How to attribute icons properly

If an icon set uses a licence like CC BY, you must credit the creator. It's quick to do and keeps you on the right side of the licence. Here's when it's required and how to do it neatly.

When you need to attribute

Attribution is required for CC BY (and CC BY-SA) sets. It's not required for MIT, Apache, CC0 or public-domain icons — though a thank-you is always welcome. Check each set's licence to be sure.

What a good credit includes

• The icon or set name.
• The author/creator.
• The licence (e.g. “CC BY 4.0”), ideally linked.
• A link back to the source where practical.

Where to put it

A site footer, an /credits or About page, a CREDITS.txt in your repo, or a comment near the asset all work. For apps, an in-app “Licences” screen is the norm. The goal is that the credit is reasonably discoverable.

Frequently asked questions