The visual component of a smartphone desktop has long ceased to be just a functional necessity and has turned into a way of self-expression. Standard application icons offered by operating system developers often look dry and monotonous, especially if you are an active user. One of the most popular social networks in the Russian-speaking segment is Android. One of the most popular social networks in the Russian-speaking segment is VKontakte, and its blue icon is found on the screens of millions of devices every day.
The desire to change the usual appearance often arises among those who want to bring the interface to a single style or simply add bright colors to the everyday use of the gadget. Fortunately, the architecture Android provides quite flexible opportunities for customization without the need to obtain root access. There are several proven methods that allow you to replace a standard icon with any other - from a minimalistic outline to a custom design.
In this article we will analyze in detail all the available ways to transform the appearance of an application. You'll learn how to use third-party skins, built-in theming features, and custom widgets to achieve the desired result. Each method has its own characteristics, advantages and limitations, which we will consider in as much detail as possible.
Using third-party launchers to replace icons
The most common and flexible way to change the appearance of the interface is to install an alternative launcher. The standard shell of your smartphone may not support changing icons for individual applications, while advanced launchers provide this function out of the box. First, you will need to download the appropriate tool from the store Google Play. The most popular solutions are Nova Launcher, Lawnchair or Smart Launcher.
After installing and activating the new launcher as the main one, the replacement process becomes intuitive. You need to press and hold the icon VKontakte on the desktop with your finger until the context menu appears. From the list of options, select "Edit" or "Change Icon". A gallery of available images will open, where you can select a pre-installed pack or upload your own image from the device memory.
For the best display quality, select images in PNG format with a transparent background and a resolution of at least 512x512 pixels.
It is important to understand that using a third-party The launcher changes not only the icons, but also the behavior of the desktop, animations and notification panel. Some users may find this overkill if their goal is to change just one element. However, for those who want to carry out a global system redesign, this method is the ideal solution. Launchers allow you to use entire packages of icons, downloaded separately, which guarantees the visual integrity of the entire interface.
A third-party launcher is the only solution that allows you to change icons systemically, saving the changes even after rebooting the device without additional settings.
Method of creating a shortcut through widgets
If you do not want to install heavy launchers or change the behavior of the entire system, you can use an easier method - creating a new shortcut through widgets. This method works on most stock shells and does not require third-party desktop management software. The idea is to hide the original application and create a visual copy of it with a new icon.
To implement this plan, follow these steps:
- 📱 Hold an empty space on the desktop and select
Widgetsin the menu that appears. - 🔍 In the list, find the section dedicated to creating shortcuts (often called "Shortcut", "Shortcut" or "Quick Shortcut").
- ⚙️ Select the application VKontakte from the list of installed apps.
- 🎨 In the shortcut settings window that opens, click on the current icon image to replace it with a photo from the gallery.
After confirming the actions, a new icon with the image you selected will appear on the screen. In this case, the original application icon can be moved to the menu of all apps or hidden in a folder so as not to duplicate elements. It is worth noting that such a shortcut is essentially a separate link to launch the application, so deleting the original will not affect the operation of the created widget.
Nuances of how widgets work
A shortcut created through widgets can sometimes be reset when clearing the launcher cache or resetting the screen settings. Unlike launchers, this method is less stable for deep system customization, but is great for a quick one-time change of image.
Use of themes and icon packs
Many modern smartphones, especially from manufacturers Xiaomi, Samsung i Huawei, have built-in stores topics These tools allow you to change not only the wallpaper, but also the style of system icons. In such stores you can often find special packs that change the appearance of popular applications, including VKontakte. This is the most aesthetic way, since designers work out the style of all elements comprehensively.
To find a suitable theme, go to the “Themes” application on your device. In the search bar, enter a query, for example, "VK icon pack" or "minimal icons". After downloading and applying the theme, the system will automatically replace the standard icons with stylized ones. If the theme changes only some of the icons, and VK remains standard, you can use the "Theme Mixing" function, available in the settings of some skins, to apply the icon style from one theme, and the wallpaper from another.
| Solution type | Complexity settings | Impact on the system | Stability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Third-party launcher | Medium | High (changes the entire interface) | High |
| Shortcut Widget | Low | Minimum | Medium |
| Theme Store | Low | Medium (depending on the firmware) | High |
| Manual editing (APK) | High | Critical (risk breakdowns) | Low |
The advantage of using official theme stores is optimization. Icons in such packs are usually vector or adapted to the resolution of your screen, which eliminates the appearance of “soap” or pixelation. In addition, theme developers often update their products, adding support for new versions of applications.
Technical limitations and dependence on the OS version
The customization process directly depends on the version Android and the specific shell of the manufacturer. On older versions of the system (below 8.0), the capabilities may be limited by the lack of support for dynamic icons or shortcuts. At the same time, on the latest versions Android 13 i Android 14 the security system may prohibit some applications from redrawing the interface of other apps without the user's explicit permission.
Particular attention should be paid to devices with hard-locked launchers. Some manufacturers block the ability to install third-party shells or disable the icon editing menu for the sake of stability. In such cases, the only way out is to use widgets or third-party utilities like Shortcut Makerthat emulate the creation of shortcuts through system APIs.
⚠️ Attention: When using applications to create shortcuts, make sure that you give them permission to "Access notifications" or "Use on top of other windows" if the app requires this to correctly display notification badges on the new icon.
It is also worth remembering that updating the application itself VKontakte can reset some user settings if they were tied to internal app resources. However, the methods described above (launchers and widgets) work regardless of social network updates, since they replace the visual shell at the operating system level.
Searching and preparing high-quality images
The success of the operation to change the icon is 90% dependent on the quality of the original images. You should not take random low-resolution images from the Internet, as they will look blurry and sloppy on a smartphone screen with a high pixel density. The ideal option is to search for ready-made icon packs in the format PNG with a transparent background.
To find suitable graphic elements, you can use specialized resources, such as Flaticon, IconFinder or channels in Telegramdedicated to customization Android. If you want to create a unique design, use graphic editors on your phone, for example PicsArt or Canva. Create a canvas of 512x512 pixels, center your logo and save the file without a background.
☑️ Preparing an image for the icon
When choosing the color and style of a new icon, be guided not only by personal preferences, but also by ergonomics. Colors that are too bright or acidic can quickly tire the eyes if used frequently. Also consider the color of your desktop wallpaper: the icon should contrast with the background in order to remain noticeable, but at the same time be in harmony with the overall composition.
Possible problems and ways to solve them
During the setup process, users may encounter a number of typical problems. One of the most common is that the icon changes, but the unread message counter (badge) disappears. This happens because a third-party shortcut or custom icon does not always correctly read notification data from the system. The solution may be to install a plugin for the launcher or use widgets that support displaying badges.
Another problem is desynchronization after a system update. Major updates Android sometimes reset the launcher settings to default. In this case, just select the installed shell again in the phone settings in the "Home Screen" section. If the icon turns black or white, check the image file format - some systems do not support the format for shortcuts, requiring classic Settings interfaces and menu item names may differ depending on the smartphone model and firmware version. If you do not find the described item, use the search in the phone settings by entering the keyword “Launcher” or “Screen”. WEBP or SVG for shortcuts, requiring classic PNG.
⚠️ Attention: Settings interfaces and menu item names may differ depending on the smartphone model and firmware version. If you do not find the item described, use the search in your phone settings by entering the keyword “Launcher” or “Screen”.
In rare cases, the application VKontakte may not launch from the created shortcut. This indicates an error in the executable path when creating the shortcut. Delete the problematic shortcut and create it again, carefully following the instructions in the section about widgets. Make sure that you are choosing an application and not a web link or news feed widget.
If the notification counter does not work on the new icon, try using widgets from the launcher itself, and not the standard system tools for creating shortcuts.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Will the icon be reset when updating the VKontakte application?
No, when using launchers or widgets, the icon is replaced at the desktop level, and not inside the application itself. Therefore, updating the social network will not affect your custom icon. The exception is when you modified the APK file itself, but we do not recommend this method.
Is it possible to change the icon without installing additional apps?
Yes, this is possible if your smartphone supports a theme or the creation of shortcut widgets. Phone owners Xiaomi, Samsung and Honor can often do this through the built-in system tools without downloading launchers.
Why does the new icon look blurry?
Most likely, you used a low-resolution image. For modern screens, it is necessary to take images with a size of at least 512x512 pixels. Also make sure that the image is saved in PNG format and not JPG to avoid compression artifacts.
Does changing the icon affect the security of your account?
No, visually replacing the icon does not in any way affect the application code, your logins, passwords, or access to data. This is a purely cosmetic interface change that does not pose any risks to the security of your VKontakte account VKontakte.
How to get all the icons back?
If you used the launcher, simply delete it or reset the launcher settings in the application menu. If you used widgets, delete the created shortcuts and return the original icons from the menu of all applications to the desktop. When using themes, apply a standard theme in the design store.