Set UITabBarItem image/icon in Interface Builder

Question

I am creating a custom view in Interface Builder. The view has a UITabBar at the bottom. I want to set the icon of each "button" to one of the system provided icons that are in Apple's UITabBarItem Class Reference.

I tried to do this by typing in 'UITabBarSystemItemRecents' in the 'Image' field found at Inspector -> Attributes inspector -> Bar Item -> Image. Before this, I first selected the UITabBar and then the UITabBarItem I wanted the image for.

This did not work however, I just get a square instead. I did some searching and found that you can set the icon programmatically, but I want to do as much as possible of the view in Interface Builder.

I use Xcode 5.0.2 and develop for iOS 7.

Obj-Swift · Answer 1 · 2014-03-26T18:43:21.347

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You can easily set it in Attributes inspector on right panel..Set image as shown below

enter image description here

If you drag and drop images in you file.access it from media library:

enter image description here

edited Mar 26 '14 at 18:43

answered Mar 26 '14 at 18:35

Obj-Swift

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score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Mar 27 '14 at 17:52

Note: The full credit should go to null and akash. They contributed by answering half of the question each.

You can't have one of the icons from Apple that are avaible directly in Interface Builder and have a custom title. Instead, you must download the icon you want to use (Apple-looking icons are avaible at icons8), add it to the project resources and then pick it from the dropdown menu at Inspector -> Attributes inspector -> Bar Item -> Image.

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Mar 26 '14 at 18:08

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If you want to use Apple's Recent image then you need to select it from inspector -> Tab Bar Item -> Identifier.

Alternatively you can add the image you want to your app and pick it from inspector -> Bar Item -> Image.

Note that if you choose the identifier you cannot set the title and vise versa.

answered Mar 26 '14 at 18:08

Tarek Hallak

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I didn't understand your second suggestion. Do you mean that I should add an image to the project resources first, and then pick it in the dropdown menu? – Mar 26 '14 at 18:28
Exactly, or you can add it to the image asset. – Tarek Hallak Mar 26 '14 at 18:30
But how do I get the system provided icon there? – Mar 26 '14 at 18:31
You can't, but you can get any icon from the web. – Tarek Hallak Mar 26 '14 at 18:33
OK. Do you know a way to get one of the system provided icons? I obviously want them as high-res as possible. A screenshot on Apple's website isn't good enough. :) – Mar 26 '14 at 18:36
I don't know if it ok for apple to do that, because even if you find these images, you may get your app rejected :S, there are tons of free ios7 icons on the web, use them. – Tarek Hallak Mar 26 '14 at 18:42
If you want to purchase apple icons. try glyphish.com – Obj-Swift Mar 26 '14 at 18:44
@akash bro be aware that these are not Apples' icons, maybe close but not the same ;). – Tarek Hallak Mar 26 '14 at 18:46
@null the site says the glyphish is used by apple. – Obj-Swift Mar 26 '14 at 19:19
@akash come on this is total misleading!!! Apple dudes wont buy their icons for 25 bucks, where did you see this?! – Tarek Hallak Mar 26 '14 at 20:44
Look at the bottom of their page. I agree its unbelievable. – Obj-Swift Mar 26 '14 at 21:03
@akash I created a wiki post because you two answered half the question each! :) – Mar 28 '14 at 17:59

Set UITabBarItem image/icon in Interface Builder

3 Answers3