ShareAlike means that if you remix, transform or build upon a CC BY-SA work, you must distribute your contribution under the same license, or one listed as compatible. Using the asset unchanged does not make your app share alike. Adapting it triggers the rule for the adapted asset.
This is general information, not legal advice.
Definition
The Attribution ShareAlike 4.0 deed lists the same attribution duties as CC BY: give appropriate credit, link the license, indicate changes. On top of that it says that if you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you must distribute your contributions under the same license as the original. It also says you may use a license listed as compatible by Creative Commons. As with all CC licenses, you may not add legal terms or technological measures that restrict others from doing what the license permits.
Unchanged versus adapted
| What you do | ShareAlike effect |
|---|---|
| Display an unchanged CC BY-SA icon in your app | Credit and license link needed; no share alike obligation on your app |
| Recolor, crop or redraw the icon | The adapted icon must be offered under CC BY-SA or a compatible license |
| Build a logo that incorporates the icon | Treat as an adaptation; the adapted work carries the license |
| Put the icon in an app with other proprietary assets | The other assets remain yours, as long as they are separate works |
The deed's wording applies to "your contributions" to the adapted material. It does not claim your whole product. Where an adaptation and your own work merge into one inseparable asset, the safe reading is that the whole asset is covered. That is a judgment call for counsel.
Why this trips up products
A closed app often cannot publish adapted artwork under a free license without giving up something the business wants to protect, such as brand artwork. So the practical choice is usually one of three:
- Use the asset unchanged, with credit.
- Replace it with an asset under a more permissive license.
- Accept that the adapted version is shared under the same license.
Option 1 and 2 keep your decisions simple.
Steps to handle SA assets
- Tag every asset in your register with its license and version.
- Mark SA assets and ask: do we adapt this?
- If yes, get a counsel decision on the boundary of the adaptation.
- Publish the adapted asset with the license text if you proceed.
- Add credits and the license link to your credits screen.
- Recheck on each redesign, since a restyle quietly turns "unchanged" into "adapted".
Try it yourself
The framework mapping demo shows how a single control can map to several requirements. Click through it and look at how one record serves many checks, which is the idea behind a single asset register for credits, notices and audits.
Click through it at your own pace, or open it full screen.
Safeguard's compliance and evidence automation helps keep records like these ready for audits, and its SBOM and dependency scanning cover packaged assets. A free scan is available at gold.safeguard.sh/scan.
Quick check
Does ShareAlike make my whole app CC BY-SA?
Not by default. It applies to your contributions based on the work. Separate assets and code stay under your terms.
Can I switch to any license for my adaptation?
No. Use the same license or one listed as compatible by Creative Commons.
Do I still need to credit the creator?
Yes. ShareAlike adds to the attribution duties.
Sources
Last reviewed: 19 October 2026.
