How to Change ElectronJS App default Icon?

Changing the default icon of an ElectronJS application involves several steps. Below is a detailed guide on how to proceed:

1. Prepare the Icon File

First, you need to prepare an icon file. This is typically a .ico file for Windows or a .icns file for macOS. You can also prepare different icon files for various platforms. Icons typically require multiple sizes to accommodate different use cases, such as taskbar icons and desktop icons.

2. Modify Electron's Configuration

In your Electron project, modify the main process JavaScript file (typically main.js or index.js) to specify the icon when creating a BrowserWindow instance.

Example Code:

javascript
const { app, BrowserWindow } = require('electron');

function createWindow() {
    // Create browser window
    const mainWindow = new BrowserWindow({
        width: 800,
        height: 600,
        icon: 'path/to/your/icon.ico' // Specify window icon
    });

    // Load index.html file
    mainWindow.loadFile('index.html');
}

app.on('ready', createWindow);

In this example, icon: 'path/to/your/icon.ico' sets the window icon. Ensure you replace 'path/to/your/icon.ico' with the actual path to your icon file.

3. Include the Icon When Packaging the Application

When packaging your Electron application into an executable, ensure the icon file is included correctly. If you use tools like electron-packager or electron-builder, specify the icon path in their configuration files.

For electron-packager, add the --icon parameter in the command line:

bash
electron-packager . --icon=path/to/your/icon.ico

For electron-builder, specify it in the electron-builder.json configuration file:

json
{
  "appId": "your.app.id",
  "productName": "Your Product Name",
  "directories": {
    "output": "dist"
  },
  "files": [
    "**/*"
  ],
  "win": {
    "icon": "path/to/your/icon.ico"
  },
  "mac": {
    "icon": "path/to/your/icon.icns"
  }
}

4. Test

After changing the icon and repackaging your application, test the new icon on the target operating system to ensure it displays correctly. This can be done by installing and running your application.

By following these steps, you should be able to set a new icon for your Electron application. If you encounter any issues during implementation, verify that the icon file path is correct and meets the specific platform requirements.

Here is a detailed step-by-step guide to achieve this:

Step 1: Prepare the Icon File

First, prepare the icon file. Icon files are typically in .ico format (for Windows) or .png format (for macOS and Linux). Use image editing software such as Photoshop or GIMP to create or modify the icon files, ensuring their dimensions are appropriate for the application's requirements.

Step 2: Modify Electron's Configuration

In the main process file of the Electron application (typically main.js or index.js), set the icon property of the BrowserWindow. Here is an example code snippet:

javascript
const { app, BrowserWindow } = require('electron');

function createWindow() {
  // Create the browser window
  let win = new BrowserWindow({
    width: 800,
    height: 600,
    icon: 'path/to/your/icon.ico'  // Set window icon
  });

  // Load the application's index.html
  win.loadFile('index.html');

  // Open developer tools (if needed)
  win.webContents.openDevTools();
}

app.on('ready', createWindow);

In this code, the icon property specifies the path to the icon file. Ensure the path is correct, the file format is valid, and the file is included in the project.

Step 3: Package the Application

When packaging the application, ensure that the icon files are correctly included in the output package. If using tools like Electron Forge or Electron Builder, specify additional resources, including icon files, in their configuration files.

For example, with electron-builder, add the following configuration to the build section of the package.json file:

json
"build": {
  "appId": "your.app.id",
  "mac": {
    "icon": "path/to/icon.icns"
  },
  "win": {
    "icon": "path/to/icon.ico"
  }
}

This configuration ensures the correct icon is used across different platforms.

Example

In a previous project, I was responsible for developing a desktop application where we needed to replace the default Electron icon with the company's brand icon. Following the steps above, I first obtained icon files in .ico and .icns formats from the design team. Then, I set the icon in the main process file and ensured the packaging configuration referenced these files. This way, regardless of whether the application runs on Windows or macOS, users can see the customized icon, enhancing brand recognition.

I hope this helps you understand the process of changing the default icon in an ElectronJS application.