How to Make iPhone App Icons in Canva

Have you wondered how to make cute app icons for your iPhone? Do you want to Learn How to Make Aesthetic App Icons for your iPhone and iOS 14? I have a tutorial AND a video for you so you can make your own phone icons! Plus, use my FREE aesthetic app icons to make your own designs for a custom home screen!

How to Make Icons for Apps

Ever since iOS 14 launched and I have been able to customize my iPhone home screen with aesthetic icons and widgets, I have been obsessed. I have designed several FREE sets of icons (with the help of Canva Pro) including a Harry Potter themed set and a Minimal Aesthetic.

Here is a full list of the aesthetic apps for iPhone I have for download:

• Summer Aesthetic App & Widget Icons
• Spring Themed App Icons for iPhone
• Valentine’s Day iPhone App Icons
• Minimal Aesthetic App Icons
• Grinch Themed App Icons for iPhone
• Thanksgiving App Icons for Free
• Free Harry Potter Aesthetic App Icons & Widgets
• iPhone Christmas Aesthetic Icons

In each of the sets that I have available for download, I include a set of “blank” or solid color icons. You can add app logos and create your own custom home screen icons with my blank designs. I have had quite a few questions on how to do that, so today I’m going to show you EXACTLY how I make the app logo icons!

How Do You Customize an App Icon?

This is the most important part: In order to customize your iPhone icons, you need to have updated to iOS 14 or later (which is pretty likely at this point unless you have a really old iPhone). The iOS 14 update in late 2020 gave all iPhone users the ability to customize their home screen with different sized widgets, custom app icons, and personalized shortcut icons.

There are several ways that you can make app icons. No way is more right than another, but this is the method that works for me. I also think that it is a really easy way for beginners to customize their own icons.

Just a reminder – we are not creating iPhone apps. Just the little icons (pictures) that you click on to get to the app.

I draw all of my custom artwork and iPhone icons in Procreate, and then I send all of my artwork to my computer to be edited in Adobe Photoshop as needed and then sent to an online program called Canva.

Apple App Icon Design

FREE Canva Pro Trial to Make iPhone App Icons

ALL of my aesthetic app logo icons are created at Canva.com. I upload all of my artwork and then add logos to my designs. With Canva Pro, you can use TONS of free “elements” that are included with your subscription! In the elements section of Canva, you can find all of the app icons that you can think of! Plus, you can even download ENTIRE pre-designed iPhone app icon sets directly to your phone. They have released a ton of designs!

I honestly use Canva Pro ALL of the time, and you can use it to make phone icons and wallpapers, Instagram posts, and more! Make sure you head over there and Try Canva Pro for Free to make your own aesthetic icons.

How to Make an iOS Icon in Canva

If you would like to watch a video on how I design my Canva app icons, check out my Youtube video! You can see what I do right on my computer screen!

This is a brief tutorial on how to add an iPhone app logo to a custom icon in Canva. If you’re new to Canva, I suggest heading to the “Learn” section of their website. There are some great tutorials and it’s an easy way to explore the available features.

The first step is open a new design in Canva. Under the social media tab, choose “Instagram post.” I use this template because it’s easy to find and it’s a square image. Traditional iPhone icons are square, so you’ll be able to use this design for app icons and square widgets.

After opening a blank Instagram Post design, look on the left side of the page for “Uploads” and click on it.

A panel will open – click “Upload Media” and choose the designs you would like to upload to use as the background art for your app icons.

Follow the onscreen prompts. Then click and drag your design to the blank square you will be creating. Your image will automatically fill the square!

Here is the fun part – click on “Elements.”

This is where you will find a TON of app logos that you can add them to your icon backgrounds. You can search the elements collection for small icons, logos, and more! Some are available for free, and others are available only with Canva Pro. That’s definitely a perk of having a Pro account! Don’t forget – here’s the link for you to Try Canva Pro for FREE!

Select the app logo you want to use, and then drag it over to your design.

Next, resize the logo (I use approximately 700px square), and change the color of the logo.

Once you are finished, head to the top right corner of the screen and enter the new file name.

How to Download Aesthetic Icons for iPhone from Canva

Then click “Download” and select “PNG.” When you click download again, the file will download directly to the default location on your computer.

You can then continue to edit your design with a new logo, rename the design again, and download. Keep repeating until you have all of the app logo icons you need for your home screen.

I generally organize my aesthetic icons by group and name on my computer, and then send to my iPhone. From there I can use them as my shortcut icons! I’ll also send any artwork that I have shared from Procreate that I want to use for widgets.

Widgets are an easy way to create a custom home screen for your iPhone, create custom apps for your iPhone. There are a few different customization apps for iPhone. I use one called Widgetsmith.

Are you stuck on how to set up your iPhone iOS 14 shortcuts with custom icons and widgets? I did a brief video on my Tiktok page on how to add custom photos as your shortcut icons. I’m also planning on uploading a video to YouTube soon! Enjoy!

Pin Custom iOS Icons Tutorial