Changing icons of built in apps in Sonoma

This method doesn't work. I tried it with the inbuilt app -Notes-. The green plus sign shows but if I drop the image (I tried it as JPEG, PNG, HEIC) nothing happens. I'm also not able to click the appearing plus sign as I'm holding the image.

You can do this. Right click on the Apple app and choose "Get Info" Notice the small icon in the upper left corner. Drag an image you prefer and drop it over that small icon. You will see a plus sign appear as you hover over it then you can drop it and it will become that new icon.

I hope someone makes new progress with this in the form of an app or something people would pay for it. I love my Mac’s and the progress in speed and performance in Mac OS but it looks bad compared to older Mac OS and os X versions to be honest. The icons have never been so boring and I get they idea behind uniformed icons very seen devices but there should be an option for users to change the dock icons to a classic mode where they look beautiful again.

If you're familiar with using the Shortcuts app and creating an "Open App" shortcut, you can then use the get info and then the drag and drop the photo in. I did have to restart to see the change.

1. Open the Shortcuts app.
2. On the Shortcuts tab, tap the plus icon at the top right.
3. Tap where it says New Shortcut at the top and tap Rename to choose a name for your shortcut. ... 
4. Tap Add Action to select the action you want this shortcut to perform. ..Open App
5. Then right click on the shortcut and select Add to Dock.
6. Right click on the new shortcut image in the dock and click show in Finder

Then you can do the drop and drag over the image in there.

Note: my image I used was square and it didn't mask the image to the rounded app icon look, so that could change up the aesthetics.

If you're familiar with using the Shortcuts app and creating an "Open App" shortcut, you can then use the get info and then the drag and drop the photo in. I did have to restart to see the change.

1. Open the Shortcuts app.

2. On the Shortcuts tab, tap the plus icon at the top right.

3. Tap where it says New Shortcut at the top and tap Rename to choose a name for your shortcut. ... 

4. Tap Add Action to select the action you want this shortcut to perform. ..Open App

5. Then right click on the shortcut and select Add to Dock.

6. Right click on the new shortcut image in the dock and click show in Finder

Then you can do the drop and drag over the image in there.

Note: my image I used was square and it didn't mask the image to the rounded app icon look, so that could change up the aesthetics.

@melne20

First I thought this is a great solution but when I open the shortcut the app will open with the original (ugly) icon and now I have it doubled in my dock, once the beautiful shortcut and the second time the (ugly) app.

raronson wrote:

Unfortunately that method does not work. That's what I did to replace the MacOS HD icon but it doesn't work for built-in apps.

As I noted above, you can't change the icons of the built-in apps.

Got it.....My bad! I tried it on Reminders.....No workie! Guess I was over optimistic. 😎

Unfortunately that method does not work. That's what I did to replace the MacOS HD icon but it doesn't work for built-in apps.

moplop wrote:

how do you change the icons of built in apps in somona, like launchpad, safari, photos, find my etc.. i know you used to be able to do in Catalina. by copying an image to the clipboard and using ⌘ + I

you still can for non built in apps, but how do you do it for built in apps?

The short answer is, you can't.

Icon Champ still has some bugs in Sonoma, but this is the best way to change lots of stuff quickly, and in a more oranized way. It will also properly change the app icons to reflect inside the application itself, not just the Finder. It is a little spotty since Sonoma was released though, so you may have to do some testing, and not every features may work at the moment.

https://www.macenhance.com/iconchamp

First I thought this is a great solution but when I open the shortcut the app will open with the original (ugly) icon and now I have it doubled in my dock, once the beautiful shortcut and the second time the (ugly) app.

From what I have Only Read about on this request - not possible

Though, I do not have any " real functional requirement " to change the icons.

The article below from Apple is for Changing Files and Folder icons

Am confident if Apple wanted the user to change Builtin icons - they probably might supply that information

Change icons for files or folders on Mac

Any Applications mentioned in the PDF from Apple regarding Sonoma would fall into the category as Builtin Applications

As the chatter on your question seems the pointing towards not possible, so far.

It may be a effort in futility in trying to change Builtin Application icons

https://www.apple.com/ca/macos/sonoma/pdf/macOS_All_New_Features.pdf

Every time the operating system is undated, or the Mac App Store installed applications are updated, their icons will be changed to reflect the application icon in its bundle, not your replacement icon. That could add up to alot of pointless redundancy and I recommend leaving the Apple application icons alone.