Personalization of a mobile device is not just a tribute to fashion, but a way to make interaction with a smartphone more comfortable and aesthetically pleasing. Standard icons pre-installed by the manufacturer Xiaomi, Samsung or Googleoften look monotonous and stand out from the general concept of the user interface. This is especially true for system applications such as Gallery, whose design rarely changes over the years. If you want to refresh the appearance of your desktop, replacing the graphical image of this application will be an excellent first step.
The process of changing the icon on Android does not require obtaining root access and can be performed using standard operating system tools or using third-party software. However, it is important to understand that the standard launcher (shell) does not always provide such an opportunity out of the box. Depending on your device model and Android version, the available methods may vary significantly. In this article we will look at all the current ways to transform the visual style of your photo application.
Before taking active steps, it is worth deciding on the purpose of the changes. Do you just want to put a beautiful picture from the Internet or are you striving to create a holistic design themes? The complexity of the procedure and the set of necessary tools will depend on this choice. Modern versions of Android, starting from 8.0 and higher, provide quite flexible options for customization, but older models may require the installation of additional utilities.
Using built-in themes and launcher editors
Many users do not realize that their smartphone already has built-in functionality for changing icons Manufacturers often integrate powerful personalization tools into their shells, which are hidden deep in the settings menu. For example, owners of devices Samsung with a shell One UI have access to the Galaxy Themes store, where you can download entire graphics packages. A similar situation is observed among users with MIUI and EMUI. To check the presence of such a function, you need to go to the home screen settings. This is usually done with a long tap on a free area of the desktop. In the menu that appears, look for the items “Themes”, “Wallpaper and style” or “Screen settings”. If your launcher supports changing individual icons, you will see the “Change Icon” option when you long press the application shortcut. Xiaomi with MIUI and Huawei with EMUI.
To check if this feature is available, you need to go to your home screen settings. This is usually done with a long tap on a free area of the desktop. In the menu that appears, look for the items “Themes”, “Wallpaper and style” or “Screen settings”. If your launcher supports changing individual icons, you'll see a "Change Icon" option when you long press an app shortcut.
⚠️ Attention: In the stock version of Android (on Pixel, Motorola, Nokia smartphones), the built-in ability to change individual application icons is often missing. These devices will require the installation of a third-party launcher, which will be discussed below.
If the built-in editor is found, the process seems intuitive. You select the “Gallery” application from the list, click on the current icon and select a new image from the proposed library or upload your own image.
Use of third-party launchers for deep customization
The most universal and effective way to change the icon of any application, including Gallery, is to install an alternative launcher. These are special shell applications that completely replace the standard Android desktop, providing advanced control over the appearance. The leaders in this niche are Nova Launcher, Lawnchair i Smart Launcher.
After installing and activating the new launcher in the system settings, you get access to advanced editing of shortcuts. In most of these shells, just long-tap on the “Gallery” icon, select “Edit” and click on the graphic image of the shortcut. Your device's gallery will open, where you can select any saved image in PNG or JPG format.
The key advantage of using third-party launchers is support icon packs (Icon Packs). These are special sets of icons, made in the same style, which are installed like regular applications from Google Play. After installing the pack, the launcher will automatically apply the new style to all supported applications, including the system gallery, if it is on the compatibility list.
Before installing the new launcher, take a screenshot of the current arrangement of widgets and folders, so that you can quickly restore the usual desktop structure.
It is worth noting that some launchers require the purchase of a Pro version for full access to icon editing functions. Free versions may have limitations on the number of shortcuts you can change or lack support for third-party themes. However, even basic versions often allow you to manually replace the image for one specific application.
Manual replacement through creating shortcuts and widgets
If you do not want to change the entire launcher or install heavy icon packs, you can use the method of creating custom shortcuts. This approach allows you to replace the standard application icon with any picture using special shortcut constructor utilities. Applications such as X Icon Changer or Shortcut Makercreate a new shortcut on the desktop, which masquerades as the original application.
The principle of operation of these utilities is to create an intermediary shell. You select the target application (in our case, Gallery), upload the desired image and confirm creation. A new icon appears on the desktop, and when you click on it, the desired app opens. In this case, the old icon must be removed from the desktop (without deleting the application itself!).
This method has its own characteristics, which you should know about in advance. The created shortcut may not update dynamically if the original app introduces new features that rely on tray display. In addition, some aggressive power-saving systems may not process such wrapper shortcuts correctly.
- 🎨 Download a high-resolution image for the new icon (minimum 512x512 pixels).
- 📲 Install the shortcut app from the Google Play Store.
- ⚙️ Launch the utility and select the “Gallery” application from the list.
- 🖼️ Click on the icon area and select the downloaded image or photo from memory.
- ✅ Confirm the creation of the shortcut and place it on the desktop.
☑️ Preparing to replace the icon
Using icon packs and system theming
For those who strive for perfect visual harmony, the best solution would be to use full-fledged icon packs. The Google Play Store offers thousands of free and paid sets, from minimalist black and white styles to bright neon designs. Popular packages, such as CandyCons, Whicons or LineXcontain hundreds of redrawn icons for popular applications.
The process of applying an icon pack is usually automated. After installing the package and a compatible launcher (for example, Nova), just go to the launcher settings, the “Appearance” or “Icon Style” section, and select the installed pack from the list. The system will automatically match new images with installed applications. If there is no icon for the “Gallery” in the package, the launcher will leave a standard image or apply a shape mask.
It is important to consider that not all system applications are supported by third-party theme developers. If the selected icon pack does not have a special image for your version of Gallery (for example, Google Photos or Samsung Gallery), the icon may remain the same or take the form of a “stub”. In such cases, you can manually assign an image from the pack through the shortcut editor described in the previous section.
⚠️ Attention: Icon packs only work in conjunction with third-party launchers. On the standard launcher of most smartphones (especially Chinese brands), installing the pack may not give any visual effect without using additional theming tools.
Some advanced users use tools like Substratum (requires root or Shizuku mode) to implement icons at the system level. This allows you to change icons even in the multitasking menu and settings, but this method is difficult for beginners and carries risks of unstable system operation.
Technical nuances and compatibility of Android versions
When changing icons, it is important to take into account the version of the operating system and the features of a particular manufacturer. Starting with Android 8.0 Oreo, support for Adaptive Icons (adaptive icons) was introduced into the system. This means that the icon consists of two layers: background and foreground. The system automatically crops them depending on the shape selected by the user (circle, square, rounded square).
If you use a static image (regular photo) as an icon on modern Android, it may not be scaled correctly or cropped by the system. Launchers usually offer tools for customizing the display area, allowing you to move and scale the image inside the icon container. Ignoring this step may result in an important part of the image being outside the visible area.
It's also worth mentioning the difference between the Gallery app and Google Photos. On many modern smartphones it is Google Photos is the main means of viewing images. Make sure that you change the icon of the application you are using. In the application settings, you can check the package name: for the system gallery it often contains the brand name (com.sec.android.gallery3d for Samsung), and for Google - com.google.android.apps.photos.
| Change method | Complexity | Requires Root | Customization flexibility |
|---|---|---|---|
| Built-in themes | Low | No | Limited |
| Third-party launcher | Medium | No | High |
| Shortcut apps | Low | No | Average |
| System theming | High | Often yes | Maximum |
What are adaptive icons?
Adaptive icons are a standard for representing graphic elements in Android 8.0+, allowing the system to automatically adjust the shape of the icon to the interface design. They consist of two layers, which ensures uniformity on different devices.
Possible problems and ways to solve them
During the customization process, users may encounter a number of technical difficulties. The most common problem is icons resetting after rebooting the device. This often happens when using cheap or unoptimized launchers that do not save the configuration in memory. The solution is to give the launcher application permission to run in the background and disable aggressive battery optimization for it.
Another common scenario is the appearance of “duplicate” applications. When using utilities for creating shortcuts (Shortcut Maker), both the old and the new icon remain on the desktop. The user needs to manually delete the old shortcut by clicking on it and selecting “Delete” (not to be confused with “Delete application”!). It is also possible that black squares may appear instead of icons if the selected image file is damaged or has an unsupported format.
Sometimes after updating the Gallery application itself via Google Play, the custom icon may be reset to the standard one. This happens because the update overwrites some file associations. In this case, the procedure for assigning an icon will have to be repeated. Using stable and popular launchers, such as Nova Launcher Prime, minimizes the risk of such failures thanks to the settings backup function.
⚠️ Attention: Interfaces and menu names may differ depending on the smartphone model and firmware version. If you do not find the described item, try using the settings search or refer to the official documentation of the manufacturer of your device.
Using proven launchers with a settings backup function ensures that your icons are saved even after a system reset or software update.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Will it reset gallery icon after Android update?
In most cases, yes, especially if you used methods not related to a third-party launcher. During a major system update, the interface settings are often returned to factory settings. If you use Nova Launcher or an analogue, it is recommended to back up the launcher settings before updating the system in order to quickly restore all icons.
Is it possible to change the icon without installing additional applications?
This is only possible on smartphones with shells that support built-in themes (Samsung, Xiaomi, Huawei). On pure Android (Pixel, Motorola) without installing a third-party launcher or utility for creating shortcuts, you cannot change the icon of a system application.
Is it safe to use applications to change icons?
Yes, if you download them from the official Google Play store. Apps like X Icon Changer or Nova Launcher don't require access to your personal photos or contacts to work with icons. They create only a visual shell. However, avoid questionable sites and APK files from unverified sources.
Why does the new icon look blurry or unclear?
Most likely, the original image has a low resolution. For a high-quality icon on modern screens with a high pixel density, it is recommended to use images with a size of at least 512x512 pixels, and preferably 1024x1024 pixels in PNG format without compression.
Does changing the icon affect the operation of the Gallery application itself?
No, visually changing the shortcut does not affect the functionality of the application in any way, speed his work or access to files. This is an exclusively cosmetic modification of the launcher interface.