{"id":117863,"date":"2020-09-09T16:30:21","date_gmt":"2020-09-09T16:30:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/developer.apple.com\/news\/?id=5i6jlf4d"},"modified":"2020-09-09T16:30:21","modified_gmt":"2020-09-09T16:30:21","slug":"design-and-implement-macos-document-icons","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/2020\/09\/09\/design-and-implement-macos-document-icons\/","title":{"rendered":"Design and implement macOS document icons"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A good document icon aids in the identification of your file on the Desktop, in a Finder window, or in an open dialog, especially when previews aren\u2019t available. These icons may be displayed on screen as small as 16pt or large enough to showcase every glorious design detail. <\/p>\n

Depending on the file type and personal preference, document icons can also display document previews. If someone has chosen not to show document extensions in System Preferences, these icons can additionally provide additional context in deciphering their file type and native program.<\/p>\n

With macOS Big Sur, you can customize and control how your app\u2019s document icons display across the system. We\u2019ll show you how to design a great icon, integrate it into your Xcode project, and assign document types and type identifiers.<\/p>\n

Design a document icon for your app<\/h3>\n

By default, if you don\u2019t specify a document icon for a file type in your app, macOS will automatically create one for you by compositing your app\u2019s icon together with the correct extension name. This is a common pattern for imported document types or non-proprietary file formats that your application can open such as MP3, JPG or PNG. <\/p>\n

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Both the Music and Preview apps use system-generated document icons for document types like JPG and MP3.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

You can additionally create a custom document icon if your app supports multiple file types and you\u2019d like to visually distinguish between them. For example, a drawing application may open a jpg file, a project file, a library of drawing components, a plugin or a color swatch. <\/p>\n

When creating a custom icon, we recommend keeping its design simple. Try to depict what your icon represents as closely as possible and with as few details as possible. Additionally, think of other document types that your document may commonly be next to, and use distinct shapes and colors that are identifiable even at smaller sizes. <\/p>\n

If you plan to create multiple custom icons for different file types, it\u2019s important to make each design distinct and understandable to help people know what to expect when they open them.<\/p>\n

The elements of a custom document icon<\/strong>
\nBeginning with macOS Big Sur, you can generate a new custom document icon with a set of images and a text string.<\/p>\n

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To create a new custom document icon, you can provide a background fill, center image, or text string. Each of these three elements is optional, allowing you to use just one element or any combination of the three to customize your icon. From there, macOS will automatically layer, position, and mask these elements, then composite them into a page icon with a right corner fold.<\/p>\n

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You can download Sketch and Photoshop templates on Apple Design Resources to assist in the generation of the image assets in all their required sizes.<\/em> <\/p>\n

Apple Design Resources<\/a><\/p>\n

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Fill in the background<\/strong>
\nThe background image allows you to customize the background of your icon. The art should fill the entire drawing area, as shown below, and the system will automatically mask it to the document shape in all sizes.<\/p>\n

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Background images can not only be used to change the background of your document, but you can also use them to create custom designs that fill the entire page.<\/p>\n

The background image should be drawn in the following sizes:<\/p>\n