How to change UIAlertController button text colour in iOS9?

Question

The question is similar to iOS 8 UIActivityViewController and UIAlertController button text color uses window's tintColor but in iOS 9.

I have a UIAlertController and the dismiss button keeps white colour even I have tried to set

[[UIView appearanceWhenContainedIn:[UIAlertController class], nil] setTintColor:[UIColor blackColor]];

UIAlertController *strongController = [UIAlertController alertControllerWithTitle:title
                                                             message:message
                                                      preferredStyle:preferredStyle];
strongController.view.tintColor = [UIColor black];

score 62 · Accepted Answer · answered Sep 30 '15 at 03:03

62

I've run into something similar in the past and the issue seems to stem from the fact that the alert controller's view isn't ready to accept tintColor changes before it's presented. Alternatively, try setting the tint color AFTER you present your alert controller:

[self presentViewController:strongController animated:YES completion:nil];
strongController.view.tintColor = [UIColor black];

answered Sep 30 '15 at 03:03

dbart

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1

Please ensure that you don't have other parts of your code possibly overriding the `tintColor` (ex: global settings via appearance proxies, etc). – dbart Sep 30 '15 at 03:24
2

Setting tint color after presenting alert controller worked for me. Seems counterintuitive, would never have guessed this. Thanks! – Mike Taverne Oct 07 '15 at 05:18
6

However, on rotation, the problem recurs. – Mike Taverne Oct 09 '15 at 22:04
Setting the property AFTER presenting the alert worked for me, iOS 9.3. Just another day in the paradise that is iOS development... – Womble Nov 22 '16 at 05:11
1

The solution of @BB9z is the only which works now, it should be the checked answer. – coder Aug 30 '19 at 07:47

score 24 · Answer 2 · answered May 13 '17 at 15:08

In Swift 3.x:

I found the following to work effectively. I call this at app launch .

UIView.appearance(whenContainedInInstancesOf: [UIAlertController.self]).tintColor = UIColor.black

So this would change the tint color of all UIAlertViewController button labels in your app globally. The only button label color it doesn't change are those which have a UIAlertActionStyle of destructive.

MAhipal Singh · Answer 3 · 2017-12-29T10:08:33.940

Objective-C

UIAlertController *alertController = [UIAlertController alertControllerWithTitle:@"Title text"  message:@"Message text"  preferredStyle:UIAlertControllerStyleAlert];
UIAlertAction* ok = [UIAlertAction actionWithTitle:@"Yes" style:UIAlertActionStyleDefault handler:^(UIAlertAction * action) {
//code here…
}];
UIAlertAction* cancel = [UIAlertAction actionWithTitle:@"Later" style:UIAlertActionStyleDefault handler:^(UIAlertAction * action) {
//code here….
}];
[ok setValue:[UIColor greenColor] forKey:@"titleTextColor"];
[cancel setValue:[UIColor redColor] forKey:@"titleTextColor"];
[alertController addAction:ok];
[alertController addAction:cancel];
[alertController.view setTintColor:[UIColor yellowColor]];
[self presentViewController:alertController animated:YES completion:nil];

Swift 3

let alertController = UIAlertController(title: "Title text", message: "Message text", preferredStyle: .alert)
let ok = UIAlertAction(title: "Yes" , style: .default) { (_ action) in
             //code here…
        }
let cancel = UIAlertAction(title: "Later" , style: .default) { (_ action) in
            //code here…
        }
ok.setValue(UIColor.green, forKey: "titleTextColor")
cancel.setValue(UIColor.red, forKey: "titleTextColor")
alertController.addAction(ok)
alertController.addAction(cancel)
alertController.view.tintColor = .yellow
self.present(alertController, animated: true, completion: nil)

score 14 · Answer 4 · answered Oct 10 '15 at 00:15

I was able to solve this by subclassing UIAlertController:

class MyUIAlertController: UIAlertController {

    override func viewWillLayoutSubviews() {
        super.viewWillLayoutSubviews()

        //set this to whatever color you like...
        self.view.tintColor = UIColor.blackColor()
    }
}

This survives a device rotation while the alert is showing.

You also don't need to set the tintColor after presenting the alert when using this subclass.

Though it isn't necessary on iOS 8.4, this code does work on iOS 8.4 as well.

Objective-C implementation should be something like this:

@interface MyUIAlertController : UIAlertController
@end

@implementation MyUIAlertController
-(void)viewWillLayoutSubviews {
    [super viewWillLayoutSubviews];

    //set this to whatever color you like...
    self.view.tintColor = [UIColor blackColor];
}
@end

Isn't iOS docs at https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/documentation/UIKit/Reference/UIAlertController_class/ specifically says "Subclassing Notes The UIAlertController class is intended to be used as-is and does not support subclassing. The view hierarchy for this class is private and must not be modified." — Tauri, Mar 26 '16 at 03:24
Interesting. I'm subclassing but not modifying the view hierarchy. You can see the subclass does nothing but set the tint color. Hopefully Apple will fix their class so this isn't necessary. — Mike Taverne, Mar 27 '16 at 05:25

score 14 · Answer 5 · answered Oct 27 '19 at 13:23

After alot of research, I found out how to make this work:

let cancelButton = UIAlertAction(title: button, style: UIAlertAction.Style.cancel, handler: { (action) in alert.dismiss(animated: true, completion: nil)
    })

    cancelButton.setValue(UIColor.systemBlue, forKey: "titleTextColor")
    alert.addAction(cancelButton)

Just change the UIColor.systemBlue to what ever color you want, and it will make just that button a special color. I made this example (I created 3 UIAlertActions to make it.):

With just UIAlertAction.Style.whatever, it can only make it blue or red. If you change the UIColor, it will make it any color you want!

Perfect solution without subclassing, that can be used for individual buttons (in contrast to `tintColor`). Thanks — Martijn, Apr 15 '21 at 12:12

score 6 · Answer 6 · answered Aug 06 '17 at 21:08

swift3

Tried to use UIView.appearance(whenContainedInInstancesOf: [UIAlertController.self]).tintColor = MyColor but this prevents other items unrelated to the UIAlertController from tintColor configuration. I saw it while trying to change the color of navigation bar button items.

I switched to an extension (based on Mike Taverne's response above) and it works great.

extension UIAlertController {

override open func viewWillLayoutSubviews() {
    super.viewWillLayoutSubviews()

    //set this to whatever color you like...
    self.view.tintColor = MyColor
}
}

score 5 · Answer 7 · answered Apr 25 '17 at 09:31

5

You can change it using: Swift 3.x

    strongController.view.tintColor = UIColor.green

answered Apr 25 '17 at 09:31

Dheeraj D

4,386
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ObiDan · Answer 8 · 2015-11-03T00:19:58.103

There is a problem with setting the tint color on the view after presenting; even if you do it in the completion block of presentViewController:animated:completion:, it causes a flicker effect on the color of the button titles. This is sloppy, unprofessional and completely unacceptable.

The one sure-fire way to solve this problem and to do it everywhere, is via adding a category to UIAlertController and swizzling the viewWillAppear.

The header:

//
//  UIAlertController+iOS9TintFix.h
//
//  Created by Flor, Daniel J on 11/2/15.
//

#import <UIKit/UIKit.h>

@interface UIAlertController (iOS9TintFix)

+ (void)tintFix;

- (void)swizzledViewWillAppear:(BOOL)animated;

@end

The implementation:

//
//  UIAlertController+iOS9TintFix.m
//
//  Created by Flor, Daniel J on 11/2/15.
//

#import "UIAlertController+iOS9TintFix.h"
#import <objc/runtime.h>

@implementation UIAlertController (iOS9TintFix)

+ (void)tintFix {
    static dispatch_once_t onceToken;
    dispatch_once(&onceToken, ^{
        Method method  = class_getInstanceMethod(self, @selector(viewWillAppear:));
        Method swizzle = class_getInstanceMethod(self, @selector(swizzledViewWillAppear:));
        method_exchangeImplementations(method, swizzle);});
}

- (void)swizzledViewWillAppear:(BOOL)animated {
    [self swizzledViewWillAppear:animated];
    for (UIView *view in self.view.subviews) {
        if (view.tintColor == self.view.tintColor) {
            //only do those that match the main view, so we don't strip the red-tint from destructive buttons.
            self.view.tintColor = [UIColor colorWithRed:0.0 green:122.0/255.0 blue:1.0 alpha:1.0];
            [view setNeedsDisplay];
        }
    }
}

@end

Add a .pch (precompiled header) to your project and include the category:

#import "UIAlertController+iOS9TintFix.h"

Make sure you register your pch in the project properly, and it will include the category methods in every class that uses the UIAlertController.

Then, in your app delegates didFinishLaunchingWithOptions method, import your category and call

[UIAlertController tintFix];

and it will automatically propagate to every single instance of UIAlertController within your app, whether launched by your code or anyone else's.

This solution works for both iOS 8.X and iOS 9.X and lacks the flicker of the tint change post-presentation approach.

Mad props to Brandon above for starting this journey, unfortunately my reputation was not sufficient enough to comment on his post, or else I would have left it there!

I wouldn't say swizzling methods for this purpose is much more professional way… — MrTJ, Sep 26 '16 at 08:59

score 4 · Answer 9 · edited Sep 23 '16 at 08:10

4

[[UIView appearance] setTintColor:[UIColor black]];

this will change all the UIView tintColor as well as UIAlertController's view

edited Sep 23 '16 at 08:10

Box Box Box Box

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answered Sep 23 '16 at 08:06

lin

121
1
6

Still works in IOS 11.2.1 - I used it to change Apple default dialog button tint colours. – Wayne Jan 05 '18 at 06:50
By far the most efficient solution. – atlex2 Apr 21 '20 at 21:07

score 3 · Answer 10 · answered May 18 '18 at 02:44

The most reasonable way is set the main window's tintColor. As a uniform appearance is what we usually need.

// in app delegate
window.tintColor = ...

Other solutions have defects

Use apperance

UIView.appearance(whenContainedInInstancesOf: [UIAlertController.self]).tintColor = ...

Not works on iOS 9, tests with iOS 11 SDK.

[[UIView appearance] setTintColor:[UIColor black]];

Are you serious?

Set UIAlertController view's tintColor is unstable. The color may change when user press the button or after view layout.
Subclass UIAlertController and overwrite layout method is hack way which is unacceptable.

score 2 · Answer 11 · answered Oct 06 '15 at 15:15

I found a solution to this. Not an elegant solution, but a solution.

I swizzled viewWillAppear: on UIAlertController, then looped through the views and modified the tint color. In my case I had a tintColor set on the entire window and despite setting the tintColor via appearance the UIAlertController maintained the color on the window. I check if the color is equal to that of the window and if so apply a new one. Blindly applying the tintColor to all views will result in the red tint on destructive actions to be reset.

+ (void)load  
{  
    static dispatch_once_t onceToken;  
    dispatch_once(&onceToken, ^{  
        Method swizzleMethod = class_getInstanceMethod(self, @selector(viewWillAppear:));  
        Method method = class_getInstanceMethod(self, @selector(alertSwizzle_viewWillAppear:));  
        method_exchangeImplementations(method, swizzleMethod);  
    });  
}  

- (void)alertSwizzle_viewWillAppear:(BOOL)animated  
{  
    [self alertSwizzle_viewWillAppear:animated];  
    [self applyTintToView:self.view];  
}  

- (void)applyTintToView:(UIView *)view  
{  
    UIWindow *mainWindow = [UIApplication sharedApplication].keyWindow;  

    for (UIView *v in view.subviews) {  
        if ([v.tintColor isEqual:mainWindow.tintColor]) {  
            v.tintColor = [UIColor greenColor];  
        }  
        [self applyTintToView:v];  
    }  
}

However this doesn't work on iOS 8, so you'll still need to set the apperance tint color.

[[UIView appearanceWhenContainedIn:[UIAlertController class], nil] setTintColor:[UIColor greenColor]];

score 1 · Answer 12 · answered Apr 06 '17 at 12:35

In Swift 2.2 you can use following code

 // LogOut or Cancel
    let logOutActionSheet: UIAlertController = UIAlertController(title: "Hello Mohsin!", message: "Are you sure you want to logout?", preferredStyle: .Alert)

    self.presentViewController(logOutActionSheet, animated: true, completion: nil)

    let cancelActionButton: UIAlertAction = UIAlertAction(title: "Cancel", style: .Cancel) { action -> Void in
        print("Cancel Tapped")
    }

    logOutActionSheet.addAction(cancelActionButton)

    let logOutActionButton: UIAlertAction = UIAlertAction(title: "Clear All", style: .Default)
    { action -> Void in
        //Clear All Method
        print("Logout Tapped")

    }

    logOutActionButton.setValue(UIColor.redColor(), forKey: "titleTextColor")

    logOutActionSheet.addAction(logOutActionButton)

score 1 · Answer 13 · answered Jul 22 '17 at 05:00

1

I wanted to make the delete button to appear red, so I used .destructive style:

 alert.addAction(UIAlertAction(title: "Delete", style: .destructive, handler:{(UIAlertAction) in

answered Jul 22 '17 at 05:00

fullmoon

8,030
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score 0 · Answer 14 · answered Jun 20 '17 at 14:51

You have 3 styles for the action buttons:

let style : UIAlertActionStyle = .default
// default, cancel (bold) or destructive (red)

let alertCtrl = UIAlertController(....)
alertCtrl.addAction( UIAlertAction(title: "click me", style: style, handler: {
    _ in doWhatever()
}))

How to change UIAlertController button text colour in iOS9?

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