Icons in context
An icon role like delete maps to one glyph at one weight. But the same role often wants a different glyph or size depending on where it renders: a roomy Trash in a confirmation dialog, a tighter TrashSimple on a dense table row. The In context tab in Icons Studio is where you say so, and your AI tools read exactly what you set here.
Slots
A slot is a named place an icon appears. preset AI ships eight common slots:
| Slot | Default size |
|---|---|
| Dialog action | sm |
| Table row action | xs |
| Toolbar | sm |
| Menu item | sm |
| Inline button | sm |
| Navigation item | md |
| Field affordance | xs |
| Empty state | xl |
Each slot carries a default size, so your icons already size sensibly per slot before you set anything. Pick a slot on the left to see every role rendered the way it would appear there.
Overrides
Under the live preview, each role shows how it resolves in the selected slot:
- Role default (faint) means the role uses its normal glyph at the slot's default size. Nothing to maintain.
- Override (solid) means you've bound a different glyph, size, or weight for this role in this slot.
Press Override on a role to set its glyph, size, or weight for that slot. An override is sparse: leave size and weight on their defaults to change only the glyph. Setting everything back to the role default clears the override, so your system stays as small as the differences that actually matter.
The glyph field takes a library icon name from the Browse tab, or a custom set glyph written as prefix:name.
Your own slots
If your product has a place the eight built-ins don't cover, press Add slot, give it a name and a default size, and it joins the list. Custom slots carry a small "custom" tag and can be removed; the built-in slots are always there. You can also change a built-in slot's default size, and revert it by setting it back.
Layers
On a context layer, each override shows whether it is inherited from your base system, overridden here, or new in this layer, with a reset back to base, the same way roles, colors, and type do. Author on the base to set your brand truth; author on a layer to adjust one context.
What your AI tools see
When an AI tool asks preset AI for the icon to use for a role in a given slot, it gets exactly what you authored here: your override when one exists, otherwise the role's glyph at the slot's default size. Slots you defined are listed too, so a tool can discover the places your product cares about and match them.
FAQ
Do I have to fill in every role for every slot? No. Most roles are fine on their defaults. Only author an override where a slot genuinely needs a different glyph, size, or weight.
What's the difference between this and a layer context? They're unrelated. A layer context (in the breadcrumb) is which variant of your whole system you're editing. A slot here is a place inside a screen where an icon renders. You can set slot overrides on any layer.