Let’s talk about memorable icons for mobile apps. When interacting with an app, the first thing a user does is to tap on the desktop icon or notice it among other icons in the app marketplace. Therefore, the design and attractiveness of the icon is extremely important.
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Mobile app icons are an important UI element that helps to quickly identify the app on the home screen of a smartphone. In addition, icons are also used in app stores, where they can influence the decision of potential users to download the app or not. Therefore, it is important to develop quality and recognizable icons for your mobile app.
Types of icons for mobile apps
There are two main types of icons that are used in mobile apps:
- Main
- Secondary (functional)
The main icon is called the basic icon of the app. It is displayed on the home screen of the smartphone and should be bright and memorable to catch the attention of users.
Secondary icons are used inside the application: such as control buttons, menu items, etc. In this case, the icons should be simpler and clearer so that users can quickly understand how to use the app.
What parameters should be taken into account during development?
When designing icons for mobile applications, you need to consider several parameters that can affect the quality of their display.
- First, the icons should be sized appropriately. For the main application icon in the Apple App Store, the size should be 1024×1024 pixels, and for the icon on the home screen – 180×180 pixels. For the Google Play store, the size of the icon on the home screen should be at least 192×192 pixels.
- Second, icons must meet certain format requirements. For iOS, PNG or PDF format is used, while for Android, PNG is used. In addition, for Android, it is recommended to use icons in SVG vector graphics format so that they can be scaled without loss of quality.
- Third, icons should be recognizable and match the style of the application. The color scheme, font, shapes, and other elements should match the overall design of the app. This will help to create a unified style and improve the user’s perception of the application.
What programs are used to create icons for apps?
Creating icons for mobile apps is a creative and complex process that requires the use of specialized programs. There are many programs for creating icons, some of them are free and some of them are paid. The most popular programs for creating icons are:
- Sketch is a paid program designed to design interfaces and create icons for mobile applications. Sketch is one of the most popular tools for designers and has extensive icon creation capabilities.
- Adobe Illustrator is a paid program that is widely used to create vector icons. Illustrator has many features and options for creating designs, including the ability to scale and resize icons without losing quality.
- Inkscape is a free and open source program designed for creating vector icons. Inkscape has a simple interface and many tools for creating and editing icons.
- Canva is a free online tool for creating graphic designs, including icons for mobile apps. Canva has many ready-made templates and design elements, making icon creation easier and faster.
- Figma is a paid interface design program that is also used to create icons. Figma has extensive icon creation capabilities and also integrates with other interface design programs.
It is important to remember that creating high-quality icons for mobile applications is a long process that requires creativity and design experience. Therefore, if you do not have the necessary skills or time to create icons on your own, it is better to contact a professional designer. This will help you create unique and recognizable icons that will match your brand and attract more users to your app.