How to avoid using rounded icon?

Question

I want to change the launcher icon's shape instead of using rounded icon but the icon on emulator is always rounded. I tried to delete the folder that contains rounded icons and delete android:roundIcon="@mipmap/ic_launcher_round" on Manifest file but still the rounded icon shows up.

How can I avoid using rounded icon as launcher icon? I see some of the app's icon installed on my device is always square and that is what I want to do.

Answer 1

The short answer is you can't. The long answer you can customize. For example, in new android devices, it is doubtful that you have seen square icons as all of them are required to be rounded. You don't have any other option. The fit/in ration depends on the android device and your's probably a Galaxy Phone, which does support square icons. There are a couple of solutions/hacks you could do to get what you want:

1. Change the android:roundIcon="@mimmap/ic_launcher_round with android:roundIcon="@mipmap/ic_launcher. This is will change the rounded icon of your application to the normal icon that is always available. It doesn't always work, however.
2. If the background of your icon is some solid color, instead of importing the icon with the background, try setting the background color dynamically when you create your mipmap.

Answer 2

No. Your solution with only giving the rounded icon in AndroidManifest.xml is fine, but won't work, as Google will automatically apply mask if that version of Android uses rounding.

The Google Play icon design specifications (https://developer.android.com/google-play/resources/icon-design-specifications) suggest that you always make the app icon so it can be used as both squared and rounded as some Android manufacturers use the rounded icons and it is not according to their Guidelines to "hack" it and force the squared edge to edge design as something will be cut when they apply the rounding mask.

TL;DR: My opinion on how they want you to make these icons is that you give them the squared icon, but all the content that is important is located in the "Product icon keylines" which is 384x384px for 512x512px icon: