Icon Theming Without the Shortcuts Banner

For years, the case against custom icons was the banner: tap an icon, bounce visibly through the Shortcuts app, then finally land where you meant to go. Apple fixed that back in iOS 14.3 — since late 2020, a Shortcuts-made icon opens its app directly. So the modern question isn't how to avoid the banner. It's which of three theming methods fits how you actually use your phone. Here's the honest ledger for each.

Method 1: Native tinted icons