Icon Dictionary 

Function/Purpose: This icon is used to start a search for information. When you click or tap it, a search bar usually appears, allowing you to type in keywords to find what you need.

Where It’s Commonly Found: You can find this icon on websites, in apps, and on devices like smartphones, tablets, and computers. It’s usually located at the top of a page, in the toolbar, or within apps.

When to Use It: Click or tap this icon when you want to look for something specific, such as a website, file, app, or any information online or within a program.

Notes or Tips: The icon looks like a magnifying glass, symbolizing the action of searching or looking for something. It’s a quick way to find specific content without having to browse through everything manually.

Function/Purpose: This icon opens a menu that shows more options or navigation links, usually in an app or on a website. It helps you find different sections or features that might not be visible on the main screen.

Where It’s Commonly Found: This icon is commonly found in the top corner of websites, apps, or mobile browsers. It is often seen on small screens, like smartphones and tablets.

When to Use It: Use this icon when you want to explore more options, find settings, or navigate to different parts of an app or website that aren't immediately visible.

Notes or Tips: Tapping or clicking this icon will usually slide out or drop down a menu with more choices. It's called a "hamburger" menu because the three stacked lines resemble a hamburger.

Function/Purpose • This icon shows a specific location on a map or represents a place.

Where It’s Commonly Found • Commonly found in map apps like Google Maps, Apple Maps, and navigation tools on smartphones, tablets, and computers. Also used in location services on websites and other apps.

When to Use It • Click or tap this icon to find directions, mark a place, or view more information about a location.

Notes or Tips • Sometimes, this icon is also used to indicate where you are currently located. 

Added by: Ryan Pike, August 2024

More sources: https://www.pubnub.com/learn/glossary/what-is-a-map-marker/

Function/Purpose: This icon is used to filter or adjust settings. When you click on it, you can change how information is shown, like narrowing down a list to see only what you want.

Where It’s Commonly Found: You can find this icon on websites, in apps, or in programs where you need to sort or narrow down information, like shopping sites, email programs, or photo apps.

When to Use It: Click this icon when you want to see specific items or when you need to adjust settings to control what information is shown.

Notes or Tips: After using this icon to filter or adjust settings, you might see fewer items or a different view based on your choices.

Special Note*: In 2024, Google started using this icon to replace the lock icon, which could be seen to the left of the address bar in the Google Chrome web browser. Clicking the icon will show extra information about a site’s security settings. See sources for more info. 

Function/Purpose: This icon is used to show more options or a menu with additional actions. When you click on it, it opens a list of choices or settings.

Where It’s Commonly Found: You can find this icon in apps, websites, and programs, usually in the top-right or bottom-right corner of the screen.

When to Use It: Click this icon when you want to see more options or settings that are not immediately visible.

Notes or Tips: The list that appears after clicking this icon may include important features like settings, help, or extra tools. It’s a good idea to tap or click this icon to see what options are available, as it might reveal important features or settings.

Function/Purpose: This icon is used to show more options or a menu with additional actions. When you click on it, it opens a list of choices or settings.

Where It’s Commonly Found: You can find this icon in apps, websites, and programs, usually in the top-right or bottom-right corner of the screen.

When to Use It: Click this icon when you want to see more options or settings that are not immediately visible.

Notes or Tips: The list that appears after clicking this icon may include important features like settings, help, or extra tools. It’s a good idea to tap or click this icon to see what options are available, as it might reveal important features or settings.

This icon usually means the same thing as the "three dots" icon just above this one. 

Function/Purpose: This icon allows you to share content, like a photo, article, or video, with others. It provides options to send the content through various methods, such as social media, email, or messaging apps.

Where It’s Commonly Found: This icon is commonly found on websites, apps, and in the gallery of your device when viewing photos or videos. You’ll often see it near content that can be shared.

When to Use It: Use this icon when you want to share something with friends, family, or colleagues. For example, you can use it to share an interesting article on social media or send a photo to someone via a messaging app.

Notes or Tips: After tapping or clicking the share icon, you’ll usually be given a list of ways to share the content. Choose the option that best fits how you want to send it, such as through a specific app or service.

Function/Purpose: This icon allows you to share content, like a photo, article, or video, with others. It provides options to send the content through various methods, such as social media, email, or messaging apps.

Where It’s Commonly Found: This icon is commonly found on websites, apps, and in the gallery of your device when viewing photos or videos. You’ll often see it near content that can be shared.

When to Use It: Use this icon when you want to share something with friends, family, or colleagues. For example, you can use it to share an interesting article on social media or send a photo to someone via a messaging app.

Notes or Tips: After tapping or clicking the share icon, you’ll usually be given a list of ways to share the content. Choose the option that best fits how you want to send it, such as through a specific app or service.

Function/Purpose: This icon allows you to share content, like a photo, article, or video, with others. It provides options to send the content through various methods, such as social media, email, or messaging apps.

Where It’s Commonly Found: This icon is commonly found on websites, apps, and in the gallery of your device when viewing photos or videos. You’ll often see it near content that can be shared.

When to Use It: Use this icon when you want to share something with friends, family, or colleagues. For example, you can use it to share an interesting article on social media or send a photo to someone via a messaging app.

Notes or Tips: After tapping or clicking the share icon, you’ll usually be given a list of ways to share the content. Choose the option that best fits how you want to send it, such as through a specific app or service.

Function/Purpose: This icon allows you to share content, like a photo, article, or video, with others. It provides options to send the content through various methods, such as social media, email, or messaging apps.

Where It’s Commonly Found: This icon is commonly found on websites, apps, and in the gallery of your device when viewing photos or videos. You’ll often see it near content that can be shared.

When to Use It: Use this icon when you want to share something with friends, family, or colleagues. For example, you can use it to share an interesting article on social media or send a photo to someone via a messaging app.

Notes or Tips: After tapping or clicking the share icon, you’ll usually be given a list of ways to share the content. Choose the option that best fits how you want to send it, such as through a specific app or service.

Function/Purpose: The gear icon is used to represent settings or options that you can adjust or change in an application, device, or website.

Where It’s Commonly Found: This icon is commonly found in the menus of apps, on websites, and in the system settings of devices like smartphones, tablets, and computers.

When to Use It: Tap or click this icon when you want to change how something works, like adjusting the volume, changing your profile information, or configuring the settings of an app.

Notes or Tips: The gear icon is a universal symbol for settings, so it usually works the same way across different apps and devices.

Function/Purpose: This icon opens the settings menu on Apple devices, such as iPhones, iPads, and Macs. It allows you to manage various options like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, notifications, and personal settings.

Where It’s Commonly Found: This icon is found on the home screen or in the app drawer of Apple devices, or accessed from the Apple menu on Mac computers.

When to Use It: Tap this icon when you want to change system settings, update your Apple ID, or adjust app permissions.

Notes or Tips: The design of the iOS Settings icon is unique to Apple products, and it's a quick way to access all the device's configuration options in one place.

Function/Purpose: The cloud icon represents cloud storage or cloud services, where files, data, or applications are stored and accessed over the internet rather than on a local device.

Where It’s Commonly Found: This icon is commonly found in file management apps, online storage services, email platforms, and device settings.

When to Use It: Use this icon to save files to the cloud, access cloud-stored data, or sync files across multiple devices.

Notes or Tips: Files stored in the cloud can be accessed from any device with an internet connection. Cloud storage helps free up space on your device and ensures your files are backed up securely online.

Function/Purpose: The home icon is used to take you back to the main or starting page of an app, website, or device.

Where It’s Commonly Found: This icon is commonly found in navigation menus, toolbars, or at the bottom of the screen in apps and websites.

When to Use It: Use this icon when you want to return to the main page or dashboard from wherever you are in an app or on a website.

Notes or Tips: The home icon is helpful for quickly getting back to the beginning if you’re lost or want to start over. It often looks like a small house, symbolizing "home."

Function/Purpose: This icon shows the status and strength of your Wi-Fi connection. It represents a wireless technology that allows devices like computers, smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, and printers to connect to the internet without cables. The connection is made through a wireless signal from a modem or router to your device.

Where It’s Commonly Found:

• Smartphones and Tablets: Usually at the top right corner of the screen, or in the settings menu. 

• Computers: Typically near the top or bottom right corner of the screen, or in the settings menu.

When to Use It: Look at this icon to check if you’re connected to Wi-Fi and how strong the connection is. You can also tap or click it to view available networks, connect to a different Wi-Fi network, or troubleshoot connection issues.

Notes or Tips: When all the lines are solid black, it indicates a strong connection. If the icon has an exclamation mark or shows no bars, your connection might be weak or disconnected. Moving closer to the router or resetting the connection might help.

Wi-Fi is a trademark name, it stands for “Wireless Fidelity”.

Function/Purpose: This icon shows the strength of your cellular connection. The more bars that are filled, the stronger your cellular signal.

Where It’s Commonly Found: You can find this icon on smartphones and other mobile devices that use cellular networks.

When to Use It: Look at this icon to check how strong your cellular signal is. If the bars are low, you might have trouble making calls, sending texts, or using mobile data.

Notes or Tips: If you see only one or two bars, try moving to a different location or closer to a window for a better signal. More bars mean a better cellular connection. On some devices, this icon may also be used to indicate Wi-Fi signal strength.

Function/Purpose: This icon represents email and is often used to access your inbox, start writing a new email, or see messages.

Where It’s Commonly Found: You can find this icon on email apps, websites, and sometimes on devices like smartphones or tablets. It might also be used on websites to let you contact someone by email.

When to Use It: Click or tap this icon when you want to check your email, compose a new message, or access anything related to email.

Notes or Tips: This icon usually leads directly to your email inbox or opens a window to write a new email. It’s a quick way to access your email program.

Function/Purpose: This icon is used to send a message or email after you have typed it.

Where It’s Commonly Found: You can find this in messaging apps, email programs, and social media platforms.

When to Use It: Use this icon when you want to send a message, email, or any typed content.

Notes or Tips: Tapping or clicking this icon will immediately send your message. Double-check your text before pressing it!

Function/Purpose: This icon is used to delete or remove files, messages, or other items you no longer want.

Where It’s Commonly Found: You can find this in email programs, file managers, and many apps where you can delete content.

When to Use It: Use this icon when you want to permanently remove or move an item to the trash.

Notes or Tips: Be careful when using this icon, as deleted items may not always be easy to recover. Some programs allow you to retrieve items from a "trash" folder before they are permanently deleted.

Function/Purpose: This icon represents an image or photo. It is used to view, upload, or add pictures.

Where It’s Commonly Found: You can find this in messaging apps, social media programs, photo galleries, and programs that allow you to add images.

When to Use It: Use this icon when you want to insert, upload, or view a picture in a program or app.

Notes or Tips: Tapping or clicking this icon often opens your photo gallery or allows you to upload a new picture from your device.

Function/Purpose: This icon shows that mobile data is being used to send (up arrow) and receive (down arrow) data over a cellular network.

Where It’s Commonly Found: You can find this icon on the status bar of mobile phones and tablets, usually near the signal strength icon.

When to Use It: This icon appears when your device is connected to the internet using mobile data, rather than Wi-Fi.

Notes or Tips: When this icon is visible, it means you're using your mobile data plan, which may have limits. Be mindful of data usage if you're not on an unlimited plan.

Function/Purpose: This icon shows that your device is not connected to the internet.

Where It’s Commonly Found: You can find this on mobile phones, tablets, or computers when there is no Wi-Fi or mobile data connection available.

When to Use It: This icon appears when your device loses internet access, either due to being out of range or because the network is down.

Notes or Tips: If you see this icon, try checking your Wi-Fi or mobile data settings, or move to a location with better signal to reconnect to the internet.

Function/Purpose: This icon shows that your computer is connected to the internet using a wired (Ethernet) connection, rather than Wi-Fi.

Where It’s Commonly Found: You can find this in the status bar or network settings of desktop and laptop computers.

When to Use It: This icon appears when your PC is connected to the internet through a physical cable, offering a stable and fast connection.

Notes or Tips: Wired connections are usually more reliable and faster than Wi-Fi, making them ideal for tasks that require a stable internet connection, like video calls or downloading large files.

Function/Purpose: This icon is used to add items to a virtual shopping cart when shopping online.

Where It’s Commonly Found: You can find this on online shopping websites, apps, and e-commerce programs.

When to Use It: Use this icon when you want to add products to your shopping cart for purchase later or to proceed to checkout.

Notes or Tips: Clicking this icon doesn't complete the purchase. It simply adds the item to your cart, allowing you to continue shopping or review your items before checking out.

Function/Purpose: This icon is used to create or access a link to a webpage or file. It connects you to external content.

Where It’s Commonly Found: You can find this in document editors, messaging apps, web browsers, and websites.

When to Use It: Use this icon when you want to insert a hyperlink into text or click it to visit an external webpage or file.

Notes or Tips: Clicking this icon usually opens the linked page in a new window or tab. You can also hover over it to see the destination URL before clicking.

Function/Purpose: On a Mac, this icon represents a Personal Hotspot. It shows that your Mac is either sharing its internet connection with other devices or connected to a hotspot from another device.

Where It’s Commonly Found: You can find this in the status bar on Macs when the personal hotspot feature is active, either as the hotspot provider or connected to one.

When to Use It: This icon appears when your Mac is sharing its internet connection or when it's connected to another device's hotspot for internet access.

Notes or Tips: Be mindful of data usage when using or connecting to a hotspot, especially if the other device has a limited data plan.

Name(s): Brightness Icon, Sun Icon

Function/Purpose: This icon is used to adjust the brightness of your screen. It lets you make the display lighter or darker.

Where It’s Commonly Found: You can find this icon on smartphones, tablets, computers, and other devices with screens. It might be in the quick settings menu, control center, or on-screen buttons.

When to Use It: Tap or click this icon when you want to change the brightness of your screen to make it easier to see in different lighting conditions.

Notes or Tips: Adjusting the brightness can help reduce eye strain and save battery life. In bright sunlight, increase the brightness; in a dark room, lower it to avoid glare.

Function/Purpose: This icon shows that you can send or read messages. It is often used for chatting, comments, or conversations.

Where It’s Commonly Found: Found in messaging apps (like WhatsApp, Messenger), social media (Facebook, Instagram), and websites with comment sections.

When to Use It: Tap or click this icon when you want to start a conversation, reply to a message, or view ongoing chats.

Notes or Tips: Sometimes this icon will appear with a number on it, showing how many new messages or comments you have.

Function/Purpose: This icon lets you print documents, pictures, or other files from your device.

Where It’s Commonly Found: Found in apps and programs like Word, Excel, email apps, and web browsers.

When to Use It: Select this icon when you need a physical copy of a file or document.

Notes or Tips: This icon may look a bit different depending on which program or device you are using to print. 

Function/Purpose: This icon represents a person or user. It is used to access or manage a personal account, profile, or user settings.

Where It’s Commonly Found: You can find this icon on websites, apps, and programs that require user accounts, like social media, online shopping, or email services. It is often located in the top corner of the screen.

When to Use It: Click or tap this icon to log in, view your account details, or change your profile information.

Notes or Tips:

• Sometimes, you can use it to switch between different user accounts. 

• It may include your profile picture if you’ve added one.

Function/Purpose: This icon is used to show or hide more content, such as a menu, section, or additional details.

Where It’s Commonly Found: You can find this icon on websites, programs, and apps, often in menus, dropdown lists, or near sections with expandable content.

When to Use It: Click or tap this icon to expand and view hidden content or to collapse it and hide the extra information.

Notes or Tips:

• The arrow direction changes depending on the action: pointing up usually means "hide," and pointing down means "show more."

• It’s commonly used in navigation menus or for additional settings.

Function/Purpose: This icon represents safety, security, or protection. It is used to indicate that a feature, account, or connection is protected or secure.

Where It’s Commonly Found: You can find this icon on websites, programs, and apps related to internet security, antivirus software, or account settings. It is also used in browsers to show a secure connection (like HTTPS).

When to Use It: Look for this icon to check if your connection is secure or if a program is protecting your device or data.

Notes or Tips:

• On websites, this icon may appear in the address bar to show the page is safe to use.

• It may also appear in settings menus for privacy or security options.

• Clicking on this icon sometimes gives more details about the protection in place.