---
title: "Apple App Icon Sizes for iOS, macOS & watchOS | 48h Icons"
description: "What size an app icon needs for iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch, from Apple's guidelines, plus corners, transparency and the Icon Composer file."
url: "https://48hicons.com/app-icon-sizes"
---

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# App icon sizes for iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch.

The short answer: design one icon at 1024 by 1024 pixels, or 1088 by 1088 for Apple Watch, and let Xcode make every other size. Here's what Apple asks for on each platform, and the rules that trip people up.

## The sizes Apple asks for

Apple's Human Interface Guidelines list one design canvas per platform. You design at this size and the system scales the icon down for places like Settings and notifications.

| Platform | Canvas size | Shape on screen | Appearances |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| iPhone and iPad (iOS, iPadOS) | 1024 × 1024 px | Rounded square | Default, dark, clear light, clear dark, tinted light, tinted dark |
| Mac (macOS) | 1024 × 1024 px | Rounded square | Default, dark, clear light, clear dark, tinted light, tinted dark |
| Apple Watch (watchOS) | 1088 × 1088 px | Circle | None |
| Apple Vision Pro (visionOS) | 1024 × 1024 px | Circle | None |
| Apple TV (tvOS) | 800 × 480 px | Rounded rectangle | None |

All of these are square or rectangular canvases. The rounded corners and the circle are added by the system, not by you.

## One file, every size

For iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch, Apple's current way is a single file made in **Icon Composer**, the free icon tool that comes with Xcode. You add that one **.icon** file to your Xcode project and the system draws your icon for every platform, appearance and size from it. It also covers the App Store.

If your app still supports older versions of iOS or macOS, Xcode builds matching images for those versions from the same file. Adding an Icon Composer file replaces the old AppIcon asset catalog.

Apple TV and Apple Vision Pro are the exception. Their icons are still layered image stacks made in Xcode, not Icon Composer files.

## If you use an asset catalog instead

Older projects keep their icon in an AppIcon set in the asset catalog. There:

- **iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch** can make every size from a single 1024 × 1024 image. That's the default for new projects (the Single Size option).
- **Mac** needs an image for each size in the asset catalog, plus one in the App Store slot.
- For the dark look you give an icon with a transparent background, and for the tinted look a grayscale image.

Exporting a pile of sizes by hand is what Icon Composer was made to end. If you're starting fresh, use the single file.

## Corners, transparency and other rules

- **Don't round the corners yourself.** Give Apple square, unmasked art. Baked-in corners can look jagged next to the system's own shape.
- **Keep the main shape centered,** with some room around it, so nothing gets cut off. This matters most for the round Apple Watch icon.
- **Make the background fill the whole canvas.** If you import a background layer, Apple asks for it to be full-bleed and opaque. On Apple Watch, avoid a pure black background so the icon doesn't disappear into the screen.
- **Leave out shadows, glows and shine.** The system adds highlights and depth for you, and keeps them dynamic. Baked-in effects are static and get in their way.
- **Skip text and photos.** Text is usually too small to read and isn't translated. Photos and very thin lines lose their detail at small sizes.
- **Color:** sRGB, Display P3 for wider color, or Gray Gamma 2.2 for grayscale art.
- **Layer files:** SVG for shapes, so they stay sharp at any size. PNG for gradients and raster art, because it's lossless.

## Quick checklist

1. Design on a 1024 × 1024 canvas, or 1088 × 1088 for Apple Watch.
2. Split the art into a background and a few foreground layers.
3. Put the layers together in Icon Composer and check every appearance.
4. Save the .icon file, add it to your Xcode project and set it as the app icon.
5. Export a flat image from Icon Composer for your website and launch posts.

New to the glass look? Read [what Liquid Glass icons are](https://48hicons.com/liquid-glass-app-icon). Built your app with an AI tool and just want the icon handled? See [icons for AI-built apps](https://48hicons.com/vibe-coded-app-icon).

## What 48h Icons sends you

Every package includes the Xcode-ready .icon file at the right canvas sizes, previews of the light, dark, clear and tinted looks, a 1024px PNG, SVG and PNG source files, install notes and a ready-made prompt so your AI coding agent can add the icon for you. More on [iPhone](https://48hicons.com/ios-app-icon-design), [iPad](https://48hicons.com/ipados-app-icon-design), [Mac](https://48hicons.com/macos-app-icon-design) and [Apple Watch](https://48hicons.com/watchos-app-icon-design) icons.

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