Namaskaram 🙏, I’m Krishna Sharma, A Passionate Android Engineer whose goal is to impact people’s lives using technologies and I’m excited to share with you this article on How to change App Icon. In this article, I’ll guide you through the process of change your app’s icon based on specific user preferences or events. It’s a super cool feature that can add a touch of personalization to your Android project.

Let’s dive into the details of how you can implement this feature in your own app. I’ll walk you through the steps using a clever trick called the “Alias”. With aliases, you can give your app a different look and feel based on specific events or conditions. Just think of apps like Blinkit or Zomato, which change their app icons to match the festive vibes during special occasions. You can achieve the same effect with your app!

Throughout this article, I’ll explain the concept of aliases, provide code snippets, and share my insights on the challenges I faced during the implementation process. By the end, you’ll have a clear understanding of how to dynamically change your app’s icon on the fly 🤗.

I hope you find this article informative and inspiring. Let’s embark on this exciting journey into the world of How to Change App Icons! 🌟

1. What is Alias (Urf / A.K.A)?🤔

In simple language, an alias refers to a name or label that is used as a substitute for another name. It allows you to refer to something using a different name, making it easier to remember or use. In the context of Android applications, the alias feature allows you to create a different entry point for your app with a different name or icon, while still pointing to the same underlying application. This can be useful for implementing, Change App Icon Android, dynamic app icons or providing different entry points for different scenarios.

2.Manifest.xml

3. Let’s Understand the Activity Aliases in AndroidManifest.xml

1. The above code is part of the AndroidManifest.xml file, which is a configuration file for an Android application. It defines various aspects of the application, including its activities, services, and icons.

2. The android:name attribute specifies the name of the activity alias, which acts as a substitute or alternative name for the main activity of the application.

3. The android:enabled attribute determines whether the activity alias is enabled or disabled.

4. The android:icon attribute specifies the icon that will be displayed for the activity alias.

5. The android:label attribute defines the label or name of the activity alias.

6. The android:targetActivity attribute specifies the target activity that will be launched when the activity alias is selected.

7. The android:exported attribute indicates whether the activity alias can be launched by other applications.

8. The <intent-filter> element contains the intent filters that define the actions and categories associated with the activity alias. In this case, the intent filter specifies that the activity alias should be treated as a main launcher activity.

9. By using these <activity-alias> elements, you can create different entry points for your application, each with its own name and icon, while still pointing to the same underlying main activity. This allows for change App Icon or providing different entry points for different scenarios.

10. If you are using any deep links inside the app, then please put them in all the activity alias.

11. Only one activity alias should be enabled initially, otherwise, it will create multiple launcher icons at the time of app launching.

12. Should enable the default activity alias which we want to show on the first time of app launching.

13. If you want a different name with each launcher icon then you can also change the label name in each activity alias.

4. So! Here is the code for creating an empty class for each launcher icon: (Optional)

package com.exampledynamicicon;

import android.app.Activity;

public class ChristmasAlias:Activity {

}

public class NewYearAlias:Activity {

}

You can create as many empty classes as required for each launcher icon that you want to change at runtime. Remember, these classes should have no content in their bodies as they are just placeholders for the launcher icons.

5. Enable and Disable the Activity Alias for the respective Launcher Icons

In the Below 👇 code, you can see that PackageManager has one important function which is setComponentEnabledSetting().

This is an OverLoaded Function. Which simply means that it takes different-different arrangements. you can use whichever overloaded function you want to use. Don’t confuse yourself here. The first parameter “ComponentName” is very important and has many ways to define. You can use it like, I did. or you can go with the pkg name. It’s up to you. The results will be the same.

And I set this updated icon when the activity launches on a specific day.

To set the update icon on a specific day, you can use a combination of date comparisons and the PackageManager class in Android. Here's an example of how you can implement this functionality:

//change icon based on specific date
val calendar = Calendar.getInstance()
        val currentMonth = calendar[Calendar.MONTH] + 1
        val currentDay = calendar[Calendar.DAY_OF_MONTH]
        if (currentMonth == Calendar.DECEMBER + 1 && currentDay == 23) {
            changeIconToChristmas(applicationContext)
        } else if (currentMonth == Calendar.DECEMBER + 1 && currentDay == 26) {
            changeIconToNewYear(applicationContext)
        } else {
            changeIconToMain(applicationContext)
        }

Here you need to Disable all the Aliases and Enable what you want to see in your launcher icon

• The code uses the Calendar class to get the current date and month.

• It compares the current month and day with specific dates (December 23 and December 26 in this example).

• If the current date matches one of the specific dates, it calls a function changeIconToChristmas() or changeIconToNewYear() depending on the date.

• If the current date doesn’t match any specific dates, it calls changeIconToMain().

• These functions are responsible for change the app’s icon based on the specific date.

This code allows you to dynamically change the app’s icon by comparing the current date with predefined dates and calling the appropriate function to handle the icon change.

Let me know if you need further explanation or have any questions!

Note:- After the Enabling icon, you will feel like your app crashed but it’s changing its configuration and settings. Unfortunately, you can’t stop this behavior.

FAQs

1. Question: Are there any limitations or considerations when using activity aliases for change app icons?

Answer: Some considerations to keep in mind,Ensure that the package and class names in the code match your application’s package structure and the names of the empty classes created for each launcher icon.If you have deep links inside the app, make sure to include them in all the activity aliases.Only enable the default activity alias that you want to show on the first launch of the app.If you want different names for each launcher icon, you can change the label name in each activity alias.Implementing dynamic app icons using activity alias can add a visually appealing touch to your Android application and enhance the user experience.

2. Question: Can I change the app icon based on specific dates or events?

Answer: Yes, you can change the app icon based on specific dates or events. By comparing the current date with a predefined date, you can enable or disable the respective activity alias associated with the desired icon.

3. Question: Can I have multiple activity aliases enabled at the same time?

Answer: Yes, It is recommended to have only one activity alias enabled initially to avoid creating multiple launcher icons. However, you can enable or disable activity aliases based on your specific requirements.

4. Question: How can I implement change app icon using activity aliases?

Answer: To implement dynamic app icons, you can create multiple activity aliases, each with its own icon and name. Then, based on specific events or conditions, you can enable or disable the corresponding activity alias to change the app icon dynamically using the package manager.

5.Question: How can I enable or disable activity aliases programmatically?

Answer: You can use the PackageManager class in Android to enable or disable activity aliases programmatically. By setting the component enabled state of the activity alias, you can dynamically change the app icon. just call the package manager in-build function setComponentEnabledSetting()

6.Question: What is the purpose of using activity aliases to change the app icon dynamically?

Answer: Activity aliases provide a way to create different entry points for your Android application, each with its own name and icon, while still pointing to the same underlying main activity. This feature can be leveraged to dynamically change the app icon based on specific events or conditions.

7.Question: Can I change app icon at runtime, for example, based on a specific day or event?

Answer: Yes, you can change app icon dynamically at run time based on specific condition. By using Package Manager and setting the enable state of different activity aliases, You can control which launcher icon is display.

8.Question: Can I use this approach to change app icon through a remote API or server call?

Answer: Yes, In my case, I focus on changing the app icon based on local conditions like a specific day, you can extend this approach to include remote API calls. You would need to integrate logic to fetch relevant information from the API and then enable or disable the appropriate activity aliases accordingly.

9.Question: Can I use deep links with activity aliases?

Answer: Yes, you can include deep links within each activity alias by adding the appropriate intent filters. Ensure that the deep links are defined for all the activity aliases you create.

I hope these FAQs will help provide a comprehensive understanding of the dynamic app icon implementation using activity aliases in Android. If you have any more specific questions or need further clarification on any point, feel free to ask!😊

Thanks for reading this article, If there is any scope for improvement, please let me know 🥺. Happy Programming 😃.

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