Round-ups of beautiful and useful icons are almost legendary here, on Smashing Magazine. While some readers complain about the annoying “list”-style of some of our articles, we are confident that useful round-ups of relevant resources are very valuable and useful for designers. This is why over months we collect useful links and then present them in posts in the magazine. Like it or hate it, but the feedback that we get from the design community when we publish such posts is mostly positive which is why we keep doing it.
This round-up covers 50 beautiful and useful icons that may turn out to be life-savers for your next design. We present photorealistic icons, mini icons and pictograms, symbols and signs, free templates as well as Christmas icon sets and desktop replacement icons. Please make sure to read the license agreements before using the icons – they may change from time to time. Did you find this post useful? Would you like to see more similar posts in the future? Let us know in the comments to this post!
Free High Quality Icons
iMod
146 freely available PNG-icons in the resolutions 256×256px and 512×512px.
146 freely available PNG-icons in the resolutions 256×256px and 512×512px.
A Leica rangefinder camera icon, available in the resolution 512×512px. Mac- and Win-versions are available.
Gifts boxes (Registration required)
9 various gift icons in the resolution 256×256px, .PNG. Free for private use; for commercial use a link to the designers’ site is required.
9 various gift icons in the resolution 256×256px, .PNG. Free for private use; for commercial use a link to the designers’ site is required.
Musicons Icon Set (Registration required)
A set of 8 music-related icons. Available in the resolutions 256×256, 128×128, 48×48, 32×32, 16×16 as png, .ico, .hqx and .icns. Free for private use; for commercial use a link to the designers’ site is required.
A set of 8 music-related icons. Available in the resolutions 256×256, 128×128, 48×48, 32×32, 16×16 as png, .ico, .hqx and .icns. Free for private use; for commercial use a link to the designers’ site is required.
PixelShop Icon
Remake of Pixelmator icon in three different variations for Photoshop (or any other application).
Remake of Pixelmator icon in three different variations for Photoshop (or any other application).
Free Portfolio Icon Set
A set of 5 icons with portfolio sites in mind. The set includes PNG files of 512 pixels and 256 pixels, plus the source files (Illustrator). The icons are free for use in both personal and commercial projects.
A set of 5 icons with portfolio sites in mind. The set includes PNG files of 512 pixels and 256 pixels, plus the source files (Illustrator). The icons are free for use in both personal and commercial projects.
Pre Desktop Goodie
They’re not amazingly detailed or even polished at their maximum size of 512 pixels, but that wasnít my intention, either. Consider that a disclaimer before you start commenting that they donít look nice enough to you at that size ;).
They’re not amazingly detailed or even polished at their maximum size of 512 pixels, but that wasnít my intention, either. Consider that a disclaimer before you start commenting that they donít look nice enough to you at that size ;).
Sketchy Icons
…I’ve been doing this for quite a while. I’ve recently bought a tablet, and it turned out that my hand isn’t listening as it used to. So I’ve been doing this for practice. I designed some of the icons, modified some and just redraw the ones that i found pleasing. These are all the Icons I use at the moment, so if you want some other icons, just let me know.
…I’ve been doing this for quite a while. I’ve recently bought a tablet, and it turned out that my hand isn’t listening as it used to. So I’ve been doing this for practice. I designed some of the icons, modified some and just redraw the ones that i found pleasing. These are all the Icons I use at the moment, so if you want some other icons, just let me know.
Icons by Chris Williams
Various icons designed by Chris Williams and available for free download. Among them is this Jack Daniels icon in .ico and .icontainer.
Various icons designed by Chris Williams and available for free download. Among them is this Jack Daniels icon in .ico and .icontainer.
Exclusive Free LBOI Icon Set For Designers
A little while back Iconshock contacted me and offered to do an exclusive icon set for LBOIís readers. So I set off to browse their website and their work. They do some amazing work in the icon industry. Their website boasts of 803824 unique icons in 232 categories. That is pretty impressive in itself. What I really liked was their active design community and blog where they offered significant number of free high quality icons for downloads every week, featured interesting articles about design and icons and showcased great designer talent. Go check out IconShock ís royalty free icons and custom icon design services.
A little while back Iconshock contacted me and offered to do an exclusive icon set for LBOIís readers. So I set off to browse their website and their work. They do some amazing work in the icon industry. Their website boasts of 803824 unique icons in 232 categories. That is pretty impressive in itself. What I really liked was their active design community and blog where they offered significant number of free high quality icons for downloads every week, featured interesting articles about design and icons and showcased great designer talent. Go check out IconShock ís royalty free icons and custom icon design services.
Graphic River Webset Icons
Designed by Turbomilk, this set contains various social media icons that are available for free personal and commercial use. However, you must link back to the release page if using these icons in a commercial project. Available as .png in the resolutions 16×16px – 48×48px.
Designed by Turbomilk, this set contains various social media icons that are available for free personal and commercial use. However, you must link back to the release page if using these icons in a commercial project. Available as .png in the resolutions 16×16px – 48×48px.
Kal Michael’s Icons
Various icons in various resolutions, designed by Kal Michael, available for free download and use.
Various icons in various resolutions, designed by Kal Michael, available for free download and use.
178 Amazing Web Design Icon
The WooFunction Icon Set includes 178 amazing web-related icons in a sophisticated and glossy design style. All 178 icons are available as 32?32 pixel PNG files and we can assure you that they are indeed pixel-perfect. If you have an in-depth look at the individual icons, youíll notice that Liam has spent a lot of time paying attention to the finer details, which means that this is a really classy icon set. Here; have a look for yourself:
The WooFunction Icon Set includes 178 amazing web-related icons in a sophisticated and glossy design style. All 178 icons are available as 32?32 pixel PNG files and we can assure you that they are indeed pixel-perfect. If you have an in-depth look at the individual icons, youíll notice that Liam has spent a lot of time paying attention to the finer details, which means that this is a really classy icon set. Here; have a look for yourself:
Gentle Romantic icons
This set contains 5 .png-icons in the resolution 512×512px. The icons are tiara on royal pillow, rose, champagne glasses (looks good on black and white background), heart with ribbon, Tiffany key.
This set contains 5 .png-icons in the resolution 512×512px. The icons are tiara on royal pillow, rose, champagne glasses (looks good on black and white background), heart with ribbon, Tiffany key.
Hand-Drawn Social Media Icon
The set comprising of 24 different icons, should cover most of the social networks that you frequent regularly and the default icon size has been set at 64 x 64 pixels.
The set comprising of 24 different icons, should cover most of the social networks that you frequent regularly and the default icon size has been set at 64 x 64 pixels.
Soda Pop Caps Icons
Together with the obvious Coca Cola, Fanta, Sprite and Pepsi caps (including Pepsiís horrible redesign), the set features Vita Cola, a Coca Cola knockoff created in Eastern Germany in the mid-Fifties under the Communist regime.
Together with the obvious Coca Cola, Fanta, Sprite and Pepsi caps (including Pepsiís horrible redesign), the set features Vita Cola, a Coca Cola knockoff created in Eastern Germany in the mid-Fifties under the Communist regime.
Jacal’s Castle (Win)
This castle icon is available as .ico and .icontainer. Free for personal use, free for public use with a link to the designer’s site. Mac-version.
This castle icon is available as .ico and .icontainer. Free for personal use, free for public use with a link to the designer’s site. Mac-version.
Jacintosh (Win)
This castle icon is available as .ico. Free for personal use, free for public use with a link to the designer’s site. Only Win-version is available.
This castle icon is available as .ico. Free for personal use, free for public use with a link to the designer’s site. Only Win-version is available.
Shopping bag icon – WD1
This time it’s only one png icon, but it have 3 colors of ribbon handle and 5 sizes. I decided to do new icon series but this collection is called “weekly delicious”, which means will be new icon every week, so here is №1 – shopping bag, it’s easy in photoshop to change colors of ribbons so shopping bag will fit in your design. Add logo or company style graphic elements on it and it will fit anywhere
This time it’s only one png icon, but it have 3 colors of ribbon handle and 5 sizes. I decided to do new icon series but this collection is called “weekly delicious”, which means will be new icon every week, so here is №1 – shopping bag, it’s easy in photoshop to change colors of ribbons so shopping bag will fit in your design. Add logo or company style graphic elements on it and it will fit anywhere
Hrvoje Bielen’s Icons
Various icons, designed by Hrvoje Bielen: crankset icon, propeller engine, jet engine turbine, aircraft, Twitter egg, Gibson Les Paul Guitar and othes. Resolutions: 16×16px — 512×512px, .ico, .png, .tif, .icns.
Various icons, designed by Hrvoje Bielen: crankset icon, propeller engine, jet engine turbine, aircraft, Twitter egg, Gibson Les Paul Guitar and othes. Resolutions: 16×16px — 512×512px, .ico, .png, .tif, .icns.
Cute Blogging Icon Set
This set contains 10 freely available icons. You can use these icons on your blog. Cute Blogging Icon Set inclides Design, Download, Freelance, Part-time, Hire Me, Not Available, About Me, Services, My Blog, Contact.
This set contains 10 freely available icons. You can use these icons on your blog. Cute Blogging Icon Set inclides Design, Download, Freelance, Part-time, Hire Me, Not Available, About Me, Services, My Blog, Contact.
Sketchy Web Icons: 30 Hand Drawn Icon Pack
This Icon Pack includes 30 Hand-Drawn Web Design Icons. This is the perfect set for adding that handmade feel to your own creations online.
This Icon Pack includes 30 Hand-Drawn Web Design Icons. This is the perfect set for adding that handmade feel to your own creations online.
Mini Social Networking Icon set
This set includes 45 social networking Icons: Blogger / Blogspot, Delicious, Digg, Designmoo, Facebook, Design float, Linkedin, Mixx, Myspace, RSS, Technorati, Twitter, WordPress, Yahoo, Windows, Openid, Orkut, Skype, DeviantArt, FriendFeed and many more. Dimensions: 32×32px and 64×64px; .PNG icons.
This set includes 45 social networking Icons: Blogger / Blogspot, Delicious, Digg, Designmoo, Facebook, Design float, Linkedin, Mixx, Myspace, RSS, Technorati, Twitter, WordPress, Yahoo, Windows, Openid, Orkut, Skype, DeviantArt, FriendFeed and many more. Dimensions: 32×32px and 64×64px; .PNG icons.
Extreme Grunge Garments Icons
This high quality, hand made, icon pack is full with 9 Extreme Grunge Social Media Garments. Each icon is in .png format with transparent backgrounds, sized at 256×256px.
This high quality, hand made, icon pack is full with 9 Extreme Grunge Social Media Garments. Each icon is in .png format with transparent backgrounds, sized at 256×256px.
Videobox
This is the app icon for Videobox, the successor of FLVR.
This is the app icon for Videobox, the successor of FLVR.
Breakfast Icons
Featuring a genuine Moka Express coffee maker, coffee cup, chocolate chip muffin, toast and sugar pot in three versions: open empty, open full and closedóuse it as a trash can replacement!
Featuring a genuine Moka Express coffee maker, coffee cup, chocolate chip muffin, toast and sugar pot in three versions: open empty, open full and closedóuse it as a trash can replacement!
Classic Cameras (PNG)
A set of camera icons in the resolution 128×128px. Versions: Win version (ico), Mac Version.
A set of camera icons in the resolution 128×128px. Versions: Win version (ico), Mac Version.
Generic Controller 2
Another generic controller icon, based on the PlayStation controller. Also with a folder this time.
Another generic controller icon, based on the PlayStation controller. Also with a folder this time.
Capsule
The inspiration comes from comic book : ” DragonBall ” , capsule is an amazing stuff in this book.
The inspiration comes from comic book : ” DragonBall ” , capsule is an amazing stuff in this book.
Photoshop Icon Goodie
A quick replacement icon for Photoshop. Free for personal use and customization only.
A quick replacement icon for Photoshop. Free for personal use and customization only.
Sixpack status icon pack
Sixpack status is a small set of high quality icons which can be used for status messages. It is completely free for personal and commercial use. Icons are available in four sizes, 32×32, 64×64, 128×128 and 256×256px. They are also available in vector (SVG) format, which can be edited using applications such as Inkscape (they are actually made in Inkscape).
Sixpack status is a small set of high quality icons which can be used for status messages. It is completely free for personal and commercial use. Icons are available in four sizes, 32×32, 64×64, 128×128 and 256×256px. They are also available in vector (SVG) format, which can be edited using applications such as Inkscape (they are actually made in Inkscape).
Free E-Commerce Icons
10 e-Commerce icons, available as the Adobe Illustrator source file (.ai). They may be used in any projects, whether commercial or private nature.
10 e-Commerce icons, available as the Adobe Illustrator source file (.ai). They may be used in any projects, whether commercial or private nature.
Gaming Icon Set
A set of 21 free gaming icons for you to use in any projects, on your application dock, desktop or whatever you like.
A set of 21 free gaming icons for you to use in any projects, on your application dock, desktop or whatever you like.
Voodoo Folder Icon Set
Voodoo system folder icon. Dock and Wallpaper included. Including sizes: 16×16px — 512×512px. Available in .png, .icns, .ico and iContainer.
Voodoo system folder icon. Dock and Wallpaper included. Including sizes: 16×16px — 512×512px. Available in .png, .icns, .ico and iContainer.
folios
8 Adobe desktop replacement icons; .png in resolutions 16×16px — 256×256px.
8 Adobe desktop replacement icons; .png in resolutions 16×16px — 256×256px.
Pictograms, Symbols and Mini-icons
Freshpixel.fr
Freely available icons in vector format by French designer Mister Size. Released under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Freely available icons in vector format by French designer Mister Size. Released under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
DesignWorkPlan
This is a collection of 50 common used signage symbols, professional designed. The symbols signs are free of charge available as an OpenType font format, allowing you to easily add symbols & icons to your sign and wayfinding design. All the symbols have been designed & created by Sander Baumann and set to the proportions of a regular typeface, so you no longer need to copy/paste the symbols into your designs.
This is a collection of 50 common used signage symbols, professional designed. The symbols signs are free of charge available as an OpenType font format, allowing you to easily add symbols & icons to your sign and wayfinding design. All the symbols have been designed & created by Sander Baumann and set to the proportions of a regular typeface, so you no longer need to copy/paste the symbols into your designs.
125 Public Information Symbols
This Japanese website made a collectio of public information symbols available for free download. The available formats are PDF, EPS and GIF. The set contains symbols of public facilities, transport facilities, commercial facilities, tourism, culture, sport facilities, safety, prohibition, warning and mandatory.
This Japanese website made a collectio of public information symbols available for free download. The available formats are PDF, EPS and GIF. The set contains symbols of public facilities, transport facilities, commercial facilities, tourism, culture, sport facilities, safety, prohibition, warning and mandatory.
brsev
128 unique icons for apps, folders, settings, and the desktop. Each icon has two color variants, dark and light. Each color variant is available as a 128×128 PNG or a Windows ICO. The ICO combines 16×16, 32×32, and 256×256 resolutions; each icon was carefully tweaked in shape and style for the best display quality at the three resolutions listed.
128 unique icons for apps, folders, settings, and the desktop. Each icon has two color variants, dark and light. Each color variant is available as a 128×128 PNG or a Windows ICO. The ICO combines 16×16, 32×32, and 256×256 resolutions; each icon was carefully tweaked in shape and style for the best display quality at the three resolutions listed.
Android Icons
All icons are distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike license. Feel free to use them in any form in you projects or even remix them. No need to link back to this page, but it would be nice.
All icons are distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike license. Feel free to use them in any form in you projects or even remix them. No need to link back to this page, but it would be nice.
149 Icons of Scary Celebrity
149 icons of horror and fantasy gridded up on large sheet and served up on a wall. Chop Shopís The Horror & Fantasy Collection screened print featuring 62 monsters, 35 vampires and 51 various icons of the undead all referenced from various sources of film, television, gaming, music, literature, legend and more. Perfect for taking to work, and killing productivity for an entire day.
149 icons of horror and fantasy gridded up on large sheet and served up on a wall. Chop Shopís The Horror & Fantasy Collection screened print featuring 62 monsters, 35 vampires and 51 various icons of the undead all referenced from various sources of film, television, gaming, music, literature, legend and more. Perfect for taking to work, and killing productivity for an entire day.
Cafeteria Vector Icons
These are vector pictograms rather than icons but all the more useful for that. You can scale them to any size, change their colors and mess with them any way you want.
These are vector pictograms rather than icons but all the more useful for that. You can scale them to any size, change their colors and mess with them any way you want.
google-maps-icons
Map icons collection is a pack of 600 free icons for your placemarks. You can put them manually in your Google Maps with the “My maps” feature, or automaticly with the Google Maps API.
Map icons collection is a pack of 600 free icons for your placemarks. You can put them manually in your Google Maps with the “My maps” feature, or automaticly with the Google Maps API.
172 Country Flag Icons
172 final country flag icons which rendered at 256×256, 128×128, 64×64, 48×48, 32×32, 24×24, 16×16 pixels and formats are png, ico and icns. License: Free for non-commercial use.
172 final country flag icons which rendered at 256×256, 128×128, 64×64, 48×48, 32×32, 24×24, 16×16 pixels and formats are png, ico and icns. License: Free for non-commercial use.
United States Flags Icons
American states Icon set which rendered at 256×256, 128×128, 64×64, 48×48, 32×32, 16×16 pixels and format are png, ico and icns. License: Free for non-commercial use.
American states Icon set which rendered at 256×256, 128×128, 64×64, 48×48, 32×32, 16×16 pixels and format are png, ico and icns. License: Free for non-commercial use.
Fun
A set of small 16×16px icons: Wacom tablet, Dresser, iPhone, iMac, Dresser.
A set of small 16×16px icons: Wacom tablet, Dresser, iPhone, iMac, Dresser.
Mini Icon Set
A set of various mini icons: included sizes are 48px, 32px and 16px.
A set of various mini icons: included sizes are 48px, 32px and 16px.
Christmas Icons and Vectors
Free Christmas Photoshop Pack
Need to decorate your website or banner with Christmas elements? Vladstudio Christmas Photoshop Pack will help!
Need to decorate your website or banner with Christmas elements? Vladstudio Christmas Photoshop Pack will help!
The Real Christmas ë05 Reloaded
As a christmas Gift from Enhanced Labs, We decided to Add 7 Bonus Icons to the package, and Re-Release this icon set on christmas day. This icon set now includes 20 holiday icons.
As a christmas Gift from Enhanced Labs, We decided to Add 7 Bonus Icons to the package, and Re-Release this icon set on christmas day. This icon set now includes 20 holiday icons.
Christmas Icons
Archigraphs Christmas icons Icons Set created for free use. For MacOs X, and Windows Vista. PNG files included.
Archigraphs Christmas icons Icons Set created for free use. For MacOs X, and Windows Vista. PNG files included.
Shiny Social Balls
Freeware. Social Christmas Icons. Available for Windows and Mac.
Freeware. Social Christmas Icons. Available for Windows and Mac.
