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35 (Really) Incredible Free Icon Sets
March 6th, 2008 in Graphics | 276 Comments
When it comes to icons, web designers and graphic artists have an excellent opportunity to showcase their craft, prove their experience and explore their creativity. A sweet, nice icon set is a perfect showcase of designer’s work and a powerful instrument to build up your reputation online.
In fact, designers make use of it, creating absolutely amazing icon sets and offering them for free download. The result: hundreds and hundreds of sets available almost everywhere, usually not that well executed and often duplicated from other sets. However, there are indeed free high-quality icon sets. And this post is supposed to prove exactly that.
Below we present 35 incredible free icon sets which you can use for your web designs or your desktop to spice up your posts with some nice illustrations or enrich your desktop with outstanding dock icons. Some of the listed icons can be used in web designs, some of them are supposed to be primarily for desktop. So hopefully everybody will find something useful.
You might want to take a look at the following articles we’ve presented earlier:
- 20 Free And Fresh Icon Sets
- Icons For Your Desktop and Icons For Your Web Designs,
- Freebies Round-Up: Icons and Templates
Please notice: not all listed freebies can be used for commercial projects, however you can use all of them in your private projects of for you personal purposes. Please read the disclaimers carefully before using the icons - they’re changing from time to time.
Free Icons For Your Web Designs
Bagg & Box Telecharger Icon Pack
70 high-quality free icons released under a Creative Commons license. You can use them as illustrations for your posts or as buttons on your weblog.
Mammoth Icons
4 freeware icons inspired by prehistoric Mammoths. They might fit perfectly to spice up your blog with some pretty funny character.
Dino Icons
6 freeware icons of cute dinosaurs and cavemen.
Cemagraphics Icons
Includes .png and .ico in sizes 512px, 256px, 128px, 64px and 32px.
Wifun Icons
Website navigation icons.
City Icons
The City icon pack contains 16 high quality (256×256 pixels) icons; PNG and ICO formats. This package includes: Hollywood Ticket icon, Umbrella icon, Hot Dog Car icon, Mail icon, Bench icon and more.
Irish Icon Pack
26 Irish icons which you can use to brighten up your blog with some unique and beautiful icons.
Simpsons Mail Icons
The Simpsons: 7 512 × 512px .png and .ico icons.
Free Web Applications Icon Set
There are 20 icons designed specially for web applications (e.g. Charts, Profile, Search, Add, Delete, Email, Print, Warning and etc…). Icons come in 3 sizes; 48×48 px, 32×32 px, and 24×24 px. All of them are in PNG format with transparent background. Web Application Icons Set is completely Free for both personal and commercial projects in any way you like.
Knob Buttons Toolbar Icons
These are 39 icons in PNG, ICNS, TIFF and ICO formats, Mac and Windows compatible, 32×32 pixels dimensions only. You are free to use these icons on your software application or website.
Monofactor Free Vector Icon Set
The first part of the set contains 25 scalable Illustrator format icons. You can open the .ai file with any version of Illustrator above 8.0. With earlier versions, you might loose some of the effects on the icons.
Portraits Pack
Icons for personal use only. The icons may not be converted to another file format without written permission. Mac, Win, Linux.
Polaroid Icon
512×512px .PNG.
TV Icon
Perfect for an occasional blog post related to TV.
Sticky Pack
38 icons, 128×128, png, psd.
Feedicons 2
33 impressive RSS-feed icons. Released under the Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works.
Users Icon Set
11 user icons with functions like add, chat, edit, offline, remove, send, upload, user, user group, video chat, voice chat.
RSS-icons
9 icons.
PI Diagona Pack
400 (200+200) icons are included in PNG format.
Free Icons For Your Desktop & Dock Icons
Niome Icon Pack
This pack contains 90 high quality (256×256 pixels) icons; PNG and ICO formats. This package includes: Disc Icons, File Icons, Folder Icons, Hardware Icons, Network Icons, Other Icons, Start Menu Icons, Symbol Icons and more.
iVista Icon Pack 2
This pack 2 contains 92 (256×256 pixels) icons; PNG and ICO formats. This package includes: Alarm Icons, CDs & DVDs Icons, Devices Icons, Files Icons, Folder Icons, Network Icons, Other Icons, Start Menu Icons and more.
Flat Panel Monitor Icon
128px desktop & application icon. Don’t forget to check out the PDP Panel Icon.
Green Icon set
9 icons.
Onibari + Onibari Light Icon Packs
Two sets of desktop icons released under a Creative Commons license. More icons.
iMac Icon
The package includes both PNG & ICO format.
Vista Aero Pack
135 full sized Windows Vista icons, in large .png formats for free. Our 256×256 PNG images rival most sites that give you only small ICO files that can not be used for other things than icons.
Simplistica
The set includes useful application and web icons which come in the sizes 16×16px, 32×32px, 48×48px and 128×128px and 32-bit transparency PNG file format. PSD’s are included as well.
Simplexity File Icons
Includes 120 different file extension icons in both png and icon format (31mb). All major file extensions are included.
Black Pearl
39 black pearl file pngs, containing almost all popular file formats. All pngs in 256 × 256px. Not for commercial use.
Adobe Work Folders
.PNG format and vary in ranges from 256, 128, 96, 64, 32 & 16 pixels, .ICO (win) format and vary in ranges from 256, 128, 96, 64, 32 & 16 pixels, al in 32 & 24 bit color, .ICNS (mac) format and vary in ranges from 128, 96, 64, 32 & 16 pixels in 24 bit color (*.icl format library included for Windows)
HP Dock Icon Set
1024px, 512px, 256px. All file types are .PNG.
Further Resources
- More Excellent Freebies
Over 90 icon sets, collected on a one single page. - Iconbulk
- Iconsfree.org
andrei009 (March 6th, 2008, 10:24 am)
great collection, thanks a lot!
Rich (March 6th, 2008, 10:25 am)
Thanks for the comment and link. Please check out my icon sets:
Link [mintywhite.com]
Sean Hodge (March 6th, 2008, 10:27 am)
Spectacular collection. Thanks.
Paula (March 6th, 2008, 10:34 am)
These are some totally awesome icons! Thank you so much for the great collection! :)
orangeguru (March 6th, 2008, 10:38 am)
Some great artwork in there - but many are more like Illustrations not Icons.
Shane (March 6th, 2008, 10:39 am)
The quality of these icons is absolutely amazing. To fit so much detail in something so small takes a special skill.
As a side note, it reminds me a little bit of some artists I used to work with who created some amazing WMBP (wireless bitmaps - suitable for mobile phones) with just black pixels. Absolutely amazing stuff.
Thanks.
lica (March 6th, 2008, 10:41 am)
Icons like these allow me to save so much time! Thanks
Mayosoft (March 6th, 2008, 11:25 am)
Those “sticky icons” are a rip-off of my EMAIL ME icon set.
Watch here:
Link [mayosoft.deviantart.com]
I was never noticed that my icons were going to be stolen!
deniar (March 6th, 2008, 11:28 am)
Thanks for the info. It’s give me a lot of fun…
Triple G (March 6th, 2008, 11:46 am)
These are nice! much thanks!
Designfreak (March 6th, 2008, 11:51 am)
Seeing my icons among these great sets feels like real fun, guys. Thank you!
P.S.: drop of sorrow: you didn’t put link to my blog…
Jeff Adams (March 6th, 2008, 11:52 am)
This is possibly some of the best icons ive personally come accross, much better than icon finder. Will keep me playing around for a while!!!
Webmonkey-Ireland (March 6th, 2008, 12:00 pm)
These are well yummy. Cheers.
anthonybruno (March 6th, 2008, 12:19 pm)
Awesome! Thanks Smashing.
Matt Radel (March 6th, 2008, 12:24 pm)
Man, you guys are crankin’ out the great content! Thanks for sharing.
Lollodev (March 6th, 2008, 12:32 pm)
very very nice!
Daniel (March 6th, 2008, 12:52 pm)
Great collection!!! Very useful even tough they are not all free for commercial use.
Jon (March 6th, 2008, 1:22 pm)
I nearly crashed firefox because i opened so many tabs for these.
great collection!
Alvin (March 6th, 2008, 1:29 pm)
Simply Great Collection
letrodectus (March 6th, 2008, 1:39 pm)
Fabulous finds :)
thank you
Allison (March 6th, 2008, 1:44 pm)
WOW. These are absolutely gorgeous!!!! Thanks so much!
WyriHaximus (March 6th, 2008, 1:50 pm)
Awesome list man thank you so much :D!
Jeremy (March 6th, 2008, 1:56 pm)
Monofactor Free Vector Icon Set link should be as follows:
Link [www.monofactor.com]
Rajaraman (March 6th, 2008, 2:04 pm)
nice collections
Going Like Sixty (March 6th, 2008, 2:09 pm)
Awesome site. As a non-graphic designer, I am amazed by the quality and creativeness, and the are FREE.
Anybody feel up to doing some steampunk for my blog and/or firefox?
(sorry if this is a dup - FF crashed)
jive (March 6th, 2008, 2:13 pm)
These are really nice. I wish the sets were bigger, but I can’t complain too much cuz they are free and awesome.
MaFiAMaX (March 6th, 2008, 2:18 pm)
They are so quality that i am still looking and looking them :-) Thanks for this post.
James (March 6th, 2008, 2:29 pm)
As always a great collection, thanks!
Past icon collections have been a great help adding that little zing to our applications, these ones appear no different. I especially like the versions of the Apple Mail icons.
Bill (March 6th, 2008, 3:31 pm)
RSS icon for artists. I like the idea of an RSS icon splattered with paint. Has anyone seen something like this? It would be for an artist blog.
Matthias (March 6th, 2008, 3:44 pm)
Rly incredible icons. Love to dino and the mammoth!
Sophia (March 6th, 2008, 3:48 pm)
Incredible collection. Thanks for sharing.
Quentin Eyje Moderator (March 6th, 2008, 4:34 pm)
Another smash magazine classic. Thank You.
chip (March 6th, 2008, 4:56 pm)
Amazing, great collection!
rcnastalin (March 6th, 2008, 7:36 pm)
Thank you for sharing these!Extremely useful collection.
Cheers
RC
Yogi (March 6th, 2008, 8:02 pm)
Great post, managed to download several icons.. :D
maxim (March 6th, 2008, 10:39 pm)
I wanna to add this link but U was the first one :)
Paul (March 6th, 2008, 10:57 pm)
brilliant post. thank you very much. Some really nice icons here
Casitecenter (March 6th, 2008, 11:18 pm)
I’m so lucky because i was keep looking for nice tv icon!
Now i found it
Thanks
Malaiac (March 7th, 2008, 12:55 am)
You seem to have a wrong link : the “Monofactor Free Vector Icon Set” is linked to the WebAppers page while the good link is -http://www.monofactor.com/goodies/free-vector-icon-set-1/
Thanks for the post, I found some nice icons !
Jurjen (March 7th, 2008, 1:05 am)
Nice set, but I still use iCandy junior most of the time. Very usable.
Michael (March 7th, 2008, 1:25 am)
Awesome.
Thanks !
OverZero.it (March 7th, 2008, 1:32 am)
Meravigliose :)
podi (March 7th, 2008, 1:52 am)
you guys rocks everyday (almost)! thank you sm
Mustafa (March 7th, 2008, 2:19 am)
ıts great thank you..
ChineseInEnglish (March 7th, 2008, 2:28 am)
OMG!!!That’s totally amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cybertaf (March 7th, 2008, 2:54 am)
GG Guy :) :)
Cybertaf From France
Tephlon (March 7th, 2008, 3:07 am)
Nice sets. One small error though: “cavemans.”? Should be “cavemen”..
MakkaPakka (March 7th, 2008, 3:21 am)
Don’t for get famfam
Link [www.famfamfam.com]
test (March 7th, 2008, 4:13 am)
test
Alby (March 7th, 2008, 4:20 am)
Very cool collection!
I made some icon in my website, Link [www.tyvm.eu]
liam (March 7th, 2008, 5:24 am)
Nice stuff, I was getting a bit bored with the same old icons that people have been re-listing everywhere. Nice to see some new stuff.
I think the people who make these free icons are probably the most decent people on earth, we need more free icon creators in Society.
Amen.
Moe (March 7th, 2008, 5:39 am)
The Silk Icons are great : Link [www.famfamfam.com]
Martin (March 7th, 2008, 5:52 am)
As usuall, great job. Another set of fantastic icons…
Torley (March 7th, 2008, 6:32 am)
Ultra list! I really enjoy this compilation, and it’s one of the first posts that introduced me to the wonders within Smashing Magazine. *subscribes*
*is looking for watermelon icons*
Icebreaker (March 7th, 2008, 6:55 am)
Guys, guys … learn to use Google ;)
Username (March 7th, 2008, 6:58 am)
Kvakin`s rss set is really interesting.
Eliseu sb (March 7th, 2008, 7:43 am)
yeah !!! Very nice .
Ptah (March 7th, 2008, 8:24 am)
My blog observes free quality icons. check out: Link [qualityicons.blogspot.com]
Mayosoft (March 7th, 2008, 8:50 am)
could somebody do something!??
Those “sticky icons” are a rip-off of my EMAIL ME icon set.
Watch here:
Link [mayosoft.deviantart.com]
I was never noticed that my icons were going to be stolen!
erebus (March 7th, 2008, 9:43 am)
awesome! :D
Christian (March 7th, 2008, 10:09 am)
Thank’s a lot for this great icon list!!! Some of them I will integrate in my blog-redesign.
Binny V A (March 7th, 2008, 10:29 am)
Let me add one more source of free icons - Link [www.bin-co.com].
And (March 7th, 2008, 12:09 pm)
Amazing! Thnx! ;-)
Braintrove.com (March 7th, 2008, 2:52 pm)
Great stuff there!
Alexey D. (March 7th, 2008, 3:09 pm)
Thanks for the icons!
Ra (March 7th, 2008, 4:17 pm)
Wow, incredible icons, thanks SM!
JanDC (March 7th, 2008, 6:13 pm)
Nice post SM!
Thanks for sharing .
ilyaZ (March 7th, 2008, 6:13 pm)
really-really incredible
Michael (March 7th, 2008, 7:03 pm)
The first set in English Link [www.crystalxp.net]
розвиток (March 7th, 2008, 8:56 pm)
wow, what a collection!
zakenlinks (March 7th, 2008, 10:20 pm)
The greatest free collection i have seen in months, thank you for the effort to post them..
Antonio Domingo (March 8th, 2008, 3:22 am)
incredible, a real collection that simplify the work.
Thanks
Adrian (March 8th, 2008, 5:05 am)
Great collection!
GameBoar (March 8th, 2008, 12:58 pm)
Good stuff!
These will come in very handy.
Minikperi (March 8th, 2008, 1:53 pm)
Great and very usefull icons.
Thanks.
Justin (March 8th, 2008, 10:20 pm)
Some great looking icons there, any links to tutorials for building great vector art icons?
Tobbi (March 9th, 2008, 3:35 am)
Really great icon packs. Thx
Deniz (March 9th, 2008, 7:42 am)
Perfect !
table (March 9th, 2008, 9:10 am)
The Portrains Pack link is wrong.
Roustem (March 9th, 2008, 9:48 am)
great collection!
CN (March 9th, 2008, 10:11 pm)
Wonderful!!thanks.
Sachin (March 10th, 2008, 12:33 am)
Awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!
Marco (March 10th, 2008, 5:33 am)
Wow!!!
Chris H (March 10th, 2008, 6:05 am)
very nice, thanks a lot for these!
john (March 10th, 2008, 10:17 am)
ahhh.. very nice eye candy!
Mabie (March 11th, 2008, 7:43 am)
That, SImpson-ICons are the best! :)
Aggy (March 11th, 2008, 8:37 am)
Wow! nice collection! :) Love it
Reginald (March 11th, 2008, 12:14 pm)
I don’t know who took the time to find this amazing information. However, I commend them for it.
Job well done!
Blondin (March 12th, 2008, 5:20 am)
I love !! Thx a lot for this nice collection
Ivan (March 12th, 2008, 10:56 am)
Please check our Link [www.visualpharm.com] for coffee maker, chair and access card.
gelinlik (March 12th, 2008, 8:27 pm)
could i say something, yess..
you are really do great jobs, thx, dear…
Web Designer (March 13th, 2008, 5:07 am)
As a matter of fact I didn’t know about web icons even though I feel that I’m well aware with html coding. But concluding the information in this blog Web icon can help a web designer build a most attractive web page.
free icons (March 13th, 2008, 7:31 am)
Nice icons
Web designer (March 13th, 2008, 10:50 pm)
Yeah I’ve been through the Icons, they are really fabulous. I earn a lot of money through online. As a Link []
I would like to suggest other that the icons can make our page look great. As a result we can get traffic.
alexis (March 14th, 2008, 3:23 am)
Awesome set of icons!!!! Thx
isabelle (March 14th, 2008, 3:57 am)
spectacular collection !!!! thanks you very much !
Graham Bedwell (March 16th, 2008, 4:45 am)
Hello, this is a good website. It was sent to me by webpronews for feedback.Thanks.Graham.
Marc (March 17th, 2008, 4:26 am)
Hi, I have recently designed a new website for a client which uses loads of icons to create a professional feel. I am loving this free icon resource. Keep up the good work. Cheers, Marc
Fabiano Shark (March 18th, 2008, 2:30 pm)
Perfect!
Red@ (March 22nd, 2008, 10:55 am)
Great Set ! Thanks
nicolaas van den broek (March 23rd, 2008, 4:18 am)
the detail in some of them!
Jagat Singh, Mumbai, India (March 26th, 2008, 8:17 pm)
It’s damn good and very useful for the Web/UI Designers like me.
Capt Vlad Nikolskiy (March 29th, 2008, 7:19 am)
Good Day,
Thank you a lot for your job well done and nice sets collecting here!
All the best!
Link [cczy.blog.ru]
phiwebsupport (April 1st, 2008, 3:53 pm)
nice for the icon, spread the good vibration.
china girl (April 1st, 2008, 5:13 pm)
GOOD!
Hiren (April 3rd, 2008, 11:27 pm)
Gr8 :) collection, Thanks
iDear* (April 10th, 2008, 5:58 am)
Very nice collections of icons. Thank you!
Son Nguyen (April 15th, 2008, 8:15 pm)
Wow, love this! I really like the time-saving screenshots. I gotta bookmark immediately.
Jackie (April 17th, 2008, 4:02 am)
Thanks so much. Perfect!
Spyece (April 25th, 2008, 1:35 am)
Thanks! this is really useful
nelu (April 27th, 2008, 9:01 pm)
Awesome stuff !!! Great & Thanks a lot….
Romano (May 3rd, 2008, 8:31 am)
Thanks for share this precios resources….
Greetings from Italy
Nikhil (May 8th, 2008, 7:57 am)
Awsome buddy!!
too good…
Can i post this on my blog…please let me know via email..