How to Use High Resolution Icon for Macros?

[Patrick_Wu]

Hi,

A minor thing bugs me is that, when using the "Trigger Macro By Name", the icon display in this Spotlight-style prompt is in relatively low resolution no matter how high the resolution of the icon file is. For example, I copied this Google logo png file (1024x1024 resolution) and pasted on the icon of the "Search in google" macro but the resolution of the icon displayed in the "Trigger Macro By Name" panel is relatively low. (Maybe my way of assigning the icon is wrong and the correct method is documented somewhere but I didn't find it. I apologize if that is the case)

My only solution of using a high resolution icon is to choose an app icon in the Icon Chooser, like I did below - using the TextEdit app icon.

But not all macros are related to a specific app. Is there any possibility I can give a customized high resolution icon from either icns or png file?

[ccstone]

Hey Patrick,

Take a look at these two threads, and see if anything helps.

Problems With Macro Icons in Keyboard Maestro Version 9.1

Ah yes. Just tried and same for me. I can copy and paste existing icons within Keyboard Maestro but not copy and paste or drag any new icons in. (Using KM 9.1 in Bug Sur.)

Fix App Icons Macro

Apple’s decided that app icons should look like white squircles with a tiny icon in them for some reason known only to Apple management. This is bad enough on Big Sur, and Apple’s apps, but even more annoying for third party apps when you are using pre-Big Sur. And unfortunately Apple removed the ability for developers to provide two different styles of icons. So as apps like Chrome and 1Password update to squircle icons, it can be really annoying. This macro sets the icons back - the catch be…

If not then ⇢ Contact Keyboard Maestro Support

-Chris

[Patrick_Wu]

Hi Chris,

Thanks a lot for replying. My problem here isn't about adding a custom icon to a macro but about the compromised resolution. In a word, no matter how high the icon file resolution is, the "Trigger by Macro Name" panel always display a low resolution image.

I thought Keyboard Maestro support will see my question in this forum. If not I'd better contact them as you suggested.

[hello]

I think KM automatically reduces file size of these images, to avoid slowing down KM.

[ccstone]

@Patrick_Wu

I thought Keyboard Maestro support will see my question in this forum. If not I'd better contact them as you suggested.

Hey Patrick,

The Keyboard Maestro Forum is a user community. It is not an official support channel.

The only support person for Stairways Software is Peter Lewis.

Since he's also chief cook and bottle washer (Developer), he's very busy and doesn't have time to read the hundreds of posts that come through the forum per week and sometimes per day.

There are a few of us who volunteer our time as moderators and help people on the forum, but we're not official support.

If you want Peter to see something on the forum you can tag it with his handle, and he'll eventually see that in his forum user notifications.

But for real support you need to use the support channel.

-Chris

[peternlewis]

What is the macro? And how is its icon configured? Because my Search with Google macro just has the Search the Web action icon, which is not a Google Chrome icon.

And if I set a macro icon from the Icon Chooser to an application icon, the icon in that window shows up sharp (at least sharp to my eyes).

[ccstone]

@peternlewis

What is the macro?

Hey Peter,

@Patrick_Wu

A minor thing bugs me is that, when using the =="Trigger Macro By Name"==

-Chris

[Patrick_Wu]

Indeed, my current solution is to use an application icon. However, not all macros are related to applications. Sometimes I want to use a random png file as the icon. My problem is that no matter how high the resolution of my original png file is, it's always displayed as a low resolution icon in the "Trigger Macro By Name" action. You can compare the resolution of the first and second image of my original post.

[hello]

Also try using the included icons if you need them to look sharp

[peternlewis]

If you paste in an image to an icon, it is reduced in size to icon size (64x64 I believe).

[peternlewis]

I meant, what is the macro displayed in the Trigger Macro window - since the macro defines the icon.

[Patrick_Wu]

Thanks for replying! I think my question has been answered.

As KM will always reduce the image size to 64x64 as you said, I can't get a high resolution custom icon in KM. By "custom icon", I mean copy&paste a png file but not any icon I choose in the Icon Chooser window.