App Store Icon Guidelines: Apple's Requirements Explained

Apple has specific requirements for App Store icons. Get them wrong and your app gets rejected. This guide covers what Apple actually requires, not just the technical specs but the design guidelines that trip people up.

The Main Requirement

Your App Store icon must be exactly 1024x1024 pixels. This is the icon that appears on your App Store listing page.

This is separate from the app icons that appear on the device. The 1024px icon is only for the store listing.

No Transparency

This is the most common rejection reason. The App Store icon cannot have any transparency. The alpha channel must be completely opaque.

If your icon has a transparent background, Apple will reject it. Even if the visible area looks solid, a PNG with an alpha channel will fail validation.

How to fix: Export your icon as a PNG without an alpha channel, or add a solid background color before exporting. In most design tools, this means flattening the image onto a colored background layer.

No Rounded Corners

Apple applies the corner radius automatically. If you add your own rounded corners, you'll end up with a double-rounded effect that looks wrong.

Design your icon as a perfect square with sharp corners. The system applies the correct radius for each context (App Store, home screen, settings, etc.).

Color Space

Apple accepts two color spaces:

• sRGB: Standard web colors, works everywhere
• Display P3: Wider color gamut, more vibrant on newer devices

If you're not sure, use sRGB. P3 is only worth using if your icon specifically needs colors outside the sRGB gamut.

Check your export settings in your design tool. Photoshop, Figma, and Sketch all let you choose the color profile on export.

What Apple Reviews

Beyond the technical specs, Apple's Human Interface Guidelines have design requirements:

Simplicity

Icons should be simple and recognizable. Apple rejects icons that are too complex to read at small sizes. If your icon has intricate details or lots of elements, simplify it.

No Photos

App Store icons should be designed graphics, not photographs. Apple may reject photographic icons. If you need to include realistic imagery, stylize it.

No Screenshots

Don't use a screenshot of your app as the icon. This violates the guidelines and usually looks bad anyway.

No Badges or Text

Avoid adding text, price badges, or promotional overlays to your icon. The app name already appears below the icon. Additional text is redundant and often illegible.

Exceptions exist for apps where text is core to the brand (like a dictionary app with a letter as the icon), but generic promotional text is not allowed.

Original Content

The icon must be original or properly licensed. Using someone else's artwork, logos, or copyrighted images will get your app rejected and potentially your developer account terminated.

Device Icons vs Store Icon

The 1024px icon is just for the store listing. Your app bundle also needs smaller icons for the device:

These are included in your Xcode asset catalog. The store icon is uploaded separately through App Store Connect.

Xcode Asset Catalog

Xcode uses an asset catalog (Assets.xcassets) to manage your app icons. The catalog has slots for each required size.

When you drag your 1024px icon into the App Store slot, Xcode doesn't automatically generate the smaller sizes. You need to provide each size individually, or use a tool to generate them from your source file.

Some sizes share the same pixel dimensions but different point sizes (like 60@2x and 40@3x are both 120px). You can use the same file for these.

Common Rejection Reasons

Transparency in the icon. Number one cause of rejection. Always export without alpha.

Low quality or blurry. If you upscaled a small image to 1024px, Apple might reject it for quality. Start with a high-resolution source.

Misleading content. If your icon shows features your app doesn't have, Apple will reject it.

Offensive content. Icons with violence, adult content, or hate symbols get rejected immediately.

Too similar to system icons. Don't make your icon look like Apple's built-in app icons. It confuses users and violates guidelines.

Third-party IP. Using another company's logo, characters, or branding without permission results in rejection.

App Store Screenshots vs Icon

The App Store icon is different from app screenshots. The icon is your brand mark. Screenshots show your app in action. Don't combine these concepts.

Your icon appears:

• In App Store search results
• On your app's product page
• In the "Today" tab if featured
• In purchase confirmation dialogs

It needs to work at all these sizes while remaining instantly recognizable.

Tips for Approval

Test at multiple sizes. Your icon will be displayed at various sizes on the store. Check that it's recognizable from the large product page version down to small search result thumbnails.

Validate before submitting. Xcode validates your icons when you archive the app. Fix any warnings before uploading.

Match your app. The icon should relate to what your app does. A mismatch between icon and functionality confuses users and can trigger additional review.

Keep it timeless. Avoid trendy design elements that will look dated in a year. Your icon should last through multiple app updates.

Check on different backgrounds. The App Store displays icons on various background colors. Make sure your icon has enough contrast to stand out.

Export Checklist

Before uploading to App Store Connect:

• Exactly 1024x1024 pixels
• PNG format
• No transparency (solid background)
• No rounded corners
• sRGB or P3 color space
• Flattened (no layers or alpha channel)
• File size under 1MB
• No promotional text or badges
• Original artwork

Get these right and your icon will pass technical validation. The rest is up to Apple's design review, which is more subjective but generally approves icons that follow the Human Interface Guidelines.