Apple Liquid Glass design in iOS 26: Redesign your app …

Your iOS app icon is the very first thing individuals discover. They see it in App Retailer search, on the Dwelling Display screen, in Highlight, and in Settings. With iOS 26, Apple launched Liquid Glass design, a brand new visible language that offers each icon gentle depth, refined mild play, and a way of movement. In case your present icon appears flat or outdated, it might probably presumably cut back tap-through price and conversion price.

On this weblog publish, you’ll discover ways to redesign (or create) a Liquid Glass icon that:

• Meets each iOS app icon measurement requirement
• Follows Apple’s Human Interface Pointers (HIG)
• Makes use of Icon Composer (Apple’s instrument for layered icons) and Product Web page Optimization (PPO) to check what really improves downloads

Lastly, you’ll be taught easy methods to design your app icon for iOS 26, preserve your model id, and place your app for stronger natural progress.

Key takeaways

• Comply with Apple Liquid Glass design requirements: iOS 26 provides depth and lighting. Icons that ignore this will really feel outdated.
• Work from one grasp file. Design at 1024 × 1024 px (PNG, no transparency). Xcode creates the sizes.
• Preserve it clear. One easy, recognizable form beats tiny particulars.
• Take a look at on actual telephones. Attempt totally different wallpapers and widgets to test distinction and visibility.
• Use information, not guesses. A/B take a look at as much as three icon variations in PPO and observe tap-through (TTR) and conversion (CVR).

Why your Liquid Glass app icon issues in 2025

Apple now renders each iOS 26 icon utilizing the Apple Liquid Glass design system, introducing lifelike depth, translucency, and adaptive highlights. Icons that don’t observe this visible language seem outdated and may obtain considerably fewer faucets.

As a part of Apple’s newest ecosystem updates, these visible and efficiency modifications additionally proceed to form how builders strategy cell person acquisition and conversion optimization.

Right here’s the sensible impression in 2025:

• Visibility at each touchpoint. Your app icon seems in App Retailer search outcomes, product pages, and throughout the whole Apple ecosystem. Underneath the Apple Liquid Glass design, readability and steadiness are extra vital than ever. In case your icon appears noisy or unclear, customers could lose curiosity earlier than even studying your title, app subtitle, or screenshots. Apple’s HIG continues to emphasise simplicity, recognizability, and system consistency.
• Perceived high quality. HIG-guided icons really feel per the system, which indicators polish and reliability. In distinction, mismatched styling (e.g., heavy outlines, busy textures) breaks belief quick.
• Direct testability (and accountability). PPO allows you to A/B-test as much as three icon variants and evaluate engagement towards your management. That is the quickest technique to measure impression.
• Tied to conversion. In App Retailer Join, CVR equals downloads divided by distinctive system impressions. Your icon is the very first thing individuals discover. Once you optimize it utilizing Apple’s Liquid Glass design, you’ll be able to usually see increased tap-through and conversion charges. Understanding easy methods to use App Retailer Join additionally helps you interpret these metrics precisely.

Professional tip: Don’t simply optimize your individual icon, watch your opponents too. Use Artistic Monitoring instruments (like MobileAction’s) to see once they replace their icons, evaluate designs aspect by aspect, and correlate these modifications with shifts of their rankings or conversion efficiency. 

Apple Liquid Glass interface: What modified in iOS 26?

Apple’s design evolution has all the time mirrored modifications in expertise and person expectations. From skeuomorphism (a mode that imitates real-world supplies and textures) to minimalism (a clear, flat strategy that removes visible noise), and now to the Apple Liquid Glass design, every period redefines how digital interfaces feel and appear. In 2025, with iOS 26, Apple has moved from static visuals to dynamic, light-responsive environments that really feel extra pure and immersive.

• Skeuomorphism (Pre-iOS 7): Design mimicked real-world objects, usually utilizing heavy textures and lifelike results.
• Flat design (iOS 7 – iOS 15): Apple simplified visuals by shifting away from real-world textures in favor of flat colours and minimal gradients, with emphasis on readability and value.
• Glassmorphism (iOS 15 – 2025): A return to depth with semi-translucent parts, permitting mild to cross by way of whereas sustaining readability.
• Liquid Glass (iOS 26): A extra fluid, dynamic system the place parts like icons, toolbars, and backgrounds mirror and refract mild in real-time, making a vigorous, ever-changing person expertise.

This transition to Liquid Glass emphasizes depth, fluidity, and dynamic interplay with the person. Icons, controls, and navigation bars not sit flat on the display screen; they now seem floating, layered, and attentive to ambient mild and surrounding content material. 

Core rules of iOS app icon design in 2025

Liquid Glass doesn’t exchange Apple’s core icon design rules, however provides new visible dynamics you need to contemplate.

1) Deal with readability and recognizability

Simplicity stays your strongest asset within the Apple Liquid Glass design. Outline your icon’s goal in three phrases or fewer (for instance, “PDF scanner” or “finances tracker”). If it takes longer to explain, simplify the idea; the most effective Apple Liquid Glass icons depend on a single, clear thought.

What to do

• Begin from one robust silhouette that represents the app’s core worth.
• Take away micro-details; maintain parts daring and readable.
• Preserve the first form centered so masking and rounded corners by no means lower it off.

2) Design for scalability and small sizes

Your 1024 × 1024 app icon may look gorgeous in your design canvas, however most customers will solely see it at 60 × 60 pixels or smaller, particularly in App Retailer search outcomes, widgets, or notifications. 

The Apple Liquid Glass design amplifies visible depth and lighting, nevertheless it gained’t repair icons that lose readability when scaled down.

What to do

• Preserve it easy. Keep away from tiny or complicated particulars that disappear when the icon is shriveled. Deal with clear, robust shapes as an alternative.

• Guarantee steadiness and distinction. Your icon ought to keep clear and recognizable whether or not considered on a small watch display screen or a big Mac show.

• Take a look at throughout modes. The brand new iOS icons launched in iOS 26 routinely adapt to lighting and movement results, however legibility nonetheless depends upon your core silhouette. Clear edges and powerful distinction assist your icon keep constant.

3) Design for Liquid Glass dynamics

Within the Apple Liquid Glass design, icons are not flat photos; they’re multi-layered, light-responsive artworks that work together with the Apple Liquid Glass interface. Every icon combines foreground, mid-ground, and background layers rendered with gentle depth, translucency, and dynamic vivid mild reflections (specular highlights). These results make your Apple Liquid Glass icons really feel tactile and alive.

When creating your new iOS icons, construct them in layers and let the system deal with lighting habits.

What to do

• Use daring, contrasting colours, for instance, mild symbols on darkish backgrounds or darkish symbols on mild ones.
• Test distinction ratios to maintain your icon readable, particularly in iOS 26’s tinted and clear icon modes, the place lighting and transparency can have an effect on visibility.

4) Align with the brand new icon form

iOS 26 barely rounds the rectangle and applies the masks routinely. Apple’s docs warn: “The system applies masking to supply your last icon form… Preserve parts centered to keep away from clipping.” – Apple Developer.
Mix that with the broader transfer towards rounder UI corners throughout iOS 26 UI parts.

What to do

• Preserve all important shapes contained in the central 70% of the canvas.
• Keep away from skinny borders that align precisely with the masks edge; they’ll look uneven as soon as masked.

Key options of Apple Liquid Glass design for app icons

Design your Liquid Glass app icon so it behaves like native glass throughout iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS. Beneath are the pillars Apple emphasizes, and easy methods to apply them.

Apple Human Interface Pointers (HIG) for iOS 26 icons

Apple’s Human Interface Pointers (HIG) summarize all the pieces you might want to create icons that look native and meet App Retailer requirements. When you observe these guidelines, your Liquid Glass app icon will show appropriately throughout all iOS 26 appearances, cross evaluate easily, and provides customers a robust first impression.

1. Canvas & masks

• Design on a sq. canvas; let iOS apply nook radii.
• Use a 1024 × 1024 px PNG grasp, totally opaque, no transparency.
• Don’t faux borders or bevels; the system provides highlights for you. 

2. Protected zone & simplicity

• Preserve important shapes contained in the built-in secure zone; edge bleed can clip beneath masking or seem haloed by specular mild.
• The perfect new iOS icons beneath Apple’s Liquid Glass system are easy, memorable, and immediately recognizable.

3. Colour & distinction

• Design first in Default Mild, then modify for Darkish, Clear, and Tinted variants.
• Test legibility on busy and minimalist wallpapers (screenshot your Dwelling Display screen with standard iOS defaults).
• The Apple Liquid Glass interface adapts reflections dynamically, so maintain your palette daring and your image opaque for readability.

4. Create layered paintings with Icon Composer

• Import foreground/background belongings and tune Liquid Glass parameters (frostiness, spotlight depth).
• Preview every look reside, then export a single multilayer icon to Xcode.

5. Measurement necessities & supply

Methods to design an iOS 26 app icon (step-by-step)

Your workflow ought to mirror the system: construct layered paintings, tune lighting in Icon Composer, and preview appearances earlier than export.

Beneath is a transparent, actionable workflow that walks you from the primary audit by way of to App Retailer submission and A/B testing, each step aligned with Apple’s newest HIG suggestions.

Step 1: Arrange your surroundings

Set up the most recent model of Xcode to entry the brand new iOS 26 construct instruments. Then, obtain Icon Composer and the up to date icon grids from Apple Design Assets. These information guarantee your workflow aligns with the Liquid Glass rendering system and the right 1024 × 1024 px canvas setup.
Apple reference: Icon Composer & grids

Step 2: Audit your present icon

Earlier than beginning, take screenshots of your current icon in numerous contexts: App Retailer search outcomes, Dwelling Display screen, Settings, and Highlight. Search for visible points reminiscent of a flat look, poor distinction on darkish wallpapers, or shapes lower off by the icon masks. When you discover any of those, it’s time for a redesign. These indicators point out it’s time to improve to Apple Liquid Glass icons that really feel native to iOS 26.
Apple reference: HIG > App icons

Step 3: Put together layered paintings

Open your design instrument, Figma, Sketch, or Illustrator, and create a 1024 × 1024 px sq. canvas. Construct your design utilizing a number of layers: foreground, mid-ground, and background. Keep away from including baked-in shadows, highlights, or gradients. Preserve parts clear and separated for Icon Composer to interpret appropriately. Export every layer as SVG (most well-liked) or PNG information.
Apple reference: HIG layer design & measurement specs

Professional tip: In Figma, you should use the built-in Glass impact instrument to simulate the Liquid Glass look throughout design exploration. It’s not required for export, nevertheless it helps preview how transparency and lighting may behave.

Step 4: Create a brand new Icon Composer file

Open Icon Composer by way of Xcode ▸ Open Developer Instrument ▸ Icon Composer. Begin a brand new file and reserve it as one thing like AppIcon.icns. Restrict the challenge’s goal platforms to iOS, iPadOS, and macOS to maintain your give attention to the Liquid Glass-compatible techniques.
Apple reference: Creating with Icon Composer 

Step 5: Import and set up layers

Drag your background, center, and foreground information into Icon Composer. Organize them from again to entrance. 

• Background
• Mid-layers
• Foreground
• Accents

Title layers clearly (e.g., 01-Background, 02-Foreground).

Apple reference: Icon Composer layering

Step 6: Apply Liquid Glass results

Choose every layer group and open the Liquid Glass panel.

• Preserve Specular enabled for vivid, glass-like highlights.

• Regulate Blur barely to realize a frosted texture with out dropping element.
• Use Translucency solely on the background to keep up readability.

Preview your changes utilizing the lighting dial within the toolbar.
Apple reference: Liquid Glass materials controls 

Step 7: Outline look variants

Swap by way of the Default, Clear, and Tinted look modes inside Icon Composer. Test that your icon maintains clear distinction and constant form in each mode. Solely modify background hues between variants; the foreground image ought to stay similar throughout all.

Apple reference: Look variants steering

Step 8: Export to Xcode and exchange legacy icons

As soon as your design appears constant, save and drag the Icon Composer file instantly into your Xcode challenge navigator. Xcode routinely generates all required sizes and replaces the previous AppIcon asset catalog for suitable OS variations. For older techniques, it can routinely generate flattened PNGs.
Apple reference: Including Icon Composer file

Step 9: Validate on actual units

Run your construct on a bodily iPhone with iOS 26 put in. Test your icon beneath totally different Dwelling Display screen settings: mild, darkish, clear, and tinted modes, and on varied wallpapers. Search for any clipping, aliasing, or muddiness in translucent areas. Regulate your supply layers if wanted for readability.
Apple reference: Adopting Liquid Glass ▸ See your app with Liquid Glass

Step 10: A/B take a look at with Product Web page Optimization

Open App Retailer Join ▸ Product Web page Optimization and create as much as three icon variants to check. Run every take a look at for not less than 14 days to gather dependable information on TTR and CVR. After getting statistically important outcomes, promote the profitable model globally for max impression. This is among the most dependable methods to find easy methods to enhance app downloads by way of data-backed design.
Apple reference: PPO & testing icons

For instance, check out Apple’s personal Product Web page Optimization instance that includes Peak Mind Coaching:

They examined three totally different app icon kinds, a management, an orange model, a robots icon, and a mind icon. After 44 days, the mind icon outperformed the remaining.

Methods to take a look at your iOS app icon?

1. A/B take a look at with Product Web page Optimization 

In App Retailer Join, run icon remedies and monitor impressions, conversion price, % enchancment, and confidence degree for every variant vs. baseline. Apple stories estimated conversion price and carry with a credibility interval, so that you’re not guessing.  

Methods to use: Take a look at one variable at a time (icon solely). Let checks run to significance; don’t cease early on noise.

2. Monitor the correct ASO metrics

In App Analytics, monitor Product web page conversion price (downloads ÷ distinctive product web page views), plus first-time downloads and redownloads. Icons affect faucets and expectations, which then have an effect on conversion.

3. Benchmark opponents visually

Use MobileAction’s Artistic Monitoring to:

• See category-level icon patterns (coloration clusters, shapes) and keep away from mixing in.
• Examine with as much as 5 apps side-by-side earlier than/after your redesign to sanity-check distinctiveness. 

Pair with Key phrase Tendencies and Natural CPP Outcomes to see whether or not your visible and key phrase methods reinforce one another (e.g., a “PDF scanner” icon model alongside customized product pages that focus on “scan to PDF”).

Conclusion: Methods to design an app icon that matches iOS 26’s Liquid Glass

Aligning with Apple’s Liquid Glass system ensures your icon feels native throughout iOS 26 whereas staying devoted to your model. Essentially the most profitable icons in 2025 are those who steadiness readability, model consistency, and adaptableness. Once you design, give attention to the necessities:

• A easy, significant silhouette that expresses your app’s goal
• Colours that stay balanced and visual in mild, darkish, and clear modes
• Pure lighting and gentle depth that harmonize with Apple’s system reflections

By following Apple’s Human Interface Pointers, testing variations with Product Web page Optimization, and benchmarking your design towards opponents in MobileAction’s Artistic Monitoring, you’ll guarantee your app icon not solely suits the iOS 26 surroundings but additionally stands out throughout all Apple platforms.

Steadily Requested Questions

How do I redesign my app icon for iOS 26 with out dropping model id?

Preserve your core image and coloration palette, however rebuild it with foreground and background layers inside Icon Composer. This strategy lets the system add glass results routinely whereas your brand and model coloration stay constant. Apple’s Human Interface Pointers (HIG) suggest maintaining the silhouette similar throughout all look modes (Default, Clear, Tinted) so recognition by no means drops.

What instruments ought to I take advantage of to create a Liquid Glass app icon?

Apple recommends two predominant instruments:

• Icon Composer (for layered, system-rendered icons).
• Xcode 26 or later (for testing and exporting).

You possibly can design the paintings in Figma, Sketch, or Illustrator, export layers as SVG or PNG, then assemble them in Icon Composer. This setup ensures your icon meets Apple HIG iOS 26 necessities and passes evaluate with out rejections.

Will Liquid Glass icons have an effect on my rankings or ASO visibility?

In a roundabout way, however not directly sure. Increased TTR and CVR sign stronger relevance to Apple’s rating system. Apps with refreshed, native-looking icons have a tendency to look extra reliable and obtain higher engagement metrics, each of which affect natural progress and key phrase efficiency over time.

What are frequent errors when designing a Liquid Glass app icon?

The frequent errors you need to attempt to keep away from are;

• Including your individual shadows, borders, or reflections as an alternative of letting the system deal with them.
• Ignoring distinction ratios throughout mild, darkish, and tinted modes.
• Over-detailing shapes that blur at small sizes.
• Forgetting to preview on actual units and wallpapers.

Does Liquid Glass apply to macOS, watchOS, and tvOS, too?

Sure, with slight variations. The identical multilayer icon file works throughout iOS, iPadOS, macOS (Tahoe), and watchOS. Nonetheless, tvOS and visionOS nonetheless use conventional AppIcon asset catalogs, not liquid-glass rendering but.

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