Create custom icon with Icon Composer

Last updated 4 days ago

Apple's Icon Composer is an app to create universal icons for Apple platforms and apply the Liquid Glass design using a single file. To create a custom app and notification icon for App Catalog with Apple's Icon Composer, follow these steps:

Download Icon Composer and follow the documentation how to create your icon: https://developer.apple.com/documentation/Xcode/creating-your-app-icon-using-icon-composer
When the design is complete, go to File > Export...

Choose the following options:
- Platform: iOS, macOS
- Appearance: Default
- Size: 1024pt
- Light Angle: -45 degrees (to match system icons)

Use the exported PNG file and apply: App and notification icon

Due to Apple limitations, it is not possible to apply multiple icon variants such as dark, tinted or clear.

SF Symbol is an icon library designed by Apple and built into macOS. It provides thousands of unique icons with several color options. An SF Symbol can be used to show in the sidebar of the user-facing Catalog App for macOS. Here's how to use SF Symbols:

Download the SF Symbols app from the Apple Developer website: https://developer.apple.com/sf-symbols/
Choose and select an SF Symbol
Control-Click on the SF Symbol and choose Copy Name to copy the SF Symbol name
Paste the name in the preference key Logo and optionally LogoDark (when using different color options)

Not all SF Symbols are available in every version of macOS as new SF Symbols are introduced in newer versions of macOS. Be sure to check availability in the SF Symbols app and it may vary depending on color options.