Free. PNG images in Black and White

Resources Tools & Utilities (Free/Open Source)
21

you can read the license agreement if you install any of the SF packages on your macOS system.

I'll just quote some passages because these cannot be linked to :frowning:

this is the third sentense of the preface:

"APPLE INC.
SOFTWARE LICENSE AGREEMENT FOR THE APPLE SF SYMBOLS APP For iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS and watchOS application uses only"

this is the second paragraph which for my understanding restricts usage to the Apple platforms - but of course I'm no lawyer

"2. Permitted License Uses and Restrictions.

A. Limited License for Symbols. The Apple Software licensed hereunder contains or otherwise provides access to fonts, graphics, artwork, images, and similar content (ā€œSymbolsā€) for use in accordance with this License. Subject to the terms of this License and your compliance with Appleā€™s Human Interface Guidelines, you are granted a limited, non-transferable, non-exclusive license to install and use a reasonable number of copies of the Apple Software internally within your company or organization for the limited purpose of using Symbols from the Apple Software to create mock-ups of user interfaces to be used in software products running on the applicable Apple Platforms (as defined below).

Your use of Symbols obtained from Appleā€™s SF Font is limited to creating mock-ups of user interfaces for software products running on Appleā€™s iOS, iPadOS, macOS and tvOS operating systems and your use of Symbols obtained from Appleā€™s SF Compact Font is limited to creating mock-ups of user interfaces for software products running on Appleā€™s iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS and watchOS operating systems. Such Apple operating systems are referred to as the ā€œApple Platformsā€. Your use of individual Symbols shall also be subject to any specific use restrictions with respect thereto as set forth in the Apple Software or Appleā€™s Human Interface Guidelines."

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22

I'll add that the license limits usage to mockups.

23

thanks for that, I have SF Symbols but I couldn't locate the licence.

That is fairly restrictive. As @bdbd notes, it's limited to generating mockups. They aren't even allowed in the final product.

24

Ah, YOU're the one, who reads all the license agreements. I always wondered who that could be. :grinning:

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25

In order to build a seamless UI on macOS I tend to build my own icons in Affinity Designer often based on Apple Icons, lately based on SF Symbols. I wonder if that also violates the license. But to be honest, I'm not too worried about that. When is the copy no longer a copy? When it differs by one pixel, by 5 pixels...?
I want to believe, that Apple cares more about a great user experience of software, that's running on macOS/iOS, than about copyright infringements of their icons.
According to Steve Jobs, who was quoting Picasso, this makes me a "good artist", but not a "great" one. :wink:

26

I had thought that the purpose of tools like SF Symbols was to make it easy for us to do that too. Stupidly, I thought that Apple provided them for use in actual software.

27

For my understanding they do, but only for Software running on Apple devices.
You can use the fonts on other platform only for creating mockups.

28

to my disgrace I must admit I miss most of them but sometimes it turns out to hold me on the safe side if I invest some extra-time :man_facepalming:

29

hopefully you are right...

I have to create many individual icons which I do in Graphics, especially the ones with multiple layers for special effects, fine tuning is done in BBEdit afterwards.

The biggest challenge is keeping the icons contrast in the same range to make them look like originating from one family

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30

I think Apple's intent ā€“ and this is only my interpretation ā€“ is to provide developers with a standardized set of metaphors and look-and-feel elements for UI design for its platforms. I write this based on the following snippets from the license:

Apple is evidently not looking to give away its symbols yet it allows their use in the software development process. Why? Researching metaphors can be quite involving (ask UI experts) and the creation of graphical elements can be expensive (ask graphical designers). By providing what could be seen as boilerplates, Apple is helping software creators by simplifying these processes, reducing risk and lowering or eliminating (if a project gets cancelled, for example) cost.

What's in it for Apple? I assume more software that conforms to its Human Interface Guidelines. A larger and more coherent software library makes its platforms more valuable. I am certain it also helps with the app submission processā€¦ and there, both Apple and developers save time and money.

Apple spent resources and created the symbols with an intent, such as standardizing on a set of metaphors. Using these symbols willy-nilly for any purpose could be seen as diluting any standardization effort. As the rights holder, Apple is well within its rights to restrict how one can use its copyrighted material.

Restricting use to mockups of software for its own platform is definitely self-serving. One could say that Apple is not looking to standardize the world. It's only looking to standardize its ecosystem as doing so likely gives it a competitive advantage.

I think @cheesus takes the right approach: make identical metaphors with your own artistic flair. You could also use existing icons with a license that allows for it. There are plenty of free and low-cost options.

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