Android · Personalization
Adjust icon shape and home screen density
Controls the outline shape used for app icons (circle, squircle, square, teardrop) and the number of rows and columns shown on the home screen grid.
How to open App Icon Shape & Grid Size
- Long-press an empty area of the home screen
- Tap 'Home settings'
- Select 'Icon shape' or 'App icons' to change the outline
- Select 'Grid size' or 'Layout' to change row/column density
What you should know
- Icon shape options typically include circle, squircle, rounded square, and square
- Grid size options range from compact (more icons per row) to spacious (fewer, larger icons)
- Changes apply instantly across the home screen and app drawer
- Available through the launcher's Home settings menu
Why it matters
Icon shape and grid density directly affect how much information fits on the home screen and how the interface feels visually. Power users who install many apps often prefer a denser grid to reduce swiping, while others prioritize larger, more legible icons for easier tapping. Because these are purely cosmetic settings with no functional trade-offs, they are a low-risk way to significantly change the phone's everyday feel.
Best practices
- Choose a denser grid only if you have good eyesight or a larger screen
- Match icon shape to your wallpaper style for visual consistency
- Test a layout for a day before committing, since muscle memory adjusts to icon positions
Common problems and fixes
- Grid size option is missing
- This setting lives in the launcher app's own settings, not System settings, and may not exist on non-Pixel launchers.
- Icon shape doesn't apply to all apps
- Some apps use custom-shaped icons that ignore the system mask; this is expected behavior.
- Widgets look misaligned after changing grid size
- Resize or re-place widgets manually, since grid density changes can shift widget boundaries.
Tips and tricks
- Use a smaller grid size temporarily when reorganizing many apps
- Squircle and rounded-square shapes tend to match Material You theming best
Frequently asked questions
Does this affect the lock screen or app drawer separately?
Icon shape applies system-wide; grid size is usually specific to the home screen, with the app drawer sometimes adjustable separately.
Can third-party launchers use this setting?
Only if installed through the default Pixel-style launcher; other launchers have their own grid and shape controls.
Related settings
- Home Screen & LauncherHome screen settings control which apps, shortcuts, and widgets appear on your Home screens, how many screens you have, and the overall grid layout. If you've installed a third-party launcher, this is also where you switch your default Home app.
- Themed Icons & Material You ColorsThemed icons use Material You to extract a color palette from your current wallpaper and apply matching tints to supported app icons, widgets, and system menus.
- Wallpaper & StyleWallpaper & Style settings let you set separate images for your Home and lock screens, and on many devices, generate a matching system-wide color palette, icon shapes, and fonts based on your wallpaper's colors. Theme packs can bundle wallpapers, icons, and sounds together for a coordinated look.
More Personalization guides for Android
- Lock Screen & Always-on DisplayLock screen settings control the clock style, shortcuts, and what information (like notifications and weather) appears before you unlock your phone. Always-on display, on supported devices, keeps a dimmed version of the clock and key notifications visible even while the screen is otherwise off.
- Always-on Display CustomizationAlways-on Display (AOD) keeps a low-power version of the clock, notification icons, and optional 'At a Glance' info visible on the lock screen even when the phone is idle.
- Screen Saver (Daydream)Screen saver, also called Daydream, displays a rotating photo gallery, clock, or colors on screen while the phone is docked, charging, or idle, instead of turning the display off.
- Quick Settings Tile CustomizationLets you add, remove, and reorder the toggle tiles shown in the Quick Settings panel accessed by swiping down from the top of the screen.
- Notification Dot StyleNotification dots place a small colored badge on an app icon when it has an unread notification; this setting controls whether dots appear and how they're styled.
- Status Bar Icon ManagerControls which system icons — such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, alarm, or hotspot — are shown in the status bar at the top of the screen, and how notification icons are displayed there.