Since we should no longer use UIBarAppearance with a color, how would I have a tint in that area?
Asked on 2025-09-05
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To apply a tint in the navigation bar area without using UIBarAppearance
with a color, you can use the new design system introduced in iOS 26. The new design emphasizes the use of Liquid Glass, which is a translucent and dynamic material. Instead of setting a background color, you can use tint modifiers to apply color with purpose, such as emphasizing key actions.
For example, in the session Build a UIKit app with the new design, it is mentioned that bar buttons use label color by default to improve legibility. If color is needed to communicate information about the action, you can specify a different tint color. This approach allows you to maintain the new design's aesthetic while still applying necessary color cues.
Additionally, the session Meet Liquid Glass discusses how tinting is natively compatible with the behaviors of Liquid Glass, allowing you to tint elements easily without breaking the visual character of the material. This ensures that your app's UI remains consistent with the new design principles.

Build a UIKit app with the new design
Update your UIKit app to take full advantage of the new design system. We’ll dive into key changes to tab views, split views, bars, presentations, search, and controls, and show you how to use Liquid Glass in your custom UI. To get the most out of this video, we recommend first watching “Get to know the new design system” for general design guidance.

Build a SwiftUI app with the new design
Explore the ways Liquid Glass transforms the look and feel of your app. Discover how this stunning new material enhances toolbars, controls, and app structures across platforms, providing delightful interactions and seamlessly integrating your app with the system. Learn how to adopt new APIs that can help you make the most of Liquid Glass.

Meet Liquid Glass
Liquid Glass unifies Apple platform design language while providing a more dynamic and expressive user experience. Get to know the design principles of Liquid Glass, explore its core optical and physical properties, and learn where to use it and why.