People do not realize just how much they look at the background of their phone. While it certainly isn’t the main attraction, its ever-present existence behind the scenes of your device can impact your experience.
I wanted to take that to the next level, which is why I’ve been experimenting with pairing custom backgrounds and specific app icon styles.
Someone needs to put my phone in the Louvre Museum, because I’m making art over here.
I finally fixed my Android phone’s home screen mess and it’s about time
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Choosing an app icon style
Your options are a bit limited for now
Anyone can download a smartphone background to make their device a bit more aesthetically pleasing. However, if you really want to turn it into a piece of art, explore the custom app icons available in Android.
The key here is to find an app icon style that matches your background as seamlessly as possible.
As someone who loves a good starry sky or galaxy background, I immediately gravitated to the Stardust theme, which made all my app icons dark blue with small stars and moons. Even better, it’s generated by AI, so it can match your background color theme exactly.
I wanted to branch out beyond the obvious, which is why I went with an Easel app icon style in jade green paired with some plants for a more natural look.
Still, I felt like I was missing that pop of color, so I grabbed one of the more lively Curated Culture wallpapers from Google and paired it with the Cookies icon style, and I can comfortably say that I’ve found my new smartphone aesthetic.
Unfortunately, as of writing, there are only five styles to choose from, and only three offer editable prompts to make color and background changes. This is likely to change with future Android updates, though.
How to change your app icon style
It’s time to check out those settings
If you need help figuring out how to change app icons, we do not blame you, because the process is a bit more hidden than you would expect for such a fun customization option.
For starters, go to your Settings menu, scroll down, and select Wallpaper & style.
This is where you might get confused. The initial interface is set to the Lock screen, which does not have the app icon option. If you click over to the Home screen, you can scroll down to the Icons option in the menu.
When you are there, select the Create option, and choose from the five style options. Select one, and click the underlined prompt words to change them to a particular color. That is the only customization you can do right now.
What about theme packs?
Hope you like SpongeBob SquarePants
If you want to take the guesswork out of pairing backgrounds and app icon styles, Android offers theme packs that automatically coordinate them to match.
However, it is worth noting that, as of writing, the only theme packs available are entirely influenced by SpongeBob SquarePants.
Of the three options you can choose from, all three feature backgrounds with the yellow Nickelodeon character and his Bikini Bottom friends, as well as app icon styles that coordinate with the under-the-sea vibes.
These are the only options available because Android typically uses this as a marketing opportunity. A few months ago, for example, the only options were from the Wicked for Good movie.
Luckily, you do not have to hope that Android provides a theme pack you like every few months. You can download third-party apps from the Play Store, such as Themepack, to access a range of theme pack options for your home screen, including app icon styles and matching backgrounds.
Check back for more
More customization is clearly on the way
The app icon style interface in Android 16 is in its early stages. A lot of the customization infrastructure exists but is not entirely accessible in April 2026, which is definitely a bummer.
You can’t really generate many different app style icons yet, and a select few are customizable, unlike the backgrounds, which allow you to create entirely new creations based on a dozen different prompts.
The good news is that that will likely change in the near future, ideally in Android 17, which is rumored to launch as early as June.
If you are holding your breath, waiting for complete control over how your home screen looks, you probably won’t have to hold it much longer.
