How to change an application icon programmatically in Android

Question

Is it possible to change an application icon directly from the program  I mean  change icon png in the res drawable folder  I would like to let users to change application s icon from the program so next time they would see the previously selected icon in the launcher

User · Answer

P-A s solution partially works for me  Detail my findings below   1  The first code snippet is incorrect  see below    lt activity              lt intent-filter gt             gt   lt action android name  android intent action MAIN    gt   lt    This line shouldn t be deleted  otherwise will have compile error          lt category android name  android intent category LAUNCHER    gt    DELETE THIS LINE      lt  intent-filter gt   lt  activity gt    2  Should use following code to disable all icons before enabling another one  otherwise it will add a new icon  instead of replacing it   getPackageManager   setComponentEnabledSetting          getComponentName    PackageManager COMPONENT ENABLED STATE DISABLED  PackageManager DONT KILL APP     BUT  if you use code above  then shortcut on homescreen will be removed  And it won t be automatically added back  You might be able to programmatically add icon back  but it probably won t stay in the same position as before   3  Note that the icon won t get changed immediately  it might take several seconds  If you click it right after changing  you might get an error saying   App isn t installed    So  IMHO this solution is only suitable for changing icon in app launcher only  not for shortcuts  i e  the icon on homescreen

User · Answer

Programatically  you may want to publish the application launcher yourself    Note  this method no longer works starting with Android 8 0 - Oreo   In your AndroidManifest xml  add     lt uses-permission android name  com android launcher permission INSTALL SHORTCUT   gt    Then you need create your app launcher intent   Intent myLauncherIntent   new Intent    myLauncherIntent setClassName  your package name    YourLauncherActivityName    myLauncherIntent addFlags Intent FLAG ACTIVITY NEW TASK     Create an install shortcut intent with your app launcher and custom icon   Intent intent   new Intent    intent putExtra Intent EXTRA SHORTCUT INTENT  myLauncherIntent   intent putExtra Intent EXTRA SHORTCUT NAME   Application Name    intent putExtra                  Intent EXTRA SHORTCUT ICON RESOURCE          Intent ShortcutIconResource fromContext                                                                                getApplicationContext                                              R drawable app icon                                                 intent setAction  com android launcher action INSTALL SHORTCUT      And finally launch the broadcast intent   getApplicationContext   sendBroadcast intent

User · Answer

As mentioned before you need use  lt activity-alias gt  to change the application icon  To avoid killing the application after enabling appropriate activity-alias you need to do this after the application is killed  To find out if the application was killed you can use this method  Create activity aliases in AndroidManifest xml    lt activity android name  quot  ui MainActivity quot   gt    lt activity-alias     android name  quot  one quot      android icon  quot  mipmap ic launcher one quot      android targetActivity  quot  ui MainActivity quot      android enabled  quot true quot  gt        lt intent-filter gt           lt action android name  quot android intent action MAIN quot    gt           lt category android name  quot android intent category LAUNCHER quot    gt       lt  intent-filter gt    lt  activity-alias gt    lt activity-alias     android name  quot  two quot      android icon  quot  mipmap ic launcher two quot      android targetActivity  quot  ui MainActivity quot      android enabled  quot false quot  gt        lt intent-filter gt           lt action android name  quot android intent action MAIN quot    gt           lt category android name  quot android intent category LAUNCHER quot    gt       lt  intent-filter gt    lt  activity-alias gt     reate a service that will change the active activity-alias after killing the application  You need store the name of new active activity-alias somewhere  e g  SharedPreferences    class ChangeAppIconService  Service         private val aliases   arrayOf  quot  one quot    quot  two quot        override fun onBind intent  Intent    IBinder    null      override fun onTaskRemoved rootIntent  Intent             changeAppIcon           stopSelf              fun changeAppIcon             val sp   getSharedPreferences  quot appSettings quot   Context MODE PRIVATE           sp getString  quot activeActivityAlias quot    quot  one quot   let   aliasName - gt              if   isAliasEnabled aliasName                     setAliasEnabled aliasName                                     private fun isAliasEnabled aliasName  String   Boolean           return packageManager getComponentEnabledSetting              ComponentName                  this                   quot   BuildConfig APPLICATION ID  aliasName quot                             PackageManager COMPONENT ENABLED STATE ENABLED            private fun setAliasEnabled aliasName  String            aliases forEach               val action   if  it    aliasName                  PackageManager COMPONENT ENABLED STATE ENABLED             else                 PackageManager COMPONENT ENABLED STATE DISABLED                              packageManager setComponentEnabledSetting                  ComponentName                      this                       quot   BuildConfig APPLICATION ID  aliasName quot                                     action                  PackageManager DONT KILL APP                                   Add service to AndroidManifest xml    lt service      android name  quot  ChangeAppIconService quot      android stopWithTask  quot false quot        gt    Start ChangeAppIconService in MainActivity onCreate   class MainActivity  Activity                 override fun onCreate savedInstanceState  Bundle                        startService Intent this  ChangeAppIconService  class java

User · Answer

AndroidManifest xml example    lt application         android allowBackup  true          android icon   mipmap ic launcher          android label   string app name          android roundIcon   mipmap ic launcher round          android supportsRtl  true          android theme   style AppTheme  gt            lt activity android name  com pritesh resourceidentifierexample MainActivity                    android label   string app name                    android launchMode  singleTask  gt               lt intent-filter gt                   lt action android name  android intent action MAIN   gt                   lt  -- lt category android name  android intent category LAUNCHER   gt -- gt               lt  intent-filter gt           lt  activity gt            lt activity-alias android label  RED                          android icon   drawable ic android red                          android name  com pritesh resourceidentifierexample MainActivity-Red                          android enabled  true                          android targetActivity  com pritesh resourceidentifierexample MainActivity  gt               lt intent-filter gt                   lt action android name  android intent action MAIN    gt                   lt category android name  android intent category DEFAULT    gt                   lt category android name  android intent category LAUNCHER    gt               lt  intent-filter gt           lt  activity-alias gt            lt activity-alias android label  GREEN                          android icon   drawable ic android green                          android name  com pritesh resourceidentifierexample MainActivity-Green                          android enabled  false                          android targetActivity  com pritesh resourceidentifierexample MainActivity  gt               lt intent-filter gt                   lt action android name  android intent action MAIN    gt                   lt category android name  android intent category DEFAULT    gt                   lt category android name  android intent category LAUNCHER    gt               lt  intent-filter gt           lt  activity-alias gt            lt activity-alias android label  BLUE                          android icon   drawable ic android blue                          android name  com pritesh resourceidentifierexample MainActivity-Blue                          android enabled  false                          android targetActivity  com pritesh resourceidentifierexample MainActivity  gt               lt intent-filter gt                   lt action android name  android intent action MAIN    gt                   lt category android name  android intent category DEFAULT    gt                   lt category android name  android intent category LAUNCHER    gt               lt  intent-filter gt           lt  activity-alias gt        lt  application gt    Then follow below given code in MainActivity   ImageView imageView    ImageView findViewById R id imageView               int imageResourceId              String currentDateTimeString   DateFormat getDateTimeInstance   format new Date                 int hours   new Time System currentTimeMillis    getHours                Log d  DATE    onCreate       hours                getPackageManager   setComponentEnabledSetting                      getComponentName    PackageManager COMPONENT ENABLED STATE DISABLED  PackageManager DONT KILL APP                if hours    13                                imageResourceId   this getResources   getIdentifier  ic android red    drawable   this getPackageName                     getPackageManager   setComponentEnabledSetting                          new ComponentName  com pritesh resourceidentifierexample    com pritesh resourceidentifierexample MainActivity-Red                            PackageManager COMPONENT ENABLED STATE ENABLED  PackageManager DONT KILL APP                else if hours    14                                imageResourceId   this getResources   getIdentifier  ic android green    drawable   this getPackageName                     getPackageManager   setComponentEnabledSetting                          new ComponentName  com pritesh resourceidentifierexample    com pritesh resourceidentifierexample MainActivity-Green                            PackageManager COMPONENT ENABLED STATE ENABLED  PackageManager DONT KILL APP                 else                               imageResourceId   this getResources   getIdentifier  ic android blue    drawable   this getPackageName                     getPackageManager   setComponentEnabledSetting                          new ComponentName  com pritesh resourceidentifierexample    com pritesh resourceidentifierexample MainActivity-Blue                            PackageManager COMPONENT ENABLED STATE ENABLED  PackageManager DONT KILL APP                               imageView setImageResource imageResourceId

User · Answer

To get the solution by Markus working I needed the first Intent so be   Intent myLauncherIntent   new Intent Intent ACTION MAIN               myLauncherIntent setClassName this   this getClass   getName                 myLauncherIntent addFlags Intent FLAG ACTIVITY NEW TASK

User · Answer

It s an old question  but still active as there is no explicit Android feature  And the guys from facebook found a work around - somehow  Today  I found a way that works for me  Not perfect  see remarks at the end of this answer  but it works   Main idea is  that I update the icon of my app s shortcut  created by the launcher on my home screen  When I want to change something on the shortcut-icon  I remove it first and recreate it with a new bitmap   Here is the code  It has a button increment  When pressed  the shortcut is replaced with one that has a new counting number   First you need these two permissions in your manifest    lt uses-permission android name  com android launcher permission INSTALL SHORTCUT    gt   lt uses-permission android name  com android launcher permission UNINSTALL SHORTCUT    gt    Then you need this two methods for installing and uninstalling shortcuts  The shortcutAdd method creates a bitmap with a number in it  This is just to demonstrate that it actually changes  You probably want to change that part with something  you want in your app   private void shortcutAdd String name  int number           Intent to be send  when shortcut is pressed by user   launched       Intent shortcutIntent   new Intent getApplicationContext    Play class       shortcutIntent setAction Constants ACTION PLAY           Create bitmap with number in it - gt  very default  You probably want to give it a more stylish look     Bitmap bitmap   Bitmap createBitmap 100  100  Bitmap Config ARGB 8888       Paint paint   new Paint        paint setColor 0xFF808080      gray     paint setTextAlign Paint Align CENTER       paint setTextSize 50       new Canvas bitmap  drawText    number  50  50  paint         ImageView  findViewById R id icon   setImageBitmap bitmap           Decorate the shortcut     Intent addIntent   new Intent        addIntent putExtra Intent EXTRA SHORTCUT INTENT  shortcutIntent       addIntent putExtra Intent EXTRA SHORTCUT NAME  name       addIntent putExtra Intent EXTRA SHORTCUT ICON  bitmap           Inform launcher to create shortcut     addIntent setAction  com android launcher action INSTALL SHORTCUT        getApplicationContext   sendBroadcast addIntent      private void shortcutDel String name           Intent to be send  when shortcut is pressed by user   launched       Intent shortcutIntent   new Intent getApplicationContext    Play class       shortcutIntent setAction Constants ACTION PLAY           Decorate the shortcut     Intent delIntent   new Intent        delIntent putExtra Intent EXTRA SHORTCUT INTENT  shortcutIntent       delIntent putExtra Intent EXTRA SHORTCUT NAME  name           Inform launcher to remove shortcut     delIntent setAction  com android launcher action UNINSTALL SHORTCUT        getApplicationContext   sendBroadcast delIntent       And finally  here are two listener to add the first shortcut and update the shortcut with an incrementing counter    Override protected void onCreate Bundle savedInstanceState        super onCreate savedInstanceState        setContentView R layout test       findViewById R id add  setOnClickListener new OnClickListener              Override         public void onClick View v                shortcutAdd  changeIt    count                         findViewById R id increment  setOnClickListener new OnClickListener              Override         public void onClick View v                shortcutDel  changeIt                 count                shortcutAdd  changeIt    count                         Remarks    This way works also if your App controls more shortcuts on the home screen  e g  with different extra s in the Intent  They just need different names so that the right one is uninstalled and reinstalled  The programmatical handling of shortcuts in Android is a well known  widely used but not officially supported Android feature  It seems to work on the default launcher and I never tried it anywhere else  So dont blame me  when you get this user-emails  It does not work on my XYZ  double rooted  super blasted phone  The launcher writes a Toast when a shortcut was installad and one when a shortcut was uninstalled  So I get two Toasts every time I change the icon  This is not perfect  but well  as long as the rest of my app is perfect

User · Answer

Assuming you mean changing the icon shown on the home screen  this could easily be done by creating a widget that does exactly this  Here s an article that demonstrate how that can be accomplished for a  new messages  type application similar to iPhone   http   www cnet com 8301-19736 1-10278814-251 html

User · Answer

Applying the suggestions mentioned  I ve faced the issue of app getting killed whenever default icon gets changed to new icon  So have implemented the code with some tweaks  Step 1   In file AndroidManifest xml  create  for default activity with    android enabled  true   amp  other alias with     android enabled  false   Your  will not contain  but append those in  with android enabled  true            lt activity         android name   activities SplashActivity          android label   string app name          android screenOrientation  portrait          android theme   style SplashTheme  gt        lt  activity gt       lt  --  lt activity-alias used to change app icon dynamically gt      default icon  set enabled true    -- gt       lt activity-alias         android label   string app name          android icon   mipmap ic launcher          android roundIcon   mipmap ic launcher round          android name   SplashActivityAlias1   lt  --put any random name started with dot-- gt          android enabled  true          android targetActivity   activities SplashActivity  gt   lt  --target activity class path will be same for all alias-- gt           lt intent-filter gt               lt action android name  android intent action MAIN    gt                lt category android name  android intent category DEFAULT    gt               lt category android name  android intent category LAUNCHER    gt           lt  intent-filter gt       lt  activity-alias gt       lt  --  lt activity-alias used to change app icon dynamically gt     sale icon  set enabled false initially -- gt       lt activity-alias         android label   string app name          android icon   drawable ic store marker          android roundIcon   drawable ic store marker          android name   SplashActivityAlias   lt  --put any random name started with dot-- gt          android enabled  false          android targetActivity   activities SplashActivity  gt   lt  --target activity class path will be same for all alias-- gt           lt intent-filter gt               lt action android name  android intent action MAIN    gt                lt category android name  android intent category DEFAULT    gt               lt category android name  android intent category LAUNCHER    gt           lt  intent-filter gt       lt  activity-alias gt    Step 2   Make a method that will be used to disable 1st activity-alias that contains default icon  amp  enable 2nd alias that contains icon need to be changed          method to change the app icon dynamically        param context     param isNewIcon    true if new icon need to be set  false to set default     icon      public static void changeAppIconDynamically Context context  boolean isNewIcon        PackageManager pm   context getApplicationContext   getPackageManager        if  isNewIcon            pm setComponentEnabledSetting                  new ComponentName context                           com example dummy SplashActivityAlias1      com example dummy will be your package                 PackageManager COMPONENT ENABLED STATE DISABLED                  PackageManager DONT KILL APP            pm setComponentEnabledSetting                  new ComponentName context                           com example dummy SplashActivityAlias                    PackageManager COMPONENT ENABLED STATE ENABLED                  PackageManager DONT KILL APP         else           pm setComponentEnabledSetting                  new ComponentName context                           com example dummy SplashActivityAlias1                    PackageManager COMPONENT ENABLED STATE ENABLED                  PackageManager DONT KILL APP            pm setComponentEnabledSetting                  new ComponentName context                           com example dummy SplashActivityAlias                    PackageManager COMPONENT ENABLED STATE DISABLED                  PackageManager DONT KILL APP             Step 3   Now call this method depending on your requirement  say on button click or date specific or occasion specific conditions  simply like -     Switch app icon to new icon     GeneralUtils changeAppIconDynamically EditProfileActivity this  true      Switch app icon to default icon             GeneralUtils changeAppIconDynamically EditProfileActivity this  false     Hope this will help those who face the issue of app getting killed on icon change  Happy Coding

User · Answer

Try this solution   lt activity android name   SplashActivity          android label   string app name          android icon   drawable ic launcher  gt           lt intent-filter gt               lt action android name  android intent action MAIN    gt               lt category android name  android intent category LAUNCHER    gt           lt  intent-filter gt       lt  activity gt        lt activity-alias android label  ShortCut          android icon   drawable ic short cut          android name   SplashActivityAlias          android enabled  false          android targetActivity   SplashActivity  gt           lt intent-filter gt               lt action android name  android intent action MAIN    gt               lt category android name  android intent category LAUNCHER    gt           lt  intent-filter gt       lt  activity-alias gt    Add the following code when you want to change your app icon  PackageManager pm   getPackageManager                        pm setComponentEnabledSetting                              new ComponentName YourActivity this                                       your package name SplashActivity                                PackageManager COMPONENT ENABLED STATE DISABLED                              PackageManager DONT KILL APP                        pm setComponentEnabledSetting                              new ComponentName YourActivity this                                       your package name SplashActivityAlias                                PackageManager COMPONENT ENABLED STATE ENABLED                              PackageManager DONT KILL APP

User · Answer

Try this  it works fine for me   1   Modify your MainActivity section in AndroidManifest xml  delete from it  line with MAIN category in intent-filter section   lt activity android name  ru quickmessage pa MainActivity      android configChanges  keyboardHidden orientation      android screenOrientation  portrait      android label   string app name      android theme   style CustomTheme      android launchMode  singleTask  gt       lt intent-filter gt             gt   lt action android name  android intent action MAIN    gt   lt    Delete this line          lt category android name  android intent category LAUNCHER    gt       lt  intent-filter gt   lt  activity gt    2   Create  lt activity-alias gt   for each of your icons  Like this    lt activity-alias android label   string app name       android icon   drawable icon       android name   MainActivity-Red      android enabled  false      android targetActivity   MainActivity  gt       lt intent-filter gt           lt action android name  android intent action MAIN    gt           lt category android name  android intent category LAUNCHER    gt       lt  intent-filter gt      lt  activity-alias gt    3   Set programmatically  set ENABLE attribute for the appropriate activity-alias   getPackageManager   setComponentEnabledSetting          new ComponentName  ru quickmessage pa    ru quickmessage pa MainActivity-Red                 PackageManager COMPONENT ENABLED STATE ENABLED  PackageManager DONT KILL APP     Note  At least one must be enabled at all times

User · Answer

You cannot change the manifest or the resource in the signed-and-sealed APK  except through a software upgrade

[android] How to change an application icon programmatically in Android?

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