Icons have its own significance in every mobile application. As we all know that the first impression is the last impression, so are the icons to the mobile application.

The first impression of your application is expressed to your customers through the icons. This also becomes a primary and important point to the one who has downloaded the application.

Moreover, an icon not only handles the impression but also builds a great designed brand. In the app store, icons with unique and eye-catchy designs always have an extraordinarily high download ratio.

With the launch of every new Apple iOS, there is a broad array of renovation in the icons and apps design strategies. The recently launched iOS 11 version has turned the game of the design strategies the whole way around. The design of the app icons of iOS 11 has been proved alienating, but as some of the designers have said that there will be no specific change until the launch of iOS 12 as the app icons of iOS 11 are consistently updated.

Doesn’t matter whether you are outlining a plan to create an uncomplicated and an easy app icon or the one with fascinating and noteworthy app icon, there is always a strategy to design the app icon that you need to follow. And as we all know that a small app icon is a major milestone in developing a great mobile application. So, if you are planning to enter the world of designing of iOS 11 app icon or if you want to attract your potential customers, here is the chance for you to understand the design tips that is definitely going to help you and release a successful product.

Top iOS App Icon Design Tips

1. Be informed and aware of your competitors

While creating an appealing iOS 11 app icon, the most basic activity one needs to perform is conducting an informative research.

Before starting with the designing of the app icon, you need to be aware of what your competitors are working at. Keeping in mind the designing trend of the app icon, get a vibe of what other iOS designers are following. It is important to be sure that the icon of your app is not failing to match your customer’s expectations as well the features of your competitor’s app icon. It is so because often, clients download only single application whenever they search for a new app. Always, check the iconography which is being used by your opponents and also the one followed by the trend. This avails you to search more and create great and new ideas for the designing of your iOS 11 app icon.

2. Keep it meaningful and simple

Icons are the simplest way to identify your app, so do not confuse your customers with complicated pictures. Use recognizable metaphors for your app icon. The picture should be meaningful and simple. If your app is for capturing images, then show it with a camera, not with other collage designs and all. Not paying attention to the secondary feature of your mobile application will attract your customers. Through the icons, portray the purpose behind your application.

Do not use different shapes, colors, images in your application icon because this makes hard for the customers to memorize the complex icons. iOS designers even follow a good research on the colors. For your iOS 11 app icon, always go for a unique color.

And ultimately, all this counts, as it confirms a good position amongst your competitors and distinguishes yours from the others.

3. Highlight it more and go bold

In iOS 11, its home screen looks fascinating when it is a bright palette. While designing an app icon, you need to consider many things to make it look different from others. To give an eye-catching look, the contrast of your app icon should be bold. Highlighting your app icon, contrast adds glowing brightness to the icon. Even if it is not about the colors, Apple has few standards for the visual style. It is followed to some extent and these are as follows: iOS 11 designers should prefer highlighted and bold contrasts. The boundary lines and the colors should be bright instead of dull and muted colors. While designing the app icon, you need to pay special attention to every small twist that improves the look of the icon.

4. No text

Rarely, an icon has text in it. The icon should convey sufficient details to the user to make them understand that what the app is really about. Do not stuff many details in that small icon, as it will not give a decent impact on your customer’s mind and will also confuse them.

To get more outcomes from the customers, an app icon should hold pixel perfect design. Experts suggest that whole text or a word should be avoided, rather the iOS 11 designers can go for the symbol or their own logo, but one should always keep in mind that the symbol or word in the icon should not be of any specific language. The look of an icon is what that really matters.

5. Appropriate use of grid

Grid designed by the Apple is the most well-proportioned part. In iOS 11, starting with the template grid, experts suggest that one the iOS designer should follow the standards of iOS 11 set by the Apple – to make the icon look unique on the home screen, the apps should take grid as the base. Sometimes if you don’t want to fit in the grid, you can break it by reassuring its other healthy aspects.

Use of grid layout has been beneficial to many of the users and has been a path to great success. If you are also designing an app icon for iOS 11, then you should stick over the idea of the grid.

Using the grid, you can create every icon that you want. You may have many choices to choose from, but they all seem to be almost alike, so there is no need to waste your time in that. As said earlier, you can customize your icon if it is not matching your way.

There are many icon redesigns developed by different iOS designers. With the advancing world, though the already designed icons are updated, but some iOS designers have already started redesigning it. While designing an app, the designer should let his creative flow come out and do the research for more innovative ideas. This will keep your app icon typically updated.

6. Show the depth in the icon

Apple’s work on iOS is referred as the flat designs, but may of the experts suggest that Apple works on layered concept rather than a flat one. While thinking of the look of the icon, keep on doing various experiments with the profound shadows and shading of the elements besides just the simple gradients.iOS 11 holds the opportunity of possibilities which are not as flat as they appear to be.

7. Focus on consistent visual style

Experts suggest that the iOS designer should not restrict himself from using the different styles. From consistency, we mean keeping the visual style same, not each and every line and colors. The change could be a simple basic gradient or a transparent icon on the background. But make sure that your design is flexible for different metaphors.

Sometimes, iOS designers use the glossy effect in the iOS app icon, but the experts highly recommend to stop its usage while designing. The iOS 11 app icon already has this effect in it, so using this feature additionally does not make any difference.

Sometimes, your application download ratio is not very high. In such cases, give another attempt to the design of the application. Maybe this time, you can get good outcomes.

8. Diversity in Android and iOS

Icon of an android and that too of iOS are very different from each other. After the submission of your app to the App Store, Apple will always offer your icon the feature of adjusted corners. Google Play Store can’t perform such methods. To make both the icons not differentiable in these two app stores, you can alter the sides of your app icon.

9. Express your opinions

Research more and more and write and draw to express your ideas. Deal with your opinions, maybe you will explore a creative idea. Therefore, examine various decisions. Check the latest apps in app store. Explore what else you can do to make it look more eye-catching. Increase your observing area.

10. Go for the perfection

The release of iOS 11 did not change the principles of creating good icons. Simplicity, splendor and other small details are all that makes an overall app look better. To develop a perfect design, designers should search for more, read more books on modern design, typography and also architecture.

Every designer wants his app to be different from the others, and this needs to have a curious mind which should think out of the box.

Icons of iOS 11 mobile apps need to be furnished with many features to be on the top and gain a position amongst the competitors. iOS app designer should never get tired of exploring new. He/ she should read and learn more about the upcoming modern designs.

Apple is advancing in many ways, winning the hearts of millions. Its advanced accuracy has brought a change in the field of technology. Apple seeks for the perfection and other companies are trying to match the standard of the Apple. For iOS 11 apps icons, Apple has set a few standards which should be followed to have great results. These standards are not only helping to develop a great mobile app icon, but also helping the designer to set their brand in a different and higher level.

Editorial Viewpoint

As stated above, the first impression is the last impression, there is a transparency if we consider the case of mobile applications. It is important to have an eye-catching icon for your mobile app. Your app should have a bright color which should be very classy, depicting its uniqueness. This will help you to increase your potential customers and also bring the users to you who just check the icon of the app. Whether it is the grid, the color or the depth of the icon, every single element of the mobile app icon conveys the significance of the app.

iOS 11 app icon is one of the many components of the mobile application which has contributed its part. After iOS 10, in the launch of iOS 11, the screw nuts were fitted and tightened more, surfaces were polished and the rough edges were smoothed. iOS 11 icons have allowed the iOS 11 to achieve such a great success with numerous improvements.