# Protecting Mobile App UI, UX and Icons through Design Rights UI and UX help distinguish mobile apps and web services. Screen layouts, icons and graphics can be valuable design assets developed through substantial investment. Source: https://www.iplexlaw.co.kr/en/blog/1521305 HOME / NEWS & INSIGHTS NEWS & INSIGHTS Protecting Mobile App UI, UX and Icons through Design Rights UI and UX help distinguish mobile apps and web services. Screen layouts, icons and graphics can be valuable design assets developed through substantial investment. Designs 2026.08.12 published IPLEX 7 min read UI and UX help distinguish mobile apps and web services. Screen layouts, icons and graphics can be valuable design assets developed through substantial investment. If you want to protect these digital designs as intellectual property rights, you need to distinguish between screen designs expressed on parts of the product and image designs independent of the product. As the digital environment has developed, the scope of protection under the Design Protection Act has also changed. Currently, not only designs expressed on the display of a specific product, but also images independent of the product that meet certain requirements can be protected as designs. So how can mobile app UI and icons be reviewed for design rights protection? What is ‘image design’ that is independent of the product? Under the Ministry of Intellectual Property's Design Examination Guidelines, an image design is a design of an image independent of a physical article, comprising shape, pattern, color, or a combination thereof, that creates an aesthetic impression through visual perception. The important part here is that it is an ‘item-independent image.’ In other words, unlike design, which is dependent on the shape of a specific item or the display itself, the digitally expressed image itself can be viewed as the object of design. However, not all digital images are protected as image designs. Current design examination guidelines require functionality by limiting images to those that are used to operate a device or demonstrate a function. Therefore, simply because it is an attractive image does not mean it is subject to image design protection. For example, images used to operate a specific function of a device or images displaying information about the device's functions may be subject to image design protection. In this way, in image design, not only simple visual expression but also what function the image is used for becomes an important factor. Can the UI and icons of mobile apps also be protected by image design? Mobile apps use a variety of UI elements. Typical examples include menus, buttons, search boxes, graphic images, and operating icons. Among these elements, if it corresponds to an image under the Design Protection Act and satisfies the requirements for establishing an image design, such as being used to operate a device or displaying a function, the possibility of protection under design rights can be considered. In particular, icons are a representative visual element used in mobile apps to intuitively convey functions. For example, icons that launch a search function, icons that check a shopping cart, icons that operate a specific device function, etc. may themselves be linked to an operation or function. However, you should not assume that ‘because it is an icon, it is protected as an image design.’ It is necessary to comprehensively review the environment in which the icon is used, what function it is related to, and what specific form, shape, and color it is expressed in. In addition, in order to register a design, it must not only meet the requirements for establishing an image design, but also design registration requirements such as novelty and creativity. Therefore, if there are uniquely developed icons or graphic elements in a mobile app, it is necessary to review whether they are core design assets worth protecting as design rights rather than simply thinking of them as part of the UI. So what is the difference from ‘screen design’? In order to understand image design, it is necessary to also look at the screen design expressed on the parts of the product. In the current design examination guidelines, a design expressed as a shape, color, or a combination of these, which is recognized visually by a temporary luminescence phenomenon on a display unit such as a liquid crystal screen of an item, is explained as a screen design expressed on the part of the product. In other words, the key point is that screen design is a partial design that is premised on being implemented in a specific product. For example, you can consider the following case: UI displayed on the smartphone screen Smartwatch display screen Operation screen of car display Screens that appear on the displays of various electronic devices On the other hand, image design targets images that are independent of the product. So, if we simplify the difference between the two systems, we can understand it as follows: A screen design is a design displayed as part of a physical article; an image design concerns an image independent of a physical article. The current design examination guidelines also distinguish these two as separate concepts. How do screen designs differ from graphical image designs? Here's a comparison of the two designs: Category Screen design expressed on parts of the product image design basic concepts Design displayed on the display of the product Design for product-independent images relationship with goods It is assumed that it is implemented in a specific product independent of specific product Subject matter protected Screen represented as part of an article Shape, pattern, color or a combination of these Key Requirements Established as a partial design of the product The image must meet requirements such as functionality, visibility, and aesthetic character. Representative review targets Screens of smartphones, cars, smartwatches, etc. Image for operation and function independent of the article Therefore, when reviewing a mobile app UI, rather than simply approaching it as “app UI, so it is an image design,” you should look at how the design is actually implemented. The basic method of distinction is to approach a screen displayed on the display of a specific product as a screen design, and if an image is independent of the product, approach it as an image design. However, the specific application form and whether protection is possible must be determined by considering the expression method and function of each individual design. When filing a UI/UX application, you must first look at ‘what to protect’ A mobile app contains numerous design elements. Each screen may exist, such as the main screen, search screen, product detail screen, payment screen, and my page, and various icons and graphic elements are included within them. When seeking protection for an app design, it is important to select design elements that matter to the business, rather than deciding whether to file solely on the number of screens. For example, the following designs may be considered a priority for protection needs: Creative UI that represents the characteristics of the service Key screens that differentiate from competing services Icons that reflect the characteristics of the brand Independently developed graphic images GUI for operating specific functions of the device Images for operation implemented in new environments such as AR and VR In particular, what is important in UI/UX is to distinguish between the concept of UX itself and the design that is visually implemented in the process. UX is a concept that encompasses the overall process and convenience that users experience while using a service. Therefore, rather than taking the approach of protecting the entire UX as a single design, it is important to find design elements such as UI, GUI, and icons that are specifically expressed in the process of configuring UX and review what kind of rights are possible for each. You must review your application before making your design public Mobile app designs are often made available to the public upon launch. In some cases, the app may be released on the App Store or the service screen may be released through websites and SNS, and the design may be disclosed to the outside world during beta testing before release. However, in order to register a design, registration requirements such as novelty must be met, so it is necessary to consider the timing of the design's disclosure and application. Therefore, if you develop a new app UI or icon, rather than reviewing the design rights right before launch, it is safer to first determine the need for rights before releasing it to the outside world. Even if the design has already been disclosed, a separate review is required depending on the specific circumstances and timing of disclosure, so it is important to accurately confirm the disclosure if you are considering filing an application. A mobile app's UI/UX and icons go beyond simple screen components and can become important design assets that shape the service's competitiveness and brand image. In particular, as the scope of protection under the Design Protection Act changes with the development of the digital environment, not only screen designs expressed on parts of the product but also image designs independent of the product can be protected under certain requirements. However, not all UI or icons are immediately protected by design rights. Review whether the design is a screen design or an image design, whether it meets the applicable requirements, including functionality for image designs, whether it is novel and sufficiently creative compared with existing designs, and whether an appropriate filing strategy is in place before disclosure. Therefore, for companies developing mobile apps or platform services, it is important to not only complete the design, but also select core designs such as UI, GUI, and icons from the development stage to review the possibility of securing intellectual property rights. If you wish to protect your digital design as an important intellectual property, please work with an expert to establish an appropriate rights strategy. Read the Korean source This article reflects the information available when it was published. Contact us to discuss your circumstances. Discuss this topic ↗ All articles Related service: Designs & trade marks ↗ ON THIS PAGE What is ‘image design’ that is independent of the product? Can the UI and icons of mobile apps also be protected by image design? So what is the difference from ‘screen design’? How do screen designs differ from graphical image designs? 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