AGENT SKILLBY ERONRED
App icon optimization
AT A GLANCE
App icon optimization is an agent skill for go-to-market. When the user wants to design, test, or improve their app icon to increase tap-through rate and conversions in App Store search and browse. The eronred/aso-skills repository on GitHub, maintained by eronred, has 1.8K stars and the MIT license. To add it, run npx skills add eronred/aso-skills --skill app-icon-optimization
- SOURCE REPOSITORY
- eronred/aso-skills (opens GitHub in a new tab)
- REPO STARS
- SOURCE REPOSITORY
- LICENSE
- MIT
- CATEGORIES
- SKILL.MD SIZE
- 5.4 KB164 LINES
QUICK ANSWER
- WHAT IT IS01
- When the user wants to design, test, or improve their app icon to increase tap-through rate and conversions in App Store search and browse. Its edge is a particular angle on app icon optimization, giving the agent tighter constraints than a plain app icon optimization request.
- INPUTS02
- Context the agent needs: your goals, audience, constraints, and any source material the skill asks for.
- OUTPUT03
- A ready-to-use result: the analysis, copy, or recommendations the agent produces.
INSTALL
One command adds this skill from its source repository.
npx skills add eronred/aso-skills --skill app-icon-optimizationREAD THE SKILL.MD BELOW BEFORE YOU RUN IT. SKILLS INSTRUCT YOUR AGENT.
SKILL.MD
The full file, as published in the source repository. Copy it, download it or open it on GitHub.
ON THIS PAGE · 16
App Icon Optimization#
You help design, audit, and A/B test app icons to maximize tap-through rate (TTR) — the percentage of users who tap your app after seeing it in search results or browse.
Why the Icon Is Your Most Impactful Asset#
The icon is the first thing users see in search results — before the title, rating, or screenshots. A compelling icon can lift TTR by 20–40% with no other changes. In browse/charts, it's often the only visual element competing for attention.
Icon Design Principles#
1. Simplicity at Small Size#
Icons render at 60×60pt (iPhone search results). At that size, detail disappears.
- Maximum 2 elements
- No text (illegible at small sizes; Apple discourages it)
- Strong silhouette recognizable at a glance
- Test at 60×60px before finalizing
2. Color Contrast Against the App Store Background#
The App Store has a white/light background (light mode) and dark background (dark mode).
- High contrast on both modes
- Avoid white icons — they disappear in light mode
- Avoid very dark icons — they disappear in dark mode
- Consider adding a subtle shadow or border on your icon background
3. Category Visual Language#
Match and differentiate from your category norms:
| Category | Common patterns | How to stand out |
|---|---|---|
| Productivity | Blue, clean, minimal | Warmer colors, bolder marks |
| Health/Fitness | Green, orange, energetic | Premium dark, sophisticated |
| Finance | Blue, green, conservative | Bold, distinctive mark |
| Games | Bright, characters, action | Premium/dark if competitors are loud |
| Social | Round shapes, soft colors | Sharp, distinctive if feed is soft |
| Meditation | Purple, blue, calm | Unexpected contrast color |
| Photo/Video | Gradient, camera | Single strong mark |
Rule: Look at your top 20 competitors' icons. Then design to be immediately distinguishable.
4. Recognizable Mark#
The icon needs a single, memorable mark — not a scene or a composition. Ask:
"Can someone describe this icon in 3 words?"
- ✅ "Red speech bubble" | ❌ "Someone using a phone with a gradient"
- ✅ "Bold orange flame" | ❌ "Abstract colorful shapes"
5. Brand Consistency#
The icon is your brand mark in the App Store. It should:
- Match your app's primary color palette
- Be consistent with your splash screen, push notifications, and marketing
- Work as a favicon, social media avatar, and press kit asset
Icon Sizes Required#
| Platform | Size |
|---|---|
| iPhone (App Store) | 1024×1024px (master) |
| iPhone (home screen) | 60×60pt @1x, @2x, @3x |
| iPad | 76×76pt @1x, @2x |
| Watch | 40×40pt – 44×44pt |
| Android adaptive icon | 108×108dp (safe zone 66×66dp) |
Submit a single 1024×1024px PNG (no transparency, no rounded corners — Apple applies the mask).
A/B Testing Icons#
iOS — Product Page Optimization#
- App Store Connect → Your App → Product Page Optimization → Create Test
- Create up to 3 icon variants
- Set traffic allocation (20–33% per variant)
- Run for minimum 7 days or until statistical significance
Access: App Store Connect → App Store → Product Page Optimization
Android — Play Store Experiments#
- Play Console → Store listing experiments → New experiment
- Upload up to 3 icon variants
- Set traffic split
- Google reports install conversion rate per variant
What to Test#
Test one variable at a time:
| Test | Variants |
|---|---|
| Color scheme | Same mark, 3 different background colors |
| Mark style | Flat vs illustrated vs 3D |
| Dark vs light | Dark background vs light background |
| Character vs abstract | Character-based vs geometric/abstract |
| With vs without text | Mark only vs mark + short text |
Reading Results#
- Primary metric: Install conversion rate (impressions → installs)
- Minimum sample: 1,000+ impressions per variant for reliable signal
- Significance threshold: p < 0.05 or Appeeky/Play Console confidence indicator
Icon Audit#
Evaluate your current icon against:
Clarity at 60×60px: [1–10]
- Recognizable mark at small size?
- No illegible text?
Color contrast: [1–10]
- Works on white (light mode)?
- Works on dark backgrounds (dark mode)?
Category differentiation: [1–10]
- Stands out from top 10 competitor icons?
Simplicity: [1–10]
- Max 2 elements?
- Describable in 3 words?
Brand alignment: [1–10]
- Consistent with app's visual identity?
Overall: [N]/50Brief for Icon Designer#
When briefing a designer:
App: [name and one-line description]
Category: [category]
Primary audience: [who uses it]
Brand colors: [hex values]
Mood/feeling: [premium / playful / trustworthy / energetic / calm]
What the icon should convey: [core value or identity]
What to avoid: [don't replicate competitor X, avoid Y]
Competitors to differentiate from: [list 3–5 with icons]
Reference icons I like: [list 3–5 from other apps]
Deliverables:
- 3 distinct concepts at 1024×1024px
- Each concept tested at 60×60px mockup in App Store search context
- Final: PNG, no alpha, no rounded cornersRelated Skills#
ab-test-store-listing— Full A/B testing methodologyscreenshot-optimization— Complement the icon with strong screenshotsandroid-aso— Android adaptive icon requirementsaso-audit— Icon is one factor in the full ASO score
FAQ
07 QUESTIONS
01What is the App icon optimization agent skill?
When the user wants to design, test, or improve their app icon to increase tap-through rate and conversions in App Store search and browse. It is listed under go-to-market in the 100xLab agent skills directory.
02How do I install App icon optimization in Cursor, Claude Code, or Codex?
Run npx skills add eronred/aso-skills --skill app-icon-optimization in the project where you want it, then ask your agent for the skill by name. The --skill flag installs only App icon optimization, not every skill in the repository.
03What does the App icon optimization SKILL.md cover?
The SKILL.md includes sections on Why the Icon Is Your Most Impactful Asset, Icon Design Principles, Simplicity at Small Size, Color Contrast Against the App Store Background, Category Visual Language and Recognizable Mark. Read the full text on this page or in plain markdown at /resources/agent-skills/eronred-aso-skills--app-icon-optimization--1vamvdi/raw.
04Which agents can use App icon optimization?
App icon optimization installs with the cross-agent skills installer (npx skills add), which sets it up for agents such as Claude Code, Cursor and Codex. Each agent loads the SKILL.md when you ask for the skill by name.
05What license is App icon optimization under?
The eronred/aso-skills repository declares the MIT license. Read the license file in the repository before you copy or redistribute the skill.
06Is App icon optimization free to use?
Reading, copying and installing App icon optimization costs nothing: it is published in a public GitHub repository under the MIT license. Reuse and redistribution follow that license.
07Where is the source of App icon optimization?
App icon optimization comes from https://github.com/eronred/aso-skills, which has 1.8K GitHub stars. The SKILL.md is at https://github.com/eronred/aso-skills/blob/HEAD/skills/app-icon-optimization/SKILL.md. The author is eronred.
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ATTRIBUTION
App icon optimization was written by its original authors and is published in eronred/aso-skills (opens GitHub in a new tab) under the MIT license. All rights stay with the original authors.
100xLab did not write, maintain or endorse this skill. This page lists it for discovery. Repo stars belong to the source repository, not to the skill. Review any skill before you install it.