app icon did not refresh

Question

I change the icon image in my new version app, and I have installed and old version app in the device , then i install the new version, it works well in iOS 5 , but in iOS 6, the icon did not refresh, it still showing the old version icon/logo. If did no install the old version app, the deice works well both in iOS 5 and iOS 6. Why? Can any body help me ?

Answer 1

This has been a bug in iOS for years, but in iOS 6 it seems to happen every time now.

1. You can delete your app before running from Xcode (if you don't mind losing all your documents and caches).

2. You can reboot the device (if you don't mind waiting a few minutes).

3. You can open the Settings app and go to General -> Reset -> Reset Home Screen Layout (if you don't mind your icons all rearranging).

4. You can file a bug report (if you don't mind a lengthy timewasting exercise in futility).

(My personal favourite is #3 for development-only devices).

EDIT: See Craig Watkinson's answer for a much better method, i.e. dragging the icon into and out of a folder. Thanks Craig!

Answer 2

You can also drag the old icon into a folder (i.e. drag it over another icon) and then before it even finishes wibbling, drag it back out again. Hey presto, the icon updates.

The issue is to do with the icon file being cached by springboard, and for some reason this action refreshes the cache.