iOS 18: Create Dark Mode Icons for Apps That Won't Go Dark

Have you tried making your iPhone's Home Screen app icons dark using the new customization options in iOS 18? If so, you may have run up against the issue that, despite all efforts, some app icons simply refuse to turn dark. Well, we may have a solution for you.

It's been over two months since Apple released iOS 18, but not all app developers have updated their apps to include equivalent dark mode icons (we're looking at you, Amazon). And while iOS 18 tries to automatically generate dark icons when developers haven't provided them, it doesn't always work.

If that leaves one or two light icons spoiling your otherwise carefully crafted dark-themed Home Screen, don't despair. The following steps describe a relatively simple method you can use that will give most stubborn app icons a passable dark appearance. Big thanks to Redditor Straight_Random_2211 for sharing their custom dark icon assets and process, which we've distilled below:

With a bit of luck, your custom dark mode icon will look the part on your personalized Home Screen. Note: If you have several app icons that you want to create dark mode equivalents for, make sure to create a new "Open App" shortcut for each one as you go. If you don't, you may end up accidentally creating several icon shortcuts that refer back to the same app.