Picking icons is a small but cumulatively important UI decision. The steps below cover both the standard icon picker workflow and the rare custom SVG path.
- Inventory custom objects without icons
Setup > Object Manager. Sort by Custom; scan for objects still on the default placeholder icon. These are the candidates for icon assignment.
- Open the Object Manager picker
For each custom object, click into its detail. Edit. Scroll to Object Icon and click the picker.
- Pick from Custom or Standard
Browse the Custom_1 through Custom_100 range and the Standard icons. Pick one that visually represents the object's purpose without colliding with other objects in the same app.
- Save and verify
Save the object. Open a Lightning page using the object; confirm the new icon appears in the tab bar, list view, and global search results.
- Document the icon-to-object map
For orgs with many custom objects, maintain a small reference doc listing which icon each object uses. This prevents future admins from picking the same icon for a different object.
- Audit for collisions
Periodically scan the app's tab bar and App Launcher for two objects sharing an icon. Resolve collisions; users cannot distinguish them quickly.
- Pilot custom SVG only if needed
If branded icons are required, build custom Lightning components that reference Static Resources with SVG content. Test on every UI surface that needs to render the icon.
Custom_1 through Custom_100. The intended range for customer use on custom objects.
Platform icons for standard objects (Account, Opportunity, Case). Can be reused on custom objects where meaning fits.
Used on quick actions. Set per action; defaults based on action type.
Small inline icons used in buttons and component internals. Usually managed by developers, not declaratively.
Branded icons uploaded through Static Resources. Requires component work to display.
- Default placeholder icons make custom objects indistinguishable in the App Launcher and tab bar. Pick a real icon for every custom object as part of object creation.
- Visual collision (two objects using the same icon in the same app) defeats the purpose. Audit periodically.
- Icon color is fixed per Standard or Custom icon. Branded color requires custom SVG and component work.
- Custom SVG icons may not render in every UI surface. Mobile, certain modal views, and packaged components may fall back to defaults.
- Changing an icon does not break anything functionally, but users accustomed to the old icon may briefly hesitate. Communicate icon changes alongside other UI updates.