What Are Mac Icons?

Computer icons are an integral part of any graphical user interface. Icons are small pictures of standard resolutions that depict objects, actions, and other concepts. In window-based systems, icons are used as a quicker, more intuitive way to communicate with the user. Icons depicting common elements of a user interface are more visually appealing than text, can be recognized faster, and are certainly easier on the eyes.

Originally developed in 1970 by the Xerox Research Center and widely popularized by the Mac OS and Microsoft Windows platforms, icons make new users feel more comfortable with operating systems, learn faster and work more efficiently. Icons can be employed to replace or supplement text commands. Widely used in menus, toolbars, on buttons and in new ribbon-type user interfaces, icons have come a long way from the original concept.

There are several file formats for storing icons. Microsoft Windows systems store Windows icons in the platform-dependent ICO format. Mac OS systems store Mac icons in their specific formats, while Unix-based systems use PNG icons for most applications. As such, icon editing software is generally available for the Windows and Mac OS platforms, while Unix users can design their icons with any image editor.

Generally speaking, icons are square pictures that come in a number of standard sizes and color resolutions. Most systems use icon sizes of 16x16 to 128x128 pixels, while some platforms readily accept icon images as large as 512x512 pixels. The ultra-high definition 512x512 pixel icons were first used in Mac OS Leopard.

Pixel resolutions of all icons are operating system dependent. For example, Windows icons are defined as images in 16 and 256-color gammas as well as True Color pictures with alpha channel. Windows icons come in standard resolutions of 16x16, 32x32, and 48x48 pixels. Windows Vista implements new standards for Windows icons, including icons in sizes of up to 256x256 pixels in True Color only. Optionally, icons of 128x128 and 512x512 pixels are supported. Interestingly, the high-resolution Windows Vista icons are stored in compressed PNG format instead of Windows ICO used in older versions of Windows and for lower resolution images. Other systems such as Windows Mobile can use standard icons of other sizes, such as 24x24 pixels.

Numerous independent designers are providing custom icons. Aha-Soft offers a variety of Windows icons, Mac icons, and PNG icons in all sizes and resolutions common to those platforms. The company sells royalty-free icons individually and in matching sets incorporating icons drawn a common style or theme.

Icon Articles

Website Icons | Stock Icons | Download Icons | Buy Icons | Icons for Website | Support

Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Refund Policy

Copyright © 2000-2022 Aha-Soft. All rights reserved.

Individual Icon Images

You can buy individual icon images to suit your needs. Each icon is $1 when purchased individually.

Perfect-Icons.com contains a lot of icons. We made product basket for orders. You can view the product basket on the right side of icon collection pages. Click on icons to purchase them. These icons will be added into the basket. Also you can remove icons from the basket. Then you need to click on Proceed to checkout link and pay with credit card or with other payment method (PayPal etc.). After order completed you will receive download links through the e-mail.

Benefits

Get your icons immediately after placing an order

Save on ordering custom images

Get graphics on time, guaranteed!

Pay once, use anywhere. All stock icons we offer are royalty-free

Receive up to 5 matching icons custom-made. Free with every purchase of an icon set!

Icon Usage Agreement

Perfect Toolbar Icons is a collection of ready-made icons for use in commercial and personal programs and websites. The icons have a bright color palette, smooth and well-rounded edges. A variety of formats and sizes is provided.

Enhance your accounting or business-oriented software with readily available professional Business Toolbar Icons. Over two hundred of professionally designed and carefully crafted icons representing various financial objects and symbols are included.

IconLover is our pick. It allows you to design and edit all kinds of graphics required in the software development cycle, including icons, static and animated cursors and interface elements - all these kinds of graphics can now be designed in a single application.

Icon Processor is an icon converter. It makes icons from your images. It's possible to convert 256-color icons into True Color icons and XP icons.

ICL-Icon Extractor will scan your files, archives, folders and all local disks for icons. It can download icons from the Internet and customize Windows icons.

Perfect Icon makes icon from any graphic file (PNG, JPEG, BMP, TIFF, WMF and more) in just seconds. Create stylish icons for Windows XP. Easily replace, colorize and save icons that Windows uses to display standard objects, folders, files.