How to use custom taskbar icons in a compiled appdesigner app, even when all matlab based apps are grouped together?

We can set icons for our apps in appdesigner and application compiler interfaces.

They work and update the title bar icon and windows task bar icon during splash screen with custom pictures.

However, the customized app icon switches back to original Matlab icon if apps are grouped in a windows task bar.

I tested and confirmed this is the case using three different Windows 10 computers with R2020b, R2021b and R2022a.

(In your Windows, go to settings, Taskbar, and choose "Always, hide labels" under "Combine taskbar buttons" option. You will see any custom app icon changes to original Matlab icon.).

Do you know any solutions or workarounds for this?

(These people observed the same problem https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/823655-app-designer-app-icon-taskbar)

[Eric Delgado]

Same here... did you find an approach for this issue?

[Volkan Ozcan]

Hi, I am afraid I did not.

Answer 1

[Nivedita]

Hello Volkan,

I understand that you are facing issues with the icon for the apps using MATLAB App Designer.

You can try the following suggestions as potential workarounds:

1. Use a custom splash screen: Instead of relying on the taskbar icon to represent your app, you can create a custom splash screen that includes your desired app icon. This way, when the app is launched, the custom splash screen will display the desired icon, providing a consistent branding experience to the user.

2. Create a standalone application: If you are using MATLAB Compiler to create standalone applications, you can explore the option of customizing the application icon at the system level. This way, the custom icon will be displayed in the taskbar even when the apps are grouped.

3. Provide clear app names: To differentiate between multiple MATLAB apps grouped in the taskbar, you can ensure that each app has a clear and distinct name. This can help users identify the apps even if the icons are the same.

While these suggestions may not directly solve the taskbar icon grouping issue, they can help provide a better user experience for your MATLAB apps.