50 Free High-Quality Icon Sets
By Daved Brosche, Naveed Javaid and Smashing Editorial Team
When it comes to freebie designs, beautiful icons sets are tops. Designers scour for these free treasures more than anything else. You can use icon sets in Web applications, website designs and on your desktop. If well designed, they make a great impression on others. Beautifully designed icons also prove the quality of a designer’s work, so many designers make theirs freely available online, thus giving their work more exposure.
In the overview below, we present 50 beautifully designed, free and professional high-quality icons for desktop and Web design. All of them can be freely used for private projects, and some are available for commercial use as well. Regardless, always read the licenses — they may change from time to time.
You can also scan through our other icon-related articles:
- 40 Professional Icon Sets for Free Download
Download some fresh, professional icon goodies. - 35 (Really) Incredible Free Icon Sets
Spice up your posts with nice illustrations, or enrich your desktop with outstanding dock icons. - Icons for Your Desktop and Icons for Your Web Designs
High-quality free icons that you can use for your desktop and Web designs. - 20 Free and Fresh Icon Sets
Over 20 free beautiful sets and links to other free icon libraries.
50 Beautiful, Free and High-Quality Icon Sets
Container Icon Pack
Container Icon Pack contains 40 high-quality (256 x 256 pixel) icons in PNG and ICO formats. This package includes box, cargo, trash icons and more. Created by Mehmet Gozetlik.
Baggy Icon Set
Contains five high-quality icons in three formats (ICO, ICNS and PNG) and six sizes, ranging from 16 to 512 pixels!
Round theme icons
A beautiful set of 106 various rounded icons.
Fortune 500 Badges
Over 200 badges of famous brands, PSDs included.
Red Moleskine
Red Moleskine is a beautiful icon set in PNG format and sizes of 16, 32, 64, 128, 256 and 512 pixels.
Old-School Icon Set
A set of six beautiful old-ish icons: typewriter, camera, radio, TV set, Gameboy, and telephone. In PNG and ICO.
Playground
Nine beautiful and original icons (in PNG and ICO), created by the talented Miriam Moshinsky.
Windows 7 Build
A set of various basic software and office icons.
Classic Timer Icon
A quality timer icon in transparent vector format, with different sizes.
Nes Icons Pack
A set of retro icons (TV, NES, Pad, Alimentation box, Zelda box, Zelda game, Desktop, 1up, Magic Toad) in ICO and PNG (512 × 512 pixels).
Jeans Feed Icons
A set of stylish feed icons as denim pockets.
Cemagraphics Icons
A set of various beautiful icons in PNG (32 × 32 and 512 × 512 pixels).
To-Do List Icon
Use these icons in your Web applications to make them more attractive.
Social Media Handycons
Handycons is a free hand-drawn set of 12 social-media icons. All icons are available in four sizes: 16, 24, 32 and 48 pixels.
Canon 400D + lens 17-85mm
Set of two icons: camera and lens. Comes in sizes of 512 and 16 pixels and iContainer, ICNS, PNG and ICO format.
Retrofukation
A stylish set of icons to complement almost any theme out there. Designed to be easily distinguishable, simple and intuitive. This icon pack contains over 100 icons. Designed by Jamie Green.
e-Commerce Icons
A huge set of icons that you can use for an online shop.
Function icons set
A beautiful and useful set of 128 icons, available in 48 × 48 pixels.
Elementary Icons
A set of smaller Web developer-style icons.
Human 02
Here is a nice multi-purpose icon set for your business website.
32px Mania Icon Set
Another series of smaller icons that can add flair to any website design.
Business Icons
A collection of random business-related icons with a Web 2.0 look.
Chums Icon Set
This is the ultimate collection of high-quality tech-related icons. You can find everything from iPods to digital cameras.
Tom Tom
Does your business deal with GPS and navigation systems? Then this is the icon set for you.
Black Neon Agua Icons
A unique icon set that is ideal for darker website designs.
Credit Cards Icons
15 beautiful credit card icons in AI and EPS format. And here are yet more credit card icons.
Antique Icons
A set of antique icons in PNG, ICNS and ICO formats, ranging from 16 × 16 to 256 × 256 pixels.
Hand-made food and beverage icon set
Seventeen hand-drawn icons, created by Victor Amanatidis.
Social Media Mini Iconpack
This icon set consists of 30 finely crafted social media icons in a size of 16 × 16 pixels. They are free to use non-commercially.
Manto Smiley Icon Set
Twenty original emoticons by Chinese designer Manto.
Emotions For WordPress Icons
Emoticons for WordPress.
Green and Blue Icon Set
Five icons, each in 128 × 128 pixels and PNG format. Included are icons to represent gallery, downloads, emoticons, calendar and folder.
Airport Express
This icon is for personal use only. Download includes iContainer, PNG and PSD formats.
Coquette Part 3 Icons
This free playful icon set contains curvy and colorful icons made with one goal: to get some affection and playfulness into your projects. The 50 high-quality icons come in sizes of 16, 32, 48, 64 and 128 pixels, and in 32-bit transparency PNG format.
Email Me Icons
These icons are free for personal use and available in 32, 48, 64 and 128 pixels.
Reality
A set of beautiful, realistic icons of different daily-use object. These are free for non-commercial use.
Music Icons
Beautiful icons of music instruments. Icons are absolutely free for any purpose.
Sleek XP: Basic Icons
A set of 50 stock icons in PNG and ICO formats.
Set of Social Icons
A set of beautiful social icons in PNG format and sizes of 16, 32 and 64 pixels.
GP Icons
A set of 23 PNG icons of different software products. Has a great grunge style.
Banking Stuff Icons
Banking-related icons for non-commercial use, in sizes of 32, 48, 64, 128 and 256 pixels.
Smashing Magazine’s Icons
Smashing Retro Icon Set
A set of 10 beautiful, high-quality “vintage” icons. The set contains 10 original icons: search, sign-up, calendar, news, RSS, comments, email, ads, home and address.
Flavours Icon Set
This set, aimed to help designers in their Web and user interface designs, contains 177 icons in a resolution of 48×48 pixels. The files are available in the PNG and PSD sources, so you can modify the files as you wish. Created by Oliver Twardowski.
Stationery Icons Set
A useful set of 22 vector icons (256 × 256 pixels). It contains book, brush, crayon, clip, color pencils, document, eraser, pad, palette, post-it note, scale and scissors, as well as the Fireworks source file.
On Stage Icons Set
The set contains 49 free vector icons, including PSD, which can be useful for both corporate and personal projects. You can use the set for free, without any restrictions whatsoever. The icons are available in PNG format in a resolution 128×128 pixels. Also included in the package are 100% pure shape-based layered PSDs.
Fresh Icons Set
This set contains 59 raster and vector icons. The set includes icons in PNG, ICNS and ICO formats. An EPS vector file is available as well.
Practica Icons Set
A free set of 11 useful high-quality icons, designed by DryIcons especially for Smashing Magazine and its readers. The icons are available in resolutions of 64, 128 and 256 pixels, in 32-bit transparency PNG format.
About the author
Naveed Javaid is a Web designer and runs the blog SmashingApps, which focuses on free resources and inspiration especially for designers and developers. If you want to connect with the author, you can follow him on Twitter.
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lilidmu
February 16th, 2009 5:21 pmomg. this is not happenning. so happy to see this amazing collection FIRST!
Dorell James
July 4th, 2010 7:11 pmNice collection of stuffs. Thanks. :-)
Samir Tuladhar
February 16th, 2009 5:22 pmGr8 icons. Thanx SM.
Keep flowing the freebies stuff.
Matthew Hall
February 16th, 2009 5:24 pmThe link for the Elementary Icons is giving a 404
MV
February 16th, 2009 5:28 pmWOW!
Vitaly Friedman & Sven Lennartz
February 16th, 2009 5:28 pm@Matthew Hall (#3): the link was updated, thanks.
grafroots
February 16th, 2009 5:31 pmamazing collection here. thanks Smashing!
Kane
February 16th, 2009 5:36 pmIf I didn’t love you guys already, I’d start loving you now. Great collection!
Thanks… again
Michael Locke
February 16th, 2009 5:38 pmNice!
whshang
February 16th, 2009 6:00 pmGreat Job~~
M.A.Yoosuf
February 16th, 2009 6:05 pmNice Icon set, specially the Social icon is so coooooooooooool, keep it up
Cody Lundquist
February 16th, 2009 6:09 pmAmazing stuff, thanks so very much!
DLo
February 16th, 2009 6:15 pmLet me be the first, okay maybe not the first, to tell you how incredibly awesome this site is. I’ve followed a lot of sites in my career as a web guy but none that compare to what you deliver. Another great post. Great job all around. And thanks for aggregating inspiration.
Son NH
February 16th, 2009 6:15 pmGreat collection! Thank you very much!!!
daveuk
February 16th, 2009 6:28 pmYUM YUM YUM
Love the NES ones
fazlee
February 16th, 2009 6:36 pmwowwwww!!!!! thanks!
zazu
February 16th, 2009 6:39 pmamazing!
Flow93bh
February 16th, 2009 7:14 pmNice! Thank you for the icon sets. I use some of them for replacing the applications’ icons. I don’t have idea what I am going to do with the other icons. >.<
Pierre
February 16th, 2009 7:42 pmOn the topic any suggestion of an app (OSX) to manage libraries of icons?
Brian Gottier
February 16th, 2009 8:20 pmAt first I was going to complain about not needing any more icons, but this is a pretty mighty collection.
Ken the tech
February 16th, 2009 8:28 pmGod bless you! This is a really god stuff especially for a web developer ;)
Eric
February 16th, 2009 8:37 pmGreat collection, high quality stuff here.
Posts like this are why I keep coming back to Smashing Magazine. It would be nice to see another free high quality WordPress theme collection.
Alex B.
February 16th, 2009 8:48 pmIts like you posted it just for me, right in time.
gaurav
February 16th, 2009 9:06 pmmy stomach is full of pixel art.
now i need a pixel cold drink or hot coffee will be also nice !
trendez
February 16th, 2009 9:24 pmI’m loving it :D as usual.
dedide
February 16th, 2009 9:30 pmThe link for the first set of icons (which are beautiful) dead ends unfortunately.
waqar
February 16th, 2009 9:49 pmlove it! thanks to share, I am desperately looking for icons for new project! Thanks!
DKumar M.
February 16th, 2009 9:59 pmVery nice Collection…!!
Ejaz
February 16th, 2009 10:18 pmThanks SM. This has been a great post! (as always)
Ganesh
February 16th, 2009 10:41 pmGreat Work SM
Ben Jacob
February 16th, 2009 10:51 pmWow.. nice fresh icons, very realistic, thanks to the designers who made it, thanks to SM for spreading them !
Biffy
February 16th, 2009 11:36 pmphookin amazing!!! what I was looking for, and more :D
naeem
February 16th, 2009 11:47 pmnice list, i like social media mini icon set.
Tammy Hart
February 17th, 2009 12:15 amawesome collection of great resources. Thanks so much!
Cuongvq
February 17th, 2009 12:21 amThanks SM! Great collection
liebesiech
February 17th, 2009 12:27 amThat’s very cool. Thank you so much!
El Zangra
February 17th, 2009 12:30 amI think I cant live without you… *_*
Simtris
February 17th, 2009 12:56 amUre doing a great job.
This is this kind of content wich give U this popularity.
Congratulation, keep up the good work.
Prabhu
February 17th, 2009 1:09 amGood Collections!
Thanks!!
Janko
February 17th, 2009 1:29 amGreat list. And thanks for featuring Handycons :)
Netwala
February 17th, 2009 1:33 amAmazingly great list! Thanks a ton for sharing this!
Cheers!
Emmel
February 17th, 2009 1:39 amVery nice collection.
suvendu chatterjee
February 17th, 2009 1:49 amWoooooooowww, Thanks SM, This icons really helps all web Designers & Developers.
Elane
February 17th, 2009 2:04 amThank you very much!
Jon Bergan
February 17th, 2009 2:21 amAmazing. Truly amazing. Once again, a fabulous collection of icons. I’m sure I’m not the only one who greatly appreciates your hard work!
Thanks again SM :)
Joseluis
February 17th, 2009 2:22 amcongratulations smashing!!!
Emil Nikov
February 17th, 2009 2:44 amAmazing collection! Well done, Smashing! :)
ali
February 17th, 2009 2:52 amthanks.
Avanzaweb
February 17th, 2009 2:56 amGreat list. I save some of them on my icons db.
Riccardo
February 17th, 2009 3:17 amA great collection! Those retro NES icons are beautiful. :)
Chunk
February 17th, 2009 3:54 amNice collection BUT some of these are not icons they’re fantastic illustrations which is different.
Pulp Comic
February 17th, 2009 4:11 amHELP!!!!
I can not find the license Manto Emoticons and Antique Icons
Pedro
February 17th, 2009 4:50 amGreat collection!!!! good job
Rudi
February 17th, 2009 5:16 amAs always a stunning collection !!!
David
February 17th, 2009 5:19 amgreat iconsets, wonderful! thanks!
Nasip
February 17th, 2009 5:20 amThis is awesome… Smashy thanks!
E.J. Semeijn
February 17th, 2009 5:25 amHow about the Fugue iconset from Pinvoke.com? I never see them in these collections…
Bert
February 17th, 2009 5:36 amWowza….. thanks for this list!
bs.kishore
February 17th, 2009 5:44 amGreat work ,as usual.This is what makes smashing cool & different.
Michael Ward
February 17th, 2009 6:04 amI am seriously concerned about the legality of some of icons under copyrght law. For instance, I do not see how any of the icons using company logos could be legally used. Some of the others seem to be blatant rip-offs of commercial icons (Apple’s iPhone Poker for example).
steve
February 17th, 2009 6:26 amawesome stuff, thanks!
Simon Day
February 17th, 2009 6:38 amExcellent collection, best by far on SM!
JeankGeek
February 17th, 2009 6:41 amAwesome, thanks a lot!!! This will do for a couple of ideas!
Jorge Linares
February 17th, 2009 6:48 amAmazing collection, Gotta thanks SM and first of all the designers of these great icons. Best collection I’ve ever seen.
Won Shim
February 17th, 2009 7:15 amGreat collection!
Annette
February 17th, 2009 7:25 amYou’ve come up trumps with a great set of actually really useful stuff yet again!
designNam
February 17th, 2009 7:43 amThank you so much ! Great Collection!
Max B.
February 17th, 2009 8:22 amSome of these are ridiculously well done!
I wish my work would come close to any of these.
The first set is the best, it looks heaps good,
actually it looks better than good, its stunning!
Anyone able to do something comparable?
Any hints how to get better with illustrator?!
MarkF
February 17th, 2009 8:22 amGreat Stuff…thanks for compiling!
Nadun
February 17th, 2009 8:24 amNo words to express.. Simply Awesum…
Ariyo
February 17th, 2009 8:36 amAWESOMENESS Thanx SM. Keep up the good work.
Ryan McMaster
February 17th, 2009 8:42 amGreat list of new icons! I especially look forward to the icon posts and this one really delivers. Thanks!
Jens Alfke
February 17th, 2009 8:49 amI’m always happy to find more quality icons.
However, the “round theme icons” collection contains copies (or near-identical rip-offs of) several iPhone apps’ icons. Second row #3 is Things (by culturedcode) and fourth row #3 is last.fm. I’m fairly sure I’ve seen both the card-game icons on iPhone apps too.
That is not cool, both for the indie developers being plagiarized, and for Smashing users who might accidentally use someone else’s copyrighted icon and get into trouble for it. I suggest you take down that link…
josydaisy
February 17th, 2009 9:04 amyou guys rock! thanks for these :)
phiyo
February 17th, 2009 9:13 amWoah, I see the classic Gameboy!
These icons rock, thank you!
plerzelwupp
February 17th, 2009 9:14 amgreat list!
I really can recommend that! – thanks :-)
Chris Mills
February 17th, 2009 9:51 amAn over saturated topic …I remember back when Smashing was fresh. Now, not so much.
John
February 17th, 2009 9:55 amGreat icon sets. But I’m wondering what do people need those for?
Ryan
February 17th, 2009 10:36 amI love these posts – I think that icon groups help provide inspiration for your own design … web pages, logos, and icons. Great set.
ericb
February 17th, 2009 10:47 amAMAZING!! Thanks for sharing! TIme to change my local icons! :)
Daniel
February 17th, 2009 10:48 amI really like the raw meat icons. They’re the best!
Scott
February 17th, 2009 11:18 amUh… 256px incredibly detailed images are NOT icons… the rest are pretty nice though!
adam
February 17th, 2009 12:09 pmno famfamfam?
Ram
February 17th, 2009 12:09 pmAll icons are very nice. Liked it very much.
Harris
February 17th, 2009 12:18 pmAwesome, I can’t wait to use these on my websites.
Frats
February 17th, 2009 12:20 pmWonderful! Yesterday I was looking for a specific icon and today they’re on Smashing! Keep up the good work!
jamie
February 17th, 2009 12:46 pmIt won’t get much better than this…!… LOVE THE WEB
hd-J
February 17th, 2009 12:59 pmGreat post again!
You may want to look again to noobr.net again though. I was interested in these funny smiley icon sets and it turned out this website proposes Premium WordPress themes to download for free (from ithemes, eleganthemes, woothemes)… As they dont provide a link to the portfolio of Manto, the Chinese designer who created the smiley icons, I tend to think that they may have stolen these icons as well…
United20
February 17th, 2009 1:20 pmThese icons are so beautiful. I love smashing-magazine for such nice posts.
Jack
February 17th, 2009 1:25 pmThanks again!
Katherine
February 17th, 2009 1:37 pmwoah dude! THANKS! :)
AzeriFire
February 17th, 2009 2:06 pmReally , OMG! :)
mojitopl
February 17th, 2009 4:23 pmoh my… I have plenty work ahead. Very inspiring!
BY M_EnES
February 17th, 2009 6:21 pmwonderful post
m.a. raihan
February 17th, 2009 9:11 pmthanks, these are really helpfull.
Shivaas
February 17th, 2009 9:35 pmAwesome! The best icons I’ve seen in a long while… Will surely be using some of them for my upcoming projects ! Thanks a lot again..
sugitha
February 17th, 2009 11:14 pmGreat designs, very helpful icons.
phoe chan
February 18th, 2009 1:49 amVery nice post
Thank Million
Cheer :D
QISHUI
February 18th, 2009 2:41 amSOME HAVE BEEN POST
Smylo
February 18th, 2009 4:41 amgreat collection, thanks for it!
Alee
February 18th, 2009 5:58 amThz!
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