How to Change App Icons on Android

One of the biggest powers that Android provides to its users is to customize the Android interface on phones according to their needs. Android allows customizing your phone as you like, such as changing the system font, different system themes, etc. Other than these settings options, you can customize and change the app icon of your Android smartphone.

You can personalize your Android phone to change the app's icon in various ways. Either use a custom launcher, install fully themed icon packs that cover your entire apps, or change a few of them as you like.

Besides, one of the best ways to change Android app icons is by using a third-party launcher. The third-party launcher apps are compatible with various mobile brands like Samsung, Oppo, OnePlus, etc. This article illustrates the different ways to change app icons on Android phones.

Know about changing app icons on your Android phone:

The stock launcher of most Android phones and tablets doesn't support icon packs, and they can't allow changing app icons. In such a situation, you must try a third-party launcher app to change the app icons of your phone. If your phone's stock launcher supports changing app icons, it could be uncertain whether to support third-party icon packs from the Play Store.

There has a different method to change app icons on the stock launcher on an unsupported Android phone, and has time-consuming. You have to change each app's icon individually on the stock launcher.

How to get custom app icons on Android phone

One of the best features of the Android operating system on the phone facilitates customizing most things you like, including the icon's look and feel. There are several ways to change app icons on your Android smartphone. To change the icons of your Android phone, download and install custom icon sets on your device, and you can get them from Play Store. The steps to install custom icons sets are illustrated below:

1. Open the Play Store app on your device and type custom icons in the search bar to find various custom icon apps.
   
2. Choose the best one your like from the result you get, and tap the Install button to install it on your Android phone.
   
3. When the installation is complete, tap the Open button to launch the app.

Even if you get and install the custom app icon pack on your Android phone, you need to apply it to see the change it makes. However, some icon packs reflect changes just after installation, but not all of them do so.

How to change the app icon on Android

If you want to use something other than a whole new launcher, you will find tons of app icon changers on the Play Store that work across all popular devices. We are using X Icon Changer for illustration because of its free service.

The X Icon Changer app allows you to choose an app icon, even on the phone's default launcher. The best point of using it is simple to use.

1. Open the Play Store app, then download and install the X Icon Changer.
   
2. Open this app on your device, and you will see all the installed apps on your phone there. Just select anyone which icon you want to change.
3. Now, choose an icon you want to use instead of the app icon you selected above.
   
4. Wait a moment to reflect the change you made; after a few seconds, you will see a new app icon on your home screen that replaces the original one.
   
5. X Icon Changer only replaces and changes your app icon with the widgets it offers, and its shortcuts serve similarly to that app.

This icon changer app effectively supports several phone and tablet models. However, it doesn't mean there is no limitation to using the X Icon Changer app; it has few limitations. The most common limitation is that the shortcuts that appear no longer work when long-pressing on the app icon. Next, you cannot use this app with icon packs from the Google Play Store.

Instead of a few limitations, it provides many built-in icon options to choose from. There also has a feature that users can choose to apply their own icons. They can use photos from the phone gallery if they want.

Note that, on Android 8 and higher versions, by default, the shortcuts have a little watermark at the corner. You can remove this watermark from the app by following a few steps.

How to change apps icon on Samsung smartphones

On Samsung Galaxy phones, you can change apps icon using their built-in One UI themes (or Galaxy Themes app). The procedure to change app icons on a Samsung phone is almost the same as you do on other Android phones. But remember that the Galaxy Themes app only works with first-party apps icon and that some disappoint users. Following are the steps to change the app's icon on a Samsung phone using the Galaxy Themes app:

1. Launch the Settings app on your Samsung Galaxy smartphone.
2. Look for the Themes sections, and tap on them.
   
3. At the bottom of the screen, tap the Icons tab to find available icon packs that may differ from the Play Store's offering.
   
4. The Featured tab shows the app icon packs offered by Samsung.
5. To find popular icon packs, go to the Top tab.
   
6. Tap on the icon pack you like to open its store page, and then download it.
7. Once the app icon pack gets downloaded, select Apply to make changes to app icons.
   

Most of the icon packs that you get in this Galaxy Themes store charge money. Try other methods that offer a free way to get the icon pack you like before using paid services.

Also, this icon packs only changes icons of official Samsung apps and system app icons. To get a unique icon for each type of app on your phone, use another method to change other app icons. You will find various third-party icon packs in Google Play Store that work on all apps on your Samsung device.

Change individual app icons and names using Shortcut Maker

In some devices, the phone's stock launcher doesn't change stock app icons. If it is the case with you, don't worry about it. The app Shortcut Maker works effectively for changing individual app icons installed on your phone. It supports all different app types (first-party or third-party).

Using the Shortcut Maker app, you can change app icons and name both; you need to install it first on your phone. Following are the steps to change the app icon and its name:

Change the app icon using Shortcut Maker

1. Download and install the Shortcut Maker app on your phone from Play Store.
2. Launch the app and choose the Apps option to create a new app shortcut.
   
3. Pick an app from installed apps that icon you want to change.
4. Tap on the Icon option to see the icons that match the app you selected from your phone.
   
5. Under the Available Icons section, you will see various icons. Select anyone you like.
   
6. To try something different, tap on Style or Themed taps to use the icon in another way.
7. Once you are done, tap on the check icon at the screen's top-right to reflect your changes.
8. Tap the Create Shortcut button if you wish to add a new icon to the home screen. Based on the phone UI, confirm your action by clicking Add option.
   

Change the app name using Shortcut Maker:

Other than changing app icons, Shortcut Maker lets you customize and change the app name to display on the home screen.

1. Launch the Shortcut Maker app and choose the Apps section to create a new app shortcut.
2. Pick an app from installed apps whose name you want to customize or change.
3. Click on the Tap to Edit Label button to change the app name.
4. Now, provide a new custom name for the app you have chosen.
5. After giving a new name to the app, tap Done.
6. If you wish to change something else, do that. When you complete all settings, tap on the Create Shortcut button.

This way, you can customize the app icon and name on your Android phone using the Shortcut Maker app.

Use third-party launchers to apply icon packs easily:

There is also an option to use the third-party launcher to use the icon pack on your Android phone. Also, the best Android launchers support custom icon packs. You will find some best icon packs in Google Play Store that can change the appearance of app icons on your Android phone. This third-party launcher tool changes the icons of both first-party and third-party apps.

The steps to change the app icons of the phone varies based on the custom launcher you are using. But mostly, they follow the same steps. Download any icon pack from Play Store which you want to apply, and then go to the launcher's settings menu. From the settings menu option, choose custom icons followed by icon pack.

How to change app icons in the Nova launcher

1. Press and hold at space on the home screen of the Nova launcher app.
2. Tap on the Settings option.
3. From the various setting options, tap on "Look & feel."
   
4. Now, tap on the Icon style.
   
5. Tap on the Icon theme.
   
6. Choose any icon pack which you have like to apply. It automatically changes all the app icons on your Android smartphone.
7. Go back to the Icon style menu option and find additional options that allow customization of app icons' style and shape.
8. Go to the home screen of the Nova launcher to see the changes you made.

Other than the entire home-screen app icon, you can also change the particular app icons on the Nova home screen. Following are the steps to change a particular app icon:

1. Press and hold the app which icon you want to change.
2. From the popup options, tap the pencil button to edit it.
   
3. Tap on the app icon.
   
4. Choose the icon pack from which you want to apply the new icon.
5. Now, pick the icon you want to apply in place of the selected app icon.
   
6. After choosing the new icon you like, tap Done to finish.
   

Changing individual app icons using the Nova launcher is an easy-to-use option to mix and use two or more icon packs. The process and steps to change individual icons are generally the same on all third-party launchers.