities |
Many developers combine options: design in Figma, build the layered Apple icon in Icon Composer if they want full control over Liquid Glass effects, and use a generator for the Android and Google Play files.
Final Checks Before You Ship Generated Icons
- iOS: the 1024 px PNG has no alpha channel and the asset catalog shows no warnings in Xcode.
- Android: the logo stays inside the safe zone on a circular mask, and the monochrome layer is a single flat color.
- Google Play: the icon is 512 × 512 px, at most 1,024 KB, a full square, and free of ranking or deal badges.
- On device: check the Home Screen, Settings, notifications, and dark, tinted or themed modes.
- In search results: compare your new icon with the apps around it for your main keyword.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ScreenShipper's app icon generator free?
Yes. It is one of ScreenShipper's free tools, alongside the device mockup generator and the screenshot size checker. It runs in your browser and downloads the iOS, Android and Google Play icon files as one zip.
What image size should I upload to an app icon generator?
Upload a square 1024 × 1024 px PNG. That matches Apple's App Store icon size and is large enough to produce every smaller size without upscaling.
Can an app icon generator make iOS 26 Liquid Glass icons?
Layered Liquid Glass icons are built in Apple's Icon Composer. A flattened 1024 px PNG from a generator is still a valid icon format, and Apple says the system attempts to separate a bitmap icon's foreground from its background for the newer appearances.
Do I need a different icon for the Google Play Store and the app itself?
You need different files but should use the same design. The Play listing needs a 512 × 512 px 32-bit PNG, while the installed app uses adaptive icon layers that launchers mask into different shapes.
Will a generator fix an icon with transparency?
Do not count on it. Start from an opaque master and verify the final iOS and Play icons with a tool such as sips or your design tool's export settings before you submit.
Sources
Generate every app icon size for free
Upload one image and download an Xcode AppIcon set, Android adaptive and themed icons and the 512 px Play icon in one zip.