How to change icon of Android App?

How to Change the Icon of an Android App?

Direct Answer:

To change the icon of an Android app, you can do so by modifying the icon in the project’s res/drawable directory and then rebuilding the project.

Changing the Icon: A Step-by-Step Guide

Android provides a straightforward way to change the icon of an app. You can do so by modifying the icon in the project’s res/drawable directory and then rebuilding the project. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you achieve this:

Table of Contents

Step 1: Access the Project’s Res Directory

To start, you’ll need to access the project’s res directory. This directory contains all the resources used by your app, including the icon. To access it, follow these steps:

Open your Android Studio project.

In the project structure, navigate to the app folder.

Locate the res folder.

Open the drawables folder, which contains the icon files.

Step 2: Replace the Icon

Once in the drawables folder, you can replace the existing icon with a new one. You can use various tools, such as Adobe Photoshop or GIMP, to create a new icon. Make sure the icon is in PNG format and has a square shape. The recommended dimensions are 48×48 pixels or 72×72 pixels for mdpi, hdpi, xhdpi, and xxhdpi densities, respectively.

Icon Dimensions:

Density	Icon Dimensions (px)
mdpi (Low)	48×48
hdpi (High)	72×72
xhdpi (Extra High)	96×96
xxhdpi (Extra Extra High)	144×144

Step 3: Name the New Icon

Name the new icon with a descriptive filename, such as ic_launcher.png or app_icon.png. This will help Android distinguish it from other icons in the project.

Step 4: Update the Manifest File

Update the AndroidManifest.xml file to reference the new icon. Locate the <application> tag and add the android:icon attribute, pointing to the new icon:

<application

    ...>

    <application

        ...>

        <appcompatted android_icon="@drawable/ic_launcher" />

    </application>

</application>

Why Update the Manifest File?

The AndroidManifest.xml file contains essential information about your app, including the icon.

By updating it, you’re linking the app to the new icon.

This ensures that the new icon is used when the app is launched or updated.

Step 5: Rebuild the Project

Finally, rebuild your project to apply the changes. This will package the new icon with your app.

Important Considerations:

Make sure to update all required icon sizes for different densities.

Use a consistent naming convention for your icons to avoid confusion.

Consider using Android Asset Studio, a free online tool, to create and manage icons for different densities.

Android Studio’s built-in resources duplication feature can help simplify the process by creating multiple icon sizes automatically.

By following these steps, you can change the icon of your Android app and give it a fresh new look. Remember to update the manifest file and rebuild the project to ensure the changes take effect. Happy coding!