App Icon and Favicon Prep for Indie Apps

Indie apps often treat icons as a final chore, but icons are one of the first trust signals users see. A blurry favicon or inconsistent launcher icon makes a product feel unfinished before anyone reads the feature list.

Start with a source image that scales down

• Use a square high-resolution source
• Avoid tiny text inside the icon
• Check contrast at small sizes
• Keep the silhouette recognizable

Generate and review the set

1. Upload the source image to an icon generator.
2. Export app, web, and favicon sizes.
3. Preview the smallest sizes first.
4. Replace weak variants before shipping.

Brand judgment for small teams

An icon does not need to explain the whole product. It needs to remain recognizable in a tab, launcher, and app grid.

Conclusion

A good icon set starts with restraint. Make one strong source, generate consistently, and judge the output at the smallest size users will actually see.