Custom icons make your shortcuts easier to spot and organize
When you create a shortcut in the Shortcuts app on Mac or iOS, it starts with a generic icon — usually a small gear or a generic symbol. You can replace that icon with a custom image, emoji, or symbol that matches what the shortcut actually does. This takes about 30 seconds and makes your automation routines visually distinct so you can find the one you need without reading labels.
The process is the same on both Mac and iPhone or iPad: you open the shortcut, tap the three dots or menu button, and choose the option to edit the icon. The app lets you pick from built-in symbols, upload a photo, or paste an emoji directly.
Key Takeaways
- Open any shortcut and tap the three dots or menu icon to find the option to change its icon.
- You can use built-in symbols from the Shortcuts app, upload a photo from your device, or paste an emoji as your custom icon.
- Photos you upload are automatically resized to fit the icon space, so you do not need to edit them beforehand.
- Custom icons sync across your devices if you use iCloud, so an icon you set on your Mac appears on your iPhone too.
How to change the icon on Mac
Open the Shortcuts app on your Mac. Find the shortcut you want to customize and right-click it, or click once and then click the three dots menu button in the top right corner of the window. Select Edit from the menu that appears.
At the top of the shortcut editor, you will see the shortcut's name and its current icon — usually a small colored square or circle. Click directly on that icon. A panel will open showing you three options: Symbols, Photo, and Emoji. Choose whichever matches what you want to use.
If you choose Symbols, you will see a grid of built-in icons organized by category — look for the category that matches your shortcut's purpose, then click the symbol you want. If you choose Photo, click Choose Photo and select an image file from your Mac. If you choose Emoji, click in the text field and paste or type an emoji directly. Click Done when you have made your choice, then close the editor window to save.
How to change the icon on iPhone or iPad
Open the Shortcuts app and find the shortcut you want to customize. Tap and hold on the shortcut until a menu appears, then tap Edit. On some versions, you may see a three-dot menu button instead — tap that and select Edit.
At the top of the screen, you will see the shortcut's name and icon. Tap the icon itself — not the name. A menu will appear with the same three options: Symbols, Photo, and Emoji. Tap the one you want to use.
For Symbols, scroll through the categories and tap the icon you want. For Photo, tap Choose Photo and select an image from your Photos library or files. For Emoji, tap in the text field and type or paste the emoji you want. Tap Done when finished, then tap Done
Choosing the right icon type for your shortcut
Built-in symbols work best when you want a clean, professional look. The Shortcuts app includes hundreds of symbols organized by category — productivity, media, home automation, communication, and more. If your shortcut backs up files, look in the Files category. If it controls smart home devices, look in Home. These symbols are small and scale perfectly to any size.
Photos work best when you want something distinctive or personal. You might upload a screenshot of a website, a photo of a person, or a custom graphic you designed. The app will automatically crop and resize it to fit the icon space, so you do not need to edit the image first. Photos take up more visual space than symbols, so they stand out more in a crowded list of shortcuts.
Emoji are the fastest option if you want something quick and recognizable. A camera emoji for a photo shortcut, a house emoji for a home automation routine, or a clock emoji for a timer all communicate their purpose when ready. Emoji work on all devices and do not require you to find or upload anything.
What happens when you sync icons across devices
If you use iCloud on your Mac and iOS devices, any custom icon you set on one device will appear on all the others automatically. This means if you spend time customizing icons on your Mac, you do not need to repeat the work on your iPhone — the icons will already be there when you open the Shortcuts app.
If you do not use iCloud or have iCloud turned off for Shortcuts, custom icons will not sync. In that case, you will need to set the icon separately on each device where you want it to appear. You can check whether iCloud is enabled by opening the Shortcuts app, tapping your profile picture in the top right corner, and looking for the iCloud toggle.
Troubleshooting icon changes that do not appear
If you change an icon and it does not show up, the most common reason is that you did not finish saving. Make sure you tap or click Done after choosing your icon, and then Done again to close the editor. The icon should update when ready.
If you uploaded a photo and it appears cropped or zoomed in the wrong way, that is normal — the Shortcuts app automatically crops photos to fit the square icon space. If you want a different part of the photo to show, delete the icon, crop the photo in your Photos app or another editor first, and then upload it again.
If you are on iPhone or iPad and the icon still does not appear after you close the editor, try closing the Shortcuts app completely and opening it again. Sometimes the display needs to refresh. On Mac, try closing and reopening the Shortcuts app as well.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a photo from the internet as my shortcut icon?
You can if you save it to your device first. On iPhone or iPad, open Safari, tap and hold the image, and select Save Image. On Mac, right-click the image and select Save Image As. Once it is saved to your Photos library or files, you can upload it as your icon through the Shortcuts app.
What size should my photo be if I want to use it as an icon?
The Shortcuts app will resize any photo you upload, so the original size does not matter. A photo from your phone's camera, a screenshot, or a small graphic will all work. The app crops it to a square and scales it to fit the icon space automatically.
If I delete a shortcut and recreate it, will the custom icon stay?
No. When you delete a shortcut, the custom icon is deleted with it. If you recreate the shortcut, it will start with the default icon and you will need to set a custom icon again. If you think you might want to recreate a shortcut later, take a screenshot of the icon first so you remember what you chose.
Can I use the same custom icon for multiple shortcuts?
Yes. You can set the same emoji, photo, or symbol on as many shortcuts as you want. This is useful if you want to group related shortcuts visually — for example, using the same icon for all your morning routine shortcuts.
Do custom icons work in Siri suggestions or the lock screen?
Custom icons appear in the Shortcuts app and in your home screen shortcuts. On the lock screen, Siri may show a generic Shortcuts icon instead of your custom one, depending on your iOS version. The custom icon will always display correctly in the Shortcuts app itself.