PWA Icons: What an Installable App Needs
For a browser to treat your site as an installable PWA, its manifest must list at least a 192x192 and a 512x512 PNG icon. A maskable icon is strongly recommended so Android can shape it to the launcher, and iOS still needs a separate apple-touch-icon because it ignores the manifest for home-screen icons. Miss the 192/512 pair and the install prompt won't appear.
The install gate
Chrome and other Chromium browsers won't offer to install a PWA until the manifest lists both a 192x192 and a 512x512 icon. That pair is a hard requirement: without it there is no install prompt, no matter what else the manifest contains.
The 192 also serves the home-screen shortcut and the 512 feeds the splash screen and high-density displays. A maskable version lets Android crop the icon to whatever shape the launcher uses instead of framing it in a white box.
Icons a PWA needs
| Icon | Why it's needed |
|---|---|
| 192x192 PNG | Install requirement and home-screen shortcut |
| 512x512 PNG | Splash screen and high-density displays |
| Maskable icon | Lets Android shape the icon to the launcher |
| apple-touch-icon 180x180 | iOS home screen: the manifest doesn't cover it |
PWA icons FAQ
What icon sizes does a PWA need?
At minimum a 192x192 and a 512x512 PNG in the manifest, ideally with a maskable variant, plus a 180x180 apple-touch-icon for iOS home screens.
Why won't my PWA install?
The most common cause is a manifest missing the 192x192 or 512x512 icon: both are required before the browser shows an install prompt. Check the manifest's icons array first.
Do PWA icons cover iOS home screens?
No. iOS ignores the manifest's icons for the home screen and uses the apple-touch-icon instead, so you need that file as well.