With the release of iOS 14 Beta Apple presented a new feature that allows you to customize your iPhone’s home screen more flexibly than ever. Now you can update the layout, delete unnecessary apps from the screen (thanks to App Library), add widgets, and customize shortcuts of apps. Today we will talk about the last feature, how a designer raised $100k+ with an iOS icon pack and new 3D icons.
How to apply custom icons for shortcuts
First of all, you need to get some icons, of course?. The choice is yours, but no matter whether you prefer monotone dark/light icons or bright and colorful style makes your eyes happier, the ICOS pack has your back covered. 90+ icons with 3 color styles will fit perfectly to start with. After you get the pack, unzip the images to your iPhones Photos library and follow the short instruction.
We have recorded a video tutorial for you, feel free to check it out on YouTube. Also, there is a text version below.
- Open the Shortcuts app (pre-installed on iOS 14).
- Tap the “+” button in the top-right corner.
- Tap Add Action.
- Find Open App.
- Press Choose and select the app you want to customize.
- Tap the three dots (…) in the top-right corner.
- Give your shortcut a name.
- Select Add to Home Screen.
- Tap the image to the left of the name and go to Choose Photo. Select the image from your Photos library you want to use as the new icon.
- Tap Add in the top-right corner. The popup will you that the shortcut was added to the home screen.
- Press Done.
That’s it. All steps won’t take more than a minute for 1 app. Repeat for each application that you want to customize.
$100k+ on icons. Is it real?
Imagine you’re working as a designer and you’ve been creating icons for 7 years. iOS rolls out an update with a customizable hero screen. You create some icons for yourself and post your setup on Twitter.
Current iOS 14 home screen setup. pic.twitter.com/gtFjRnMkq7
— Traf (@traf) September 20, 2020
Your followers get interested and you decide to prepare a pack. You spend 2 hours, gather 80 of your icons in one pack, build a website on Notion with Super, upload the pack to Gumroad and go to bed. In the morning you are finding $5k+ in your Gumroad balance. Fairy-tale? Not for Traf.
1. Share my iOS home screen setup
— Traf (@traf) September 21, 2020
2. Notice some crazy interest in the icons
3. Design icon set, and upload it to @gumroad
4. Create a website on @notionhq using @super_
5. Make $5,264 in my sleep, all from ~2 hours of work
The internet is wild. pic.twitter.com/BSOq0rosVg
A designer with 7 years of icon creating experience has managed to create a set of icons that got 6.2 million impressions on Twitter and brought him over $100,000 just in a week. While most people say that the reason is bold luck, Traf thinks they were some other factors that helped him to achieve this success. The main condition is not to give up and keep on delivering the job. More attempts and experience will increase your chances to reach your goal. Also, be transparent and take every opportunity that life gives to you.
You can read Traf’s full story on his website.
What else to expect?
If you are also going to your iPhone shortcuts, do not hurry to buy Traf’s pack, as there is a lot of other cool icons that you might like more. Free, paid, minimalistic, colorful, dark, light – the choice is yours. Feel free to find a perfect pack in popular marketplaces, like Iconscout, Etsy, and Icons8. Or pick up a set in the following compilations – iOS Skins or Phoneicons.
Also, we have prepared several handpicked packs. You are welcome!
Want to change your icons every week based on your mood? Customico offers you 150+ icons in 10 color styles, so you never get bored from a typical screen.
Enjoying the hype of Among Us? There is a pack for you too – Among Them pack made in the style of the famous game.
For the lovers of beauty, Tobias’ icons would be paradise. 120 clean and playful icons will give a mood boost every time you unlock your iPhone.
Not impressed? Then you should look to the side of the 3D icons. Yes, the graphic design evolves fast and the cult of 3D has already reached icons. It means that you can make your iPhone really unique. Until the trend takes over the world and will be used on every home screen, of course. But where to find high-quality 3D icons? Don’t worry, we took care of it for you and created the Caramel pack with 90 colorful icons for iOS 14 or any other project.
No matter how your home screen will look like and which icons will be used there, the main idea of this feature is to give the iPhone user the freedom of creativity. So, use full of your creativity and make your device most comfortable for you. Take care!