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How to fix the gray-box icons on macOS Tahoe

macOS Tahoe squeezes some app icons into a gray rounded square. Here's why it happens and three ways to make your Dock look clean again.

Updated 11 October 2026 · 5 minute read

Why some apps get a gray box

Starting with macOS Tahoe 26, Apple expects every app icon to fill the same rounded-square shape, often called a squircle. If an app ships an icon with a different shape, such as a circle, a free-form logo or artwork that spills past the template, macOS shrinks it and puts it on a gray tile. Mac users have nicknamed this "squircle jail".

The app still works exactly the same. The problem is purely visual, and the real fix is for the developer to ship an updated icon. Until then, you can fix it yourself.

Fix 1: give the app a custom squircle icon (recommended)

Icons you assign yourself through Get Info are shown as they are. On current Tahoe releases, macOS only boxes the icon that comes inside the app, not custom icons you set (heise). So the cleanest fix is to give the app a new icon that already fits the squircle.

Option A: keep the app's look, lose the gray

  1. In Finder, select the app and press ⌘ I. Click the small icon at the top-left and press ⌘ C to copy the current icon.
  2. Open the DockDoodle converter and press ⌘ V to paste it.
  3. Keep Mac squircle selected, choose Fit inside, and pick a background colour that matches the logo, so you get colour instead of gray.
  4. Click Download .icns, then drag the file onto the small icon in the app's Get Info window.

Option B: make something fun

Open the icon maker and draw your own version, stamp an emoji or start from a template. Every DockDoodle icon is drawn on Apple's grid, so it fits the squircle exactly. Click Copy, then paste it into Get Info.

If the Dock doesn't update straight away, quit and reopen the app, or run killall Dock in Terminal.

Make a Tahoe-ready icon in a minute

Squircle shape, margin and shadow are handled for you. Free, nothing uploaded.

Open the icon maker

Fix 2: reuse the app's original icon file

Many apps still include their old icon. Applying it as a custom icon shows it without the gray tile:

  1. Right-click the app in Finder and choose Show Package Contents.
  2. Open Contents › Resources and look for the app's icon file, often named AppIcon.icns.
  3. Open the app's Get Info window and drag that .icns onto the small icon at the top-left.

This works, but the old shape may look out of place next to Tahoe's uniform icons, which is why Fix 1 usually looks better.

Fix 3: update the app or ask the developer

Check for an update first. Many developers have already shipped Tahoe-style icons. If yours hasn't, a polite message helps. Developers can design adaptive icons in Apple's Icon Composer.

Things to know

Sources