How to Customize App Icons on macOS Big Sur with Pictogram

Updated

Pictogram is a Mac app for replacing app icons, and it works on macOS 11.0 (Big Sur) or newer. It can customize icons for apps you installed yourself, but not apps pre-installed with macOS or apps downloaded from the App Store. Its key promise is that custom icons survive app updates. The beta is described as free on the Pictogram site.

Before You Start

Confirm these conditions, because they decide whether Pictogram is the right tool for your case:

  • macOS version: Requires macOS 11.0 or newer. Big Sur qualifies.
  • App source: The app must not be pre-installed with macOS and must not come from the App Store. Apps you downloaded directly from a developer's site are the intended target.
  • Replacement icon: Have an image ready to use as the new icon. Prepare it before opening Pictogram so you can apply it in one pass.

If the app you want to change is Safari, Mail, Notes, or anything else that shipped with your Mac, or if you installed it through the App Store, Pictogram cannot change it. No workaround is described on the site.

Steps to Apply a Custom Icon

  1. Install Pictogram. Download the beta (v0.1) from the Pictogram site and open it. The site lists it as free and created by Neil Sardesai.
  2. Select an eligible app. In Pictogram, choose an app that meets both conditions above — not pre-installed, not from the App Store.
  3. Apply your replacement icon. Use your prepared image as the new icon for that app.
  4. Verify the result. Check the app's icon in the Dock and in Finder. If the old icon still appears, confirm the app is eligible and that the icon was applied to the correct app.

What Happens After an App Updates

Pictogram states that it preserves your custom icons after apps update themselves. This is the main reason to use it over manually swapping icon files: an update that replaces the app bundle would normally wipe a hand-made icon change, and Pictogram is built to keep your choice in place.

To confirm it worked in your setup, let an eligible app update, then re-check its icon in the Dock and Finder. If the custom icon is still there, the persistence feature is working for that app.

Limits and Choosing

Situation Can Pictogram change the icon?
App downloaded directly from a developer Yes
App pre-installed with macOS No
App downloaded from the App Store No
macOS older than 11.0 Not supported

Choose Pictogram if your target apps were installed outside the App Store and you want the icon to stay put through updates. If your target is an App Store or built-in app, Pictogram is not the tool for that job — the site offers no method for those apps.

Common Snags

  • Icon doesn't change: The most likely cause is an ineligible app. Re-check whether it came from the App Store or shipped with macOS.
  • macOS version error: Confirm you are on 11.0 or later.
  • Beta behavior: v0.1 is a beta, so treat unexpected behavior as possible and re-verify icons after updates.