[Samsung Galaxy S10 Themes, Apps, and Mods] ninestarkoko:
Hello,

i'd like to share instructions for a mod that lets you use custom images (.png) as icons for apps system-widely (in recents menu, in launchers, included One UI home) in stock-based samsung roms.

This works fine on Android Pie 9 rom (it might work also on Android 10 Q if the engine hasn't changed).

Story:

I was searching a way to get rid of adaptive icons (i hate small icons inside white circles, i simply can't find my apps) and get back freeform legacy icons. Unfortunately OneUI home launcher does not allow custom icons, while using third-paty launchers only lets you change icons on the launcher side and not in the whole android system.

Samsung has created a great theme engine but they like to protect their things from personal use too (seriously: who's still making money from theming nowadays?).

Basis:

You need to edit the theme_app_icons.xml file in framework-res.apk from system/framework folder and the only way I found is by replacing framework-res.apk with a modded one (ROOT needed).

I made several attempts to create a working overlay (root-less) for this particular file in framework-res but it seems that strangely this file cannot be overlayed using the Resource Overlay framework (Samsung restrictions? So far it seems that other themers could not find a way, too).

So, for ROOT-LESS users, you can only customize predefined samsung/google apps icons (apps listed in theme_app_icons.xml).

INSTRUCTIONS:

1) decompile framework-res.apk (i used TickleMyandroid https://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1633333)

2) go to decompiled res/xml folder, open and edit theme_app_icons.xml adding new entries for the apps you want. For editing you can use Notepad++, avoid Windows notepad.

You need to add the package name of the app and an ic_xxxxxx custom icon name you'll use later.

For example, if you want to customize the icon of the XDA app you'll add this line:

<ThemeApp className="com.xda.labs" iconId="ic_xda" />

3) save, recompile (for recompilation errors you need to look in the error log and delete duplicate entries in styles.xml similarly to what is described here https://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=78541190&postcount=838 )

Then drag and drop the theme_app_icons.xml FROM the recompiled apk TO the original framework-res.apk, because if you use directly the recompiled apk you might have bootloop (apktool problem with res folders, happens also for other system apks)

4) now -directly replace- or -system-lessly replace using a Magisk module- the framework-res.apk with the modded one and reboot

5) Open the Galaxy Theme store, download a random icon pack but DO NOT APPLY IT, export the apk (you can find it in data/app folder), decompile it and replace and add icons in res/drawable-xxxxdpi folder with your custom PNG icons (you can also replace default .qmg files with .png ones).

Now recompile the modded icon pack apk and replace the downloaded one on the phone with the recompiled pack

(you can A- directly install it over the original one if you have the "Core Patch" edxposed module/Smali patcher signature mod magisk module or B- uninstall the original pack using the terminal command "pm uninstall packagename" and immediately install the recompiled one.

The same concept can be used to install custom themes, for example these or using the "Custom Themes Installer for OneUI Pie" app )

6) Finally apply the icon pack using Galaxy theme store and you are done.

View attachment 4989669 (my freeshape/touchwiz style drawer)

NOTES:

-The modded icon pack might disappear from the personal list in Galaxy theme store after a reboot, but the icons will stay there (and also the installed icon package).

-Every app still has its legacy icon in res/mipmap folders, so you can extract and use it in your icon pack

- you can adjust the icon size using the "icon_scale_size" integer inside the icon pack (max 100)

Hope you enjoy, i've been experimenting a lot during this lockdown time. I'll try also to answer the questions and give help.