TIP: Use Alternate Dock Icon on Mac

Tips & Tricks
1

Starting with the v31.2 update (released April 12, 2022), it is possible to select alternate Dock icons for Drafts on the Mac version. To change the Dock icon:

  • Open Drafts > Editor Preferences... from the Main Menu
  • Click on the app icon preview to select an alternate Dock icon.

NOTES:

  • Alternate Dock Icons require Drafts Pro
  • Dock icons only change the Drafts icon in the Dock, when Drafts is running. Native Mac apps to not support APIs to change the appearance of the app icon elsewhere in the same way that feature exists on iOS.
3 Likes
2

Although I don’t recommend it, if you are not happy with the limitation of the Dock icon and you really want to change the actual app icon on Mac, it is possible by manually assigning the new icon file to the Application bundle. To do so:

  • Download the Drafts Icon Resources zip file, and decompress it on your Mac.
  • Select the icon you wish to use (single-click) in Finder, and select “Edit > Copy” in the Main Menu.
  • Find the Drafts application in the “Applications” folder on your Mac, and select it in the Finder.
  • Select “File > Get Info” in Finder with the Drafts app selection.
  • Click on the icon preview in the “Get Info” window, and select “Edit > Paste”.

Note that app updates may override the modified icon and you will have to repeat this process.

3

Thanks for this, I didn’t realise you could do that. Is there a way to change the colour of the flag?

4

I’ve been doing the manual solution, but it has the drawback of resetting upon every update. Finally no need for doing that, thanks a lot!

A minor issue btw: In contrast to the default icon, the alternative icons mostly lack the same “3D Look”, they look far more “flat” than the default icon.

5

This is appreciated. Thank you!

Questions:

  1. This seems to reset on my mac on a fresh start until I start up Drafts. Is this expected behavior?
  2. Is it possible to adjust the icon on the iPad at this time?
6
  1. See “Notes” in original post: “Dock icons only change the Drafts icon in the Dock, when Drafts is running”.
  2. Alternate icons have been in the iOS version for years. Same place in Aa editor preferences screen.
7

@cuemex: By the “flag” do you mean the red badge on the icon to display inbox count? If so, no, the system does not provide a way to alter the badge appearance.

8

Perfect. Thanks again! :+1:t4:

9

No, I mean the flag (or dot) on flagged notes. I use the same theme on both my iPhone, iPad and MacBook Pro and the flag is blue on my mobile devices yet is orange on my Mac. Just wonder how to change this, thanks