How do apps like "App Icons" change the app icons on springboard?

Question

How do apps like "App Icons" change the app icons on springboard?

Looks like it requires the user install a profile to customize the icons. Is some js executing with the profile? Would love to know how this actually works if anyone knows.

Answer 1

It doesn't change the app icons. It adds URL-launching home screen icons that will open the actual apps, via their URL schemes, so typically you have a first page of these alias icons and the real ones are hidden in a folder somewhere. It's quite ridiculous, but strangely popular.

Apps that don't have a URL scheme can't have their icons "replaced" in this way.