Consistent SVG App Icons for iOS and Android
Create unified, scalable app icons using SVGMaker's AI-powered SVG icon generator.
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Why Use SVG for App Icons
Starting with SVG as your source format offers significant advantages over creating raster icons directly. This guide shows you how to design icons that follow platform guidelines and maintain visual consistency across both iOS and Android devices.
What You'll Learn:
- Understanding iOS and Android icon requirements
- Using SVGMaker to generate consistent app icons
- Platform-specific size and format guidelines
- Exporting icons for both platforms
- Maintaining visual consistency across devices
Key Benefits of SVG Icons
Single Source for All Sizes
Design once, export to any resolution without quality loss.
Consistent Quality
Every icon size maintains the same crisp lines and colours.
Easy Updates
Modify your icon in one place and re-export all sizes instantly.
Smaller Source Files
Vector files are typically much smaller than high-resolution PNGs.
AI-Powered Customisation
Generate bespoke, on-brand icons instead of using generic icon libraries.
Why AI-Generated Icons Beat Icon Libraries
Traditional icon libraries like Font Awesome are convenient but limiting. AI-generated SVG icons offer:
- True Customisation — Get exactly what your brand needs, not a compromise from a preset library
- Production-Ready Code — Clean SVG output that's ready for immediate use
- Unique Identity — Stand out with custom icons instead of the same assets every other app uses
- Royalty-Free — Full commercial usage rights for your generated icons
- Infinite Scalability — Perfect quality from 16px favicons to App Store promotional images
Understanding Platform Requirements
Before generating your icon, understand what each platform needs.
iOS Icon Requirements
Apple requires specific sizes for different contexts. All iOS icons use the same base design — the system applies rounded corners automatically.
| Context | Size (px) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| App Store | 1024 × 1024 | Required for App Store listing |
| iPhone (@3x) | 180 × 180 | iPhone 8 Plus, X, and newer |
| iPhone (@2x) | 120 × 120 | Older iPhone models |
| iPad Pro (@2x) | 167 × 167 | 12.9" iPad Pro |
| iPad (@2x) | 152 × 152 | Standard iPad |
| Spotlight iPhone (@3x) | 120 × 120 | Search results |
| Spotlight iPad (@2x) | 80 × 80 | Search results |
| Settings (@3x) | 87 × 87 | Settings app |
| Settings (@2x) | 58 × 58 | Settings app |
iOS Design Rules:
- No transparency — The entire icon area must be filled
- No rounded corners — iOS applies the corner radius automatically
- Square format — All icons are 1:1 aspect ratio
- Simple at small sizes — Your icon must be recognisable at 29 × 29 pixels
Android Icon Requirements
Android uses adaptive icons with separate foreground and background layers, allowing for various icon shapes across different device manufacturers.
| Context | Size (px) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Play Store | 512 × 512 | Required for listing |
| xxxhdpi | 192 × 192 | Highest density displays |
| xxhdpi | 144 × 144 | Very high density |
| xhdpi | 96 × 96 | High density |
| hdpi | 72 × 72 | Medium-high density |
| mdpi | 48 × 48 | Medium density (baseline) |
Android Adaptive Icon Layers:
- Foreground — 108 × 108 dp with your main icon content
- Background — 108 × 108 dp solid colour or pattern
- Safe Zone — Keep critical content within a 66 dp diameter circle (centred)
- Outer Area — The 21 dp border on each side may be masked by different icon shapes
Important
Android devices can display icons as circles, squircles, rounded squares, or other shapes. Design your icon to look good when masked to any of these formats.
Designing for Cross-Platform Consistency
Follow these principles to ensure your icon looks unified across both platforms.
Keep It Simple
Your icon must be recognisable at 48 × 48 pixels — the smallest common display size.
- Use bold, clear shapes rather than fine details
- Limit your design to 2-3 key elements maximum
- Avoid thin lines that disappear at small sizes
- Choose high-contrast colour combinations
Use a Consistent Safe Zone
Both platforms have areas that may be cropped or masked.
- iOS — Corners are rounded, which crops the corner areas
- Android — Various shapes may mask up to 21 dp from each edge
- Design your icon content within a centred circle that's approximately 66% of the total icon width
Avoid Text in Icons
Text in app icons creates problems at small sizes.
- Becomes unreadable at small sizes
- Doesn't localise for different languages
- Looks unprofessional when scaled
- Violates both Apple and Google guidelines
Maintain Colour Consistency
Colours may appear slightly different between iOS and Android.
- Use standard web colours (hex codes) for predictable results
- Test on actual devices from both platforms
- Avoid colours that are very close to each other
- Consider how your icon looks on both light and dark backgrounds
Tip
If text is essential to your brand, make it a very prominent, simple element that works as a shape. Design your icon content within a centred circle that's approximately 66% of the total icon width.
Step-by-Step Icon Generation Guide
Follow these steps to create your app icon using SVGMaker:
Plan Your Icon Design - Before generating, decide on your core symbol, colour palette (2-3 colours), style (flat, minimal, or illustrated), and shape type (geometric, organic, or typographic).
Generate Your Base SVG - Go to SVGMaker and select the Generate tab. Enter a detailed prompt describing your icon.
Review and Refine - Check your generated icon: Is it recognisable at small sizes? Does it have a clear silhouette? Are colours working on both light and dark backgrounds?
Optimise for Clarity - Use the SVG Viewer to fine-tune your icon. Check that all paths are clean and simple, verify colours, and ensure the viewBox is correctly set.
Export for iOS - Export PNG files at each required size: 1024 × 1024 (App Store), 180 × 180 (iPhone @3x), 120 × 120 (iPhone @2x), and other required sizes.
Export for Android - For adaptive icons, export foreground (432 × 432px, transparent) and background layers. For single layer icons, export at 512 × 512, 192 × 192, 144 × 144, 96 × 96, 72 × 72, and 48 × 48.
Test on Device Simulators - Use Xcode's simulator for iOS and Android Studio's AVD for Android. Check both light and dark mode appearances.
Recommended Settings
- Artistic Style: Flat (recommended for icons)
- Colour Mode: Few Colours (2-4 colours work best)
- Complexity: Icon
- Composition: Centred object
- Text: No Text
- Aspect Ratio: 1:1 (square)
- Quality: High
Tip
Most iOS development workflows only require the 1024 × 1024 version. Xcode's asset catalogue can automatically generate other sizes.
Best Prompts for App Icons
Here are proven prompt patterns for generating effective app icons:
Prompt Templates
For Simple Icons
A [object] icon, flat design, [colour] and white, minimal style, bold shapes, app icon, centred, no textFor Branded Icons
[Brand name concept] as a modern app icon, [style] design, [primary colour] and [secondary colour], simple geometric shapes, professional, minimal, centred compositionCategory-Specific Examples
Productivity
A task list icon with checkmarks, flat design, green and white, minimal corporate style, suitable for productivity app iconSocial
A chat bubble icon with heart, friendly rounded style, gradient from pink to purple, modern social app designFinance
A coin or currency symbol icon, professional flat design, gold and dark blue, trustworthy financial app styleHealth
A heart rate or wellness symbol, clean medical style, calming green and white, approachable health app iconFull Example Prompts
A simple camera icon for a photo app, flat design style, using blue and white colours, minimal geometric shapes, centred composition, no text, suitable for app iconA shopping bag icon with a heart, flat, minimal style, purple gradient, clean modern design, app icon format, bold simple shapes, no textTroubleshooting Common Issues
Solutions for common problems you might encounter.
Icon looks blurry at small sizes
- Your design has too much detail — simplify it
- Increase line thickness in the Edit mode
- Remove elements that aren't essential
- Use higher contrast colours
Colours appear different on iOS vs Android
- Ensure you're using standard hex colour codes
- Test on actual devices, not just simulators
- Some Android devices have different colour calibrations
- Consider using slightly more saturated colours
Android adaptive icon looks cropped
- Your content extends beyond the safe zone
- Centre your design and keep it within 66% of the total area
- Test with circular, squircle, and rounded rectangle masks
App Store rejection for icon issues
- iOS: Check for any transparency (must be fully opaque)
- iOS: Ensure no alpha channel in the PNG
- Android: Verify you've included all required sizes
- Both: Confirm the icon is exactly square
Icon doesn't match brand
- Be more specific about colours in your prompt (use hex codes)
- Reference specific style elements in the prompt
- Use the Edit mode to make incremental adjustments
- Try the Enhance button to add more detail to your description
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