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How to create app icon for new Apple System

Published: at 05:25 PM

🆕 What’s New About Icons in the Latest Systems

✍️ Icon Composer

Icon Composer is Apple’s official tool for efficiently creating app icons across platforms and appearance modes.

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Key Features of Icon Composer:

Major steps to create a new icon for new system

To create a new app icon with Icon Composer, follow these key steps:

  1. Design Your Icon in a Vector Tool Start by designing your icon in a vector-based tool like Figma, Sketch, Illustrator, or Photoshop. Use Apple’s official app icon templates for the correct canvas size and grid.

  2. Organize Artwork in Layers Structure your icon as separate layers for each visual element (background, foreground, details). This makes it easier to adjust colors and effects later.

  3. Export Layers

    • Export vector layers as SVG files for scalability.

    • Export any complex or raster elements (like gradients or images) as PNGs with transparent backgrounds.

    • Convert any text to outlines before exporting.

    • Do not include the rounded rectangle or circle mask; Icon Composer applies this automatically.

      It’s really important to export your assets with SVG instead of PNG or JPG. PNG works well but SVG can benefit from the Icon Composer layers and glass / shadow system, which made it ease and fancy.

  4. Import Layers into Icon Composer Open Icon Composer and drag your exported layers into the sidebar. The tool will organize them into groups and stack them in the correct order.

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  5. Apply Materials and Effects Use Icon Composer’s inspector to apply Liquid Glass, shadows, blur, and other dynamic effects to each layer or group. Adjust colors and properties for different appearance modes (Default, Dark, Tinted, etc.).

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  6. Preview Across Platforms and Modes Preview your icon in real time for iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS, and test how it looks in all supported appearance modes.

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  7. Export and Deliver Once satisfied, export your icon as a .icon file. Drag this file into Xcode and select it in your project settings.

By following these steps, you can efficiently create a modern, adaptive app icon for all Apple platforms using Icon Composer.