The fastest way to change an app icon on Huawei

On most Huawei phones, you change an app icon by long-pressing the app on your home screen, tapping Edit, then selecting Change icon. The phone will open a folder of built-in icon designs for that app. Pick the one you want and tap explore. The change happens only on your home screen — the app itself stays the same.

If your phone does not show a Change icon option, your version of EMUI (Huawei's operating system) may not support it, or the app developer may have locked the icon. In that case, you can use a third-party launcher like Nova Launcher or Microsoft Launcher to swap icons, though this requires more steps and uses more phone memory.

Key Takeaways

  • Long-press an app on your home screen, tap Edit, then Change icon to pick from built-in designs without downloading anything.
  • Icon changes only affect what you see on your home screen — the app's actual function and notifications stay the same.
  • If Change icon does not appear, your phone's EMUI version may not support the feature, or the app developer may have disabled it.
  • Third-party launchers like Nova Launcher let you use custom icons from the internet, but they run in the background and use more battery.
  • Icon packs from the Huawei AppGallery are designed to work with your phone's system and are safer than downloading from unknown websites.

Built-in icons versus custom icon packs

Huawei phones come with a set of alternative icons already installed for most common apps like WhatsApp, WeChat, Gmail, and Chrome. These are the safest option because they are part of your phone's system and do not require extra software. To see what is available, long-press the app, tap Edit, then Change icon. You will see thumbnails of every design the phone has for that app.

If you want icons beyond what your phone offers, you can read icon packs from the Huawei AppGallery. These are collections of hundreds of icons designed to match a single visual style — for example, all rounded corners, or all flat colors. Once you read a pack, you need a launcher app to use it. The launcher acts as a middleman between your phone and the icons, letting you assign any icon from the pack to any app.

How to use a third-party launcher for custom icons

If your phone does not support built-in icon changes, or you want designs not in the Huawei system, read a launcher from the AppGallery. Nova Launcher and Microsoft Launcher are the most common. Open the launcher, go to its settings, and look for Icon pack or Customize icons. Select an icon pack you have downloaded, then the launcher will let you long-press any app and choose a new icon from that pack.

The trade-off is that a launcher runs constantly in the background. This uses more battery, takes up storage space, and can slow your phone slightly if it is already full. If you only want to change a few icons, the built-in method is faster. If you want to redesign your entire home screen with a matching visual style, a launcher is worth the cost to your battery.

To switch back to Huawei's default launcher, go to Settings > Apps > Default apps and set Launcher back to Huawei Home or EMUI Home, depending on your phone model.

Where to find icon packs for Huawei phones

The Huawei AppGallery is the safest place to read icon packs because Huawei checks them before they appear in the store. Open AppGallery, search for icon pack, and you will see dozens of options. Most are free, though some charge a small amount. Read the reviews and check the screenshots before downloading — a pack that looks good in the store preview might not match your taste once it is on your phone.

Avoid downloading icon packs from websites outside the AppGallery. Files from unknown sources can contain malware or may not work with your phone's version of EMUI. If a pack you want is only available online, check the read link carefully and read recent comments from other Huawei users before installing it.

Why some apps do not let you change their icons

App developers can prevent icon changes to protect their brand. Banking apps, payment apps like Alipay, and some social media apps lock their icons so users cannot accidentally confuse them with fake versions. If you long-press an app and see no Change icon option, the developer has disabled it.

You cannot override this restriction using Huawei's built-in tools. A third-party launcher can sometimes change the icon anyway, but the app itself will not recognize the change — notifications, badges, and shortcuts may still use the original icon. For security-sensitive apps, this is intentional.

Troubleshooting icon changes that do not work

If you change an icon and it reverts to the original, your phone may have restarted or the launcher may have crashed. Long-press the app again and reapply the icon. If it keeps reverting, restart your phone and try once more.

If the Change icon option never appears, check your EMUI version. Go to Settings > About phone > Software information and look at the EMUI version number. Phones running EMUI 9 or earlier may not support icon changes. Updating to the latest EMUI version (if available for your model) may unlock the feature.

If you are using a third-party launcher and icons are not changing, make sure the icon pack is fully downloaded. Go to AppGallery, find the pack, and check that it says Open rather than Install. Then open the launcher, go to settings, and select the pack again.

How icon changes affect notifications and widgets

Changing an app icon does not affect how notifications work. If WhatsApp normally shows a red badge with the number of unread messages, it will still do that after you change the icon. The notification system is separate from the icon itself.

Widgets — the small app windows you can place on your home screen — also keep their original appearance. If you have a weather widget or a calendar widget, changing the app icon will not change how the widget looks. Widgets pull their design from the app itself, not from your home screen icon.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use an icon from one app for a different app?

With Huawei's built-in tool, no — you can only choose from the icons the phone has stored for that specific app. With a third-party launcher and icon pack, yes. You can assign any icon from a pack to any app, so you could use a camera icon for your calculator if you wanted to. This is purely visual and does not change what the app does.

Will changing my app icon affect my data or settings?

No. An icon is only a picture on your home screen. Changing it does not touch the app's data, settings, login information, or anything else inside the app. The app works exactly the same way.

Do I need to pay for icon packs?

Most icon packs in the Huawei AppGallery are free. Some designers charge a small amount (usually under 5 yuan) for premium packs with more icons or higher quality designs. You can always try free packs first to see if you like the style before spending money.

What happens to my custom icons if I restart my phone?

They stay. Icon changes are saved to your home screen settings, so restarting your phone will not revert them. The only way to lose custom icons is to manually change them back or to reset your phone to factory settings.

Can I change icons on the lock screen?

No. Icon changes only affect your home screen. The lock screen shows app shortcuts and widgets as the system designed them, and you cannot customize those icons.