My app has a generic Android icon when I download it from Google Play

In summary: The app appears on my phone with the generic Android icon even after I've uploaded a new icon.In summary, the app's icon appears on the phone with a generic Android logo instead of the app's icon when downloaded from Google Play.
  • #1
Darkmisc
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TL;DR Summary
I've uploaded an app to Google Play with its own icon. When I download it, the icon that shows on my phone for my app is the generic Android one.
Hi everyone

I've uploaded an app to Google play with its own icon. This icon shows on my phone when I run the app from Android Studio. However, when I download my app from Google play, is appears on my phone with a generic Android logo instead.

Does anyone know why this happens and how to fix it? I've seen it happen with other apps too. They'll appear on the Store listing with a custom icon, but appear on my phone with the generic Android icon.

Thanks
 
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  • #2
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  • #3
No, it shows up on other phones with the generic Android icon too.
 
  • #4
Okay that kind of implies that it’s a developer issue like the pixel dims, or color depth or file name or directory placement of the icon or even some install step. You will need to compare your install setup with other working examples to discover why.
 
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  • #5
Darkmisc said:
No, it shows up on other phones with the generic Android icon too.
Have you set the icon properly in your Manifest.xml file?

New Android projects in AS have that default icon. You need to change it, and link it properly in the Manifest file.
 
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  • #6
I think so.

I have these lines in the manifest, and the icon appears next to those lines.

manifest:
 android:icon="@mipmap/ic_launcher"
 android:roundIcon="@mipmap/ic_launcher_round"
 
  • #7
Hmm. If your app is on Google Play, can you link to it so that we can do some testing?

Is this occurring only on certain Android versions? Can you reproduce the behaviour on other (physical) devices and other Android versions (physical/emulator)?
 
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  • #8
Also, if you are on Linux, can you show the output of the following command, executed inside the res directory?
Bash:
tree -R -P "ic_launcher*" --prune
 
  • #9
Thanks. I've uploaded it again with new dimensions. Just waiting for Google Play to update to see if it works.

I'm not on Linux.
 
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  • #10
divyamiller said:
Your app's Google Play listing and the downloaded version may display different icons due to an incomplete icon configuration. Google Play requires an "adaptive icon" format, which includes various shapes and sizes to adapt to different device interfaces. Ensure you've uploaded all necessary variations in the correct format, then revisit the Play Store after a few hours for the update to propagate. If the generic icon persists, contact Google Play support for further troubleshooting.
I ended up fixing it, although I can't remember exactly how. I think I just needed to change one line in the xml file. I've been using only Godot for a few months, so I forgot a lot of what I used to do with Android Studio.
 
  • #11
I understand you guys are probably working with your own or 3rd party apps.
But what might be the problem if a major app is showing the wrong icon?
My Samsung "SmartThings" app is showing a generic icon; (not the android robot icon) specifically it is 3 dots connected by 2 lines, almost like the share symbol that is located on the blue date headers on this page. It's on the right side of the headers, right next to a number (#10, #9, etc.). It looks just like that symbol, except the dots are solid, not an outline. All my other apps on my phone are fine; it's just this one app.

I have tried everything I can think of to fix it. I've uninstalled & reinstalled the app; I've restarted my phone; I've cleared the storage data from my "Microsoft Launcher" & "SmartThings" apps, restarted my phone again; and nothing fixes it. It shows correctly in the play store when I re-downloaded the app; but the icon on my phone is still that symbol. I think it's a share symbol or something; looks like a chemistry symbol to me; IDK.

Can anyone tell me what else I could try to fix it? It doesn't impact the app's performance, but I have a little OCD and it's killing me inside, lol.
 

FAQ: My app has a generic Android icon when I download it from Google Play

1. Why does my app show a generic Android icon when downloaded from Google Play?

The generic Android icon usually indicates that the app does not have a properly defined application icon in its manifest file or that the icon resources are not correctly packaged in the APK. This can happen if the icon files are missing or incorrectly referenced.

2. How can I fix the issue of my app showing a generic icon?

To resolve this issue, ensure that you have defined the application icon in your AndroidManifest.xml file using the `android:icon` attribute. Additionally, verify that the icon image files are included in the appropriate drawable resource directories and are accessible at runtime.

3. What are the recommended sizes for app icons on Android?

Android app icons should be provided in multiple sizes to accommodate different screen densities. The recommended sizes are: 48x48 pixels for mdpi, 72x72 pixels for hdpi, 96x96 pixels for xhdpi, 144x144 pixels for xxhdpi, and 192x192 pixels for xxxhdpi. It's important to ensure that the icons are in PNG format and properly placed in the corresponding drawable folders.

4. Can caching issues cause my app to display a generic icon?

Yes, caching issues can sometimes lead to the display of a generic icon. If the app was previously installed without a proper icon and then updated with a new icon, the device may still be using the cached version. Clearing the cache of the launcher or reinstalling the app can help resolve this issue.

5. Is there a way to test my app icon before publishing it on Google Play?

Yes, you can test your app icon by running the app on an emulator or a physical device before publishing. Make sure to check the icon in various screen resolutions and densities to ensure it appears correctly. You can also use tools like Android Studio's layout editor to preview how the icon will look in different contexts.

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