App icon design – The Complete Guide of 2022

The mobile applications gave us the gateway to some of the most beautiful concepts in the virtual world. There are probably dozens of applications that provide exactly what you are providing, but you have to agree that some of them stand out just because of their appearances and perceptions.

Why do you think there is a special law for protecting your design or logo?
Why do you think companies spend millions of dollars on artists or icon design?

The answer to this is simple, it works miracles for them and brings more business.

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Why Is App Icon Design Important?

App icons are something that adds value to your design and creates an identity that allows people to recognize you without even physically interacting. Even the most profitable gigantic companies like Facebook—now META—, Google, Amazon, have some of the simplest app icon designs.

Acting as the catalyst that triggers the whole business conduct, an app icon design’s contribution is crucial. Simple, yet creative app design does not only communicate but also accomplishes the complicated task of cost elimination. Because adding that convincing factor is something on which most of the companies spend millions and even billions.

Along with that an app icon also plays an important factor and is your company’s entry face to the world. As increasing downloads, advertisements, campaigns, app’s look, the app icon design will communicate the whole function of your business.

Good app icons give you an advantage in the game. Since, the importance of app icon design’s list goes on, here, we have created a complete guide for your guidance for you to design a perfect application icon design for your digital product.

The Core Aspects of App icon design

It Is Different From a Company Logo

Before getting into the actual core concepts of the app icon design, here is what you should know about the app icon: it is more than a logo. Because the logo stands for you, whereas an icon talks to the end potential user directly without any interference of humans on a digital platform.

A logo represents your company and sometimes it can be completely different from the app icon like Amazon.com’s logo is completely different from its icon.

Understand that it’s not necessary to keep your company’s logo and app icon the same. App icons can be changed and enhanced as per the needs or market analysis. Remember that an app icon is the pivot point that gives your business eyes.

The App Store Matters

Your app icon is seen on the app store to the customer when he searches for it. Two of the major app stores are Android’s Google Playstore and iOS’s App Store. Though the customer can also download your application for the website. But it’s always better to get listed on app stores as it brings more customers.

The App Store for getting listed has a set of rules that helps you see first and have a good performance on the application. Just like a search engine, an app store gives you a platform to sell. So, follow the rules to get enlisted and design accordingly. Complex app icons can complicate the situation and can result in poor performance. So always be updated with the design trend and make your app icon design count.

Know Your Audience

Suppose you have a utility app or a game app or a social media platform. It helps you define your app icon. With this, you can add a thought of feeling to your design. Along with that targeting potential customers becomes easy and it also improves the scalability of the application.

Knowing who you are targeting and who your consumers are, makes the process easy of how to design app icons, as you will know where the audience will look for you. Suppose if you have a media application, an app icon of a camera, mic, photo, etc. not only helps you rank higher on the app store but also communicates with you and tells the user what exactly they will get from it. So, know your end-user or the market, keep it attractive, and bring out that emotional sense out of the app.

Don’t just communicate, but talk to your audience!

Know your business, target audience, and the market you are getting into. Since the industries like IT, Finance, Agritech, Mobile & Telecom are seeing a hike in new businesses in the digital market, the first thing that the visitor looks for while downloading you is your icon. Talk to them through your design and be so convincing that it should communicate the whole Unique Selling Point (USP) of your business.

Gaming apps or a utility app can make a perfect example of it. As the games talk to the children about what they can experience from it. And a utility application like a Notepad application can just have a notebook, diary, etc. as the app icon. Because it talks to the customer about what it does, and for what it can be used for.

Design your app icon in such a way that it should be recognized by the user by looking at the icon. Remember for what it is used and you are halfway there.

It all about Scalability

One thing that is common in all the core aspects of how to design app icons is that it focuses on the factor of the marketplace. Since the app icon is going to be seen in several places—and considering its small size—scalability of the application is equally important. It's not the application but your business model that demands the app icon to look good for more business.

Some apps with good business models fail to create an impact because they are designed poorly. This is because it falls victim to over-complexity. Consider that give special importance to the design being scalable along with its smoothening experience to the retina.

Tips To Improve Scalability

Since scalability is this important here are some tips to improve scalability and help you in how to design app icons:

There is a special dedicated size with dimensions given to the icons and how it is shown on mobile phones or other platforms. Working on a 1024*1024-pixel canvas can help you ace your give. Try out different designs in different contexts and sizes.
Keep the design simple. Know your USP and it will help you streamline your focus. This element retains the qualities while scaling the app, even on app stores.
Your customer has a different background, so make sure that the app can be recognized even on every possible wallpaper that your app user is using. This gives you special recognizability as it adds the factor of standing out even in a crowd.

Caution- Words in Icon, Ahead

It is a well-known fact that the best way to promote a company or brand is by adding it making it name, the face of the business. Many applications like Uber, Zara, Voot have words in their app icon design. It is not necessary to include the app’s name in the icon, as it is found in the interface.

You need to be sure if you want to add words or letters to your logo design. And in case you are considering to add it your app icon design then here are a few things that you should consider:

Come up with a pictorial concept, because that sells and adds a feel to your icon design. give it a feel, like the icon of popular music application Amazon Music does.
Facebook has only the letter ‘f’ as its icon. Yes, but it made the letter lose its wordy quality. Only consider this if it is a good fit. It is often due to the popularity of the app that this rule has seen more successful exceptions than execution.
Companies do not have a square logo, because for various reasons. Remember an icon different from a logo. If the logo does not fit perfectly in the icon square, then better choose a different design for your app icon design.
Don’t force a word in the context of your app design. it will simply not work and the design will lose its good look.

App icon design is something that the user will have with your whole business. It’s the first and the strongest connection of your business with your user. However, it’s not about the first time they choose you. It’s about every single interaction after that. Keep it simple with good design, scalability, recognizability, consistency, and uniqueness that make the design what it is.

End-Note

To enhance your app icon design, UI UX Studio provides you with excellent designers that will help enhance the insights of your industry. Let your core focus of business be in IT & ITES, of Education & Learning, Media & Entertainment or Finance, UIUX Studio will design an ideal design that will bring meaning and the factor of communication to your app icon design. We have dedicated designs specialized in using the ideal app icon design tools, which will again help you in entering the market faster and easier. Contact us now or email us at sales@uiux.studio