ImageIcon (Java SE 26 & JDK 26)
Description: declaration: module: java.desktop, package: javax.swing, class: ImageIcon
Keywords: javax.swing.ImageIcon class

# Class ImageIcon

java.lang.Object
javax.swing.ImageIcon

All Implemented Interfaces:
  `Serializable, Accessible, Icon`

public class ImageIcon extends Object implements Icon, Serializable, Accessible
An implementation of the Icon interface that paints Icons from Images. Images that are created from a URL, filename or byte array are preloaded using MediaTracker to monitor the loaded state of the image.

If the image source parameter to a constructor or method is non-null, but does not reference valid accessible image data, no exceptions will be thrown but no image will be rendered even though `getImage()` will return a non-null value, as the image will have no dimensions and `getImageLoadStatus()` will report `MediaTracker.ERRORED`.

For further information and examples of using image icons, see How to Use Icons in The Java Tutorial.

Warning: Serialized objects of this class will not be compatible with future Swing releases. The current serialization support is appropriate for short term storage or RMI between applications running the same version of Swing. As of 1.4, support for long term storage of all JavaBeans has been added to the `java.beans` package. Please see `XMLEncoder`.

Since:
  1.2

- ## Nested Class Summary

  Nested Classes
  Modifier and Type
  Class
  Description
  `protected class`
  `ImageIcon.AccessibleImageIcon`
  This class implements accessibility support for the `ImageIcon` class.

- ## Field Summary

  Fields
  Modifier and Type
  Field
  Description
  `protected static final Component`
  `component`
  Deprecated.
  since 1.8
  `protected static final MediaTracker`
  `tracker`
  Deprecated.
  since 1.8

- ## Constructor Summary

  Constructors
  Constructor
  Description
  `ImageIcon()`
  Creates an uninitialized image icon.
  `ImageIcon(byte[] imageData)`
  Creates an ImageIcon from an array of bytes which were read from an image file containing a supported image format, such as GIF, JPEG, or (as of 1.3) PNG.
  `ImageIcon(byte[] imageData, String description)`
  Creates an ImageIcon from an array of bytes which were read from an image file containing a supported image format, such as GIF, JPEG, or (as of 1.3) PNG.
  `ImageIcon(Image image)`
  Creates an ImageIcon from an image object.
  `ImageIcon(Image image, String description)`
  Creates an ImageIcon from the image.
  `ImageIcon(String filename)`
  Creates an ImageIcon from the specified file.
  `ImageIcon(String filename, String description)`
  Creates an ImageIcon from the specified file.
  `ImageIcon(URL location)`
  Creates an ImageIcon from the specified URL.
  `ImageIcon(URL location, String description)`
  Creates an ImageIcon from the specified URL.

- ## Method Summary

  Modifier and Type
  Method
  Description
  `AccessibleContext`
  `getAccessibleContext()`
  Gets the AccessibleContext associated with this ImageIcon.
  `String`
  `getDescription()`
  Gets the description of the image.
  `int`
  `getIconHeight()`
  Gets the height of the icon.
  `int`
  `getIconWidth()`
  Gets the width of the icon.
  `Image`
  `getImage()`
  Returns this icon's `Image`.
  `int`
  `getImageLoadStatus()`
  Returns the status of the image loading operation.
  `ImageObserver`
  `getImageObserver()`
  Returns the image observer for the image.
  `protected void`
  `loadImage(Image image)`
  Loads the image, returning only when the image is loaded.
  `void`
  `paintIcon(Component c, Graphics g, int x, int y)`
  Paints the icon.
  `void`
  `setDescription(String description)`
  Sets the description of the image.
  `void`
  `setImage(Image image)`
  Sets the image displayed by this icon.
  `void`
  `setImageObserver(ImageObserver observer)`
  Sets the image observer for the image.
  `String`
  `toString()`
  Returns a string representation of this image.

  ### Methods declared in class Object

  `clone, equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, wait, wait, wait`
  Modifier and Type
  Method
  Description
  `protected Object`
  `clone()`
  Creates and returns a copy of this object.
  `boolean`
  `equals(Object obj)`
  Indicates whether some other object is "equal to" this one.
  `protected void`
  `finalize()`
  Deprecated, for removal: This API element is subject to removal in a future version.
  Finalization is deprecated and subject to removal in a future release.
  `final Class<?>`
  `getClass()`
  Returns the runtime class of this `Object`.
  `int`
  `hashCode()`
  Returns a hash code value for this object.
  `final void`
  `notify()`
  Wakes up a single thread that is waiting on this object's monitor.
  `final void`
  `notifyAll()`
  Wakes up all threads that are waiting on this object's monitor.
  `final void`
  `wait()`
  Causes the current thread to wait until it is awakened, typically by being notified or interrupted.
  `final void`
  `wait(long timeoutMillis)`
  Causes the current thread to wait until it is awakened, typically by being notified or interrupted, or until a certain amount of real time has elapsed.
  `final void`
  `wait(long timeoutMillis, int nanos)`
  Causes the current thread to wait until it is awakened, typically by being notified or interrupted, or until a certain amount of real time has elapsed.

- ## Field Details

  - ### component

    @Deprecated protected static final Component component
    Deprecated.
    since 1.8
    Do not use this shared component, which is used to track image loading. It is left for backward compatibility only.

  - ### tracker

    @Deprecated protected static final MediaTracker tracker
    Deprecated.
    since 1.8
    Do not use this shared media tracker, which is used to load images. It is left for backward compatibility only.

- ## Constructor Details

  - ### ImageIcon

    public ImageIcon(String filename, String description)
    Creates an ImageIcon from the specified file. The image will be preloaded by using MediaTracker to monitor the loading state of the image.
    Parameters:
      `filename` - the name of the file containing the image
      `description` - a brief textual description of the image
    See Also:
      - `ImageIcon(String)`

  - ### ImageIcon

    @ConstructorProperties("description") public ImageIcon(String filename)
    Creates an ImageIcon from the specified file. The image will be preloaded by using MediaTracker to monitor the loading state of the image. The specified String can be a file name or a file path. When specifying a path, use the Internet-standard forward-slash ("/") as a separator. (The string is converted to an URL, so the forward-slash works on all systems.) For example, specify:

           new ImageIcon("images/myImage.gif")

    The description is initialized to the `filename` string.
    Parameters:
      `filename` - a String specifying a filename or path
    See Also:
      - `getDescription()`

  - ### ImageIcon

    public ImageIcon(URL location, String description)
    Creates an ImageIcon from the specified URL. The image will be preloaded by using MediaTracker to monitor the loaded state of the image.
    Parameters:
      `location` - the URL for the image
      `description` - a brief textual description of the image
    Throws:
      `NullPointerException` - if `location` is `null`
    See Also:
      - `ImageIcon(String)`

  - ### ImageIcon

    public ImageIcon(URL location)
    Creates an ImageIcon from the specified URL. The image will be preloaded by using MediaTracker to monitor the loaded state of the image. The icon's description is initialized to be a string representation of the URL.
    Parameters:
      `location` - the URL for the image
    Throws:
      `NullPointerException` - if `location` is `null`
    See Also:
      - `getDescription()`

  - ### ImageIcon

    public ImageIcon(Image image, String description)
    Creates an ImageIcon from the image.
    Parameters:
      `image` - the image
      `description` - a brief textual description of the image
    Throws:
      `NullPointerException` - if `image` is `null`

  - ### ImageIcon

    public ImageIcon(Image image)
    Creates an ImageIcon from an image object. If the image has a "comment" property that is a string, then the string is used as the description of this icon.
    Parameters:
      `image` - the image
    Throws:
      `NullPointerException` - if `image` is `null`
    See Also:
      - `getDescription()`
      - `Image.getProperty(String, ImageObserver)`

  - ### ImageIcon

    public ImageIcon(byte[] imageData, String description)
    Creates an ImageIcon from an array of bytes which were read from an image file containing a supported image format, such as GIF, JPEG, or (as of 1.3) PNG. Normally this array is created by reading an image using Class.getResourceAsStream(), but the byte array may also be statically stored in a class.
    Parameters:
      `imageData` - an array of pixels in an image format supported by the AWT Toolkit, such as GIF, JPEG, or (as of 1.3) PNG
      `description` - a brief textual description of the image
    Throws:
      `NullPointerException` - if `imageData` is `null`
    See Also:
      - `Toolkit.createImage(String)`

  - ### ImageIcon

    public ImageIcon(byte[] imageData)
    Creates an ImageIcon from an array of bytes which were read from an image file containing a supported image format, such as GIF, JPEG, or (as of 1.3) PNG. Normally this array is created by reading an image using Class.getResourceAsStream(), but the byte array may also be statically stored in a class. If the resulting image has a "comment" property that is a string, then the string is used as the description of this icon.
    Parameters:
      `imageData` - an array of pixels in an image format supported by the AWT Toolkit, such as GIF, JPEG, or (as of 1.3) PNG
    Throws:
      `NullPointerException` - if `imageData` is `null`
    See Also:
      - `Toolkit.createImage(String)`
      - `getDescription()`
      - `Image.getProperty(String, ImageObserver)`

  - ### ImageIcon

    public ImageIcon()
    Creates an uninitialized image icon.

- ## Method Details

  - ### loadImage

    protected void loadImage(Image image)
    Loads the image, returning only when the image is loaded.
    Parameters:
      `image` - the image

  - ### getImageLoadStatus

    public int getImageLoadStatus()
    Returns the status of the image loading operation.
    Returns:
      the loading status as defined by java.awt.MediaTracker
    See Also:
      - `MediaTracker.ABORTED`
      - `MediaTracker.ERRORED`
      - `MediaTracker.COMPLETE`

  - ### getImage

    public Image getImage()
    Returns this icon's `Image`.
    Returns:
      the `Image` object for this `ImageIcon`

  - ### setImage

    public void setImage(Image image)
    Sets the image displayed by this icon.
    Parameters:
      `image` - the image
    Throws:
      `NullPointerException` - if `image` is `null`

  - ### getDescription

    public String getDescription()
    Gets the description of the image. This is meant to be a brief textual description of the object. For example, it might be presented to a blind user to give an indication of the purpose of the image. The description may be null.
    Returns:
      a brief textual description of the image

  - ### setDescription

    public void setDescription(String description)
    Sets the description of the image. This is meant to be a brief textual description of the object. For example, it might be presented to a blind user to give an indication of the purpose of the image.
    Parameters:
      `description` - a brief textual description of the image

  - ### paintIcon

    public void paintIcon(Component c, Graphics g, int x, int y)
    Paints the icon. The top-left corner of the icon is drawn at the point (`x`, `y`) in the coordinate space of the graphics context `g`. If this icon has no image observer, this method uses the `c` component as the observer.
    Specified by:
      `paintIcon` in interface `Icon`
    Parameters:
      `c` - the component to be used as the observer if this icon has no image observer
      `g` - the graphics context
      `x` - the X coordinate of the icon's top-left corner
      `y` - the Y coordinate of the icon's top-left corner

  - ### getIconWidth

    public int getIconWidth()
    Gets the width of the icon.
    Specified by:
      `getIconWidth` in interface `Icon`
    Returns:
      the width in pixels of this icon

  - ### getIconHeight

    public int getIconHeight()
    Gets the height of the icon.
    Specified by:
      `getIconHeight` in interface `Icon`
    Returns:
      the height in pixels of this icon

  - ### setImageObserver

    public void setImageObserver(ImageObserver observer)
    Sets the image observer for the image. Set this property if the ImageIcon contains an animated GIF, so the observer is notified to update its display. For example:

            icon = new ImageIcon(...)
            button.setIcon(icon);
            icon.setImageObserver(button);

    Parameters:
      `observer` - the image observer

  - ### getImageObserver

    public ImageObserver getImageObserver()
    Returns the image observer for the image.
    Returns:
      the image observer, which may be null

  - ### toString

    public String toString()
    Returns a string representation of this image.
    Overrides:
      `toString` in class `Object`
    Returns:
      a string representing this image

  - ### getAccessibleContext

    @BeanProperty(expert=true, description="The AccessibleContext associated with this ImageIcon.") public AccessibleContext getAccessibleContext()
    Gets the AccessibleContext associated with this ImageIcon. For image icons, the AccessibleContext takes the form of an AccessibleImageIcon. A new AccessibleImageIcon instance is created if necessary.
    Specified by:
      `getAccessibleContext` in interface `Accessible`
    Returns:
      an AccessibleImageIcon that serves as the AccessibleContext of this ImageIcon
    Since:
      1.3