Can I change the application icon of an Automator script?

Question

I have created a couple of automator scripts. I was curious if there is a way to change the application icon on those scripts to something other than the robot.

Answer 1

After the script has been created do the following :

1. Find the source app with the icon you want

2. Get Info of the source app (cmd-i)

3. Click on the icon inside the source app's info window (Not the one in the big Preview section at the bottom, if you have one of those; the little one in the top-left corner.)

4. Copy it (cmd-c)

5. Get Info of the automator script (i.e., the destination app) (cmd-i)

6. Click on the icon inside the destination app's info window

7. Paste the icon from the clipboard (cmd-v)

This method works for every files in Mac OS X.

Answer 2

I found a hacky way to do it after you have created the applet

• (Create your icns icon file - however you want)
• Open Applications Folder
• Right-click on automator script
• Click on view package contents
• Add your icon to resources folder
• Rename it to AutomatorApplet.icns

I am sure there is a better way, but I figured out how to do it this way.

Answer 3

You can also change the icon just as you would normally for any other folder or file in Mac OS X:

1. Copy the image you want to use as your icon. Ideally it should be 512x512 already.
2. Choose Get Info on the file/folder/app in Finder
3. Click on the Icon and you'll notice a blue outline on the icon - now press Command-V or choose Paste from the Edit menu.

(Screenshot taken from Super User question 37811)

Answer 4

To complement the existing, helpful answers:

• The accepted answer works in principle, but:

  • relies on extended attributes of the HFS+ filesystem, which are lost when copying the bundle to a filesystem that doesn't support them. For instance, you cannot store a custom icon in a Git repository.
  • the icon displayed by the bundle itself, such as when showing an alert, is still the original icon.

• percent 20's answer is more comprehensive and portable in principle, but comes with two caveats:

  • Any changes to AutomatorApplet.icns are lost whenever you modify and re-save the bundle in Automator.
    Thus, for instance, you'd need a script to put the updated icons in place programmatically every time the bundle is saved.
  • As others have noted, there are icon caching issues, which can be tricky to resolve; as of OSX 10.10.4:
    • Even a reboot doesn't make the new icons appear in Finder (though it does appear in other contexts such as in the Dock), but there are two workarounds: either (a) move the bundle to a different folder, or (b) rename the bundle; given that reverting to the original path and name makes the problem reappear, you'd have to plan ahead: create your bundle in a different location or with a different name, then move / rename to the desired location / name.
    • Alternatively, you can use a tool such as OnyX and check IconServicesunder Cleaning > User to clear the cache.

Answer 5

This seems a silly answer but it taught me a interest addittional info

Restore the original icon for an item

1. On your Mac, select the file or folder, then choose File > Get Info.

2. At the top of the Info window, select the custom icon, then choose Edit > Cut.

Only drawback about this simple apple hidden feature: You can't undo the 'Restore original' icon by executting cmd + z from just made from inside Get Info... Or so it seemed.
Lucky me, I noticed that my custom icon wasn't completly removed in all the places (still present in the top side of the Get Info and in the Finder window miniature I both left opened).

So I found out a simple cmd + z from Finder window reverted my disaster.

Maybe it should be safer to store the copy-pasted custom icon in Contents/Resources/description.rtfd inside Package Contents

Answer 6

Apple's official page on customizing files and folders works great for this!

For the sake of completeness, for others who view this, I am sharing this.