How to set back button text in iOS navigation controller?

H

28

252

How do you remove the back button text.

Current back button:

< Back

Desired back button:

< AnythingElse

None of these have worked:

self.navigationItem.backBarButtonItem?.title = "Back"
self.backItem?.title = ""
self.navigationController?.navigationBar.backItem?.title = ""
self.navigationItem.backBarButtonItem?.title = ""
self.navigationController?.navigationItem.backBarButtonItem?.title="Back"
self.navigationController?.navigationBar.backItem?.title = ""
self.navigationController?.navigationItem.backBarButtonItem?.title

Harebell answered 12/2, 2015 at 6:55 Comment(0)

D

680

The back button belongs to the previous view controller, not the one currently presented on screen.
To modify the back button you should update it before pushing, on the view controller that initiated the segue:

override func prepareForSegue(segue: UIStoryboardSegue, sender: AnyObject?) {
    let backItem = UIBarButtonItem()
    backItem.title = "Something Else"
    navigationItem.backBarButtonItem = backItem // This will show in the next view controller being pushed
}

Swift 3, 4 & 5:

override func prepare(for segue: UIStoryboardSegue, sender: Any?) {
    let backItem = UIBarButtonItem()
    backItem.title = "Something Else"
    navigationItem.backBarButtonItem = backItem // This will show in the next view controller being pushed
}

OR

// in your viewDidLoad or viewWillAppear
navigationItem.backBarButtonItem = UIBarButtonItem(
    title: "Something Else", style: .plain, target: nil, action: nil)

Duran answered 29/8, 2015 at 9:21 Comment(7)

I think it's ok to set it this way. But I recommend you, if possible set the title of your previous viewController in the navigation stack. That's much better approach. – Subaudition 10/4, 2017 at 16:37

Setting the title changes the title, not just the back button. – Duran 11/4, 2017 at 0:39

This is the right to do it. Also I'd like to point out if you are not using segue to pop out views, it still works as long as you change the backBarButtonItem before popping out your view. – Richy 29/6, 2017 at 3:18

Interestingly, if you want to title to be nothing you have to set it to " ", not "". "" alone leaves a lot of space, intruding on the title view. – Chromyl 12/8, 2017 at 0:5

What should I do if I don't use segues? – Panettone 6/4, 2018 at 13:26

Instead of prepareForSegue, set the back button before pushing the new view controller. – Duran 6/4, 2018 at 17:48

This can be done in a single line of code: navigationItem.backBarButtonItem = UIBarButtonItem(title: "Back", style: .plain, target: nil, action: nil) – Ehman 21/6, 2019 at 7:0

H

136

You can do it from interface builder as follows:

click on the navigation item of previous view controller

from the attributes inspector set the back button text to whatever you want. Thats it!!

Hoarhound answered 14/12, 2015 at 14:3 Comment(3)

whats the best way to assign 'nil'? – Coffle 5/4, 2016 at 0:13

@Coffle yes in the back button add space and press enter – Hoarhound 6/4, 2016 at 12:11

I did this but entered a space for Back so that only the arrow was left :] – Sn 14/3, 2019 at 2:43

P

67

You can put this 3 line of code in the ViewController you want to change the back button title.

In your override func viewDidLoad() {}.

let backButton = UIBarButtonItem()
backButton.title = "My Back Button Title"
self.navigationController?.navigationBar.topItem?.backBarButtonItem = backButton

Poisonous answered 17/3, 2017 at 9:38 Comment(1)

Working solution, but with a big caveat: remember that the back button still belongs to the previous view controller. For example if your navigation is A > B < back to A > C, and you put this code in B, also the back button in C will say "My Back Button Title" – Noto 17/1, 2021 at 15:4

B

55

Back-button text is taken from parent view-controller's navigation item title. So whatever you set on previous view-controller's navigation item title, will be shown on current view controller's back button text. You can just put "" as navigation item title in parent view-controller's viewWillAppear method.

self.navigationItem.title = ""

Another way is to put

self.navigationController?.navigationBar.topItem?.title = ""

in current view controller's viewWillAppear method. This one will cause some other problem if navigation stack is too nested.

Bloater answered 30/12, 2015 at 9:52 Comment(1)

Pay Attention!!! put self.title = "....." before the calling to self.navigationItem.title = "" – Laliberte 18/10, 2018 at 12:59

C

44

If you are using xib file for view controller then do this in your view controller class.

class AboutUsViewController: UIViewController {

override func viewDidLoad() {
    super.viewDidLoad()
    edgesForExtendedLayout = []
    setUpNavBar()
}

func setUpNavBar(){
    //For title in navigation bar
    self.navigationController?.view.backgroundColor = UIColor.white
    self.navigationController?.view.tintColor = UIColor.orange
    self.navigationItem.title = "About Us"

    //For back button in navigation bar
    let backButton = UIBarButtonItem()
    backButton.title = "Back"
    self.navigationController?.navigationBar.topItem?.backBarButtonItem = backButton
}

}

The result will be:

Cally answered 5/7, 2017 at 7:28 Comment(0)

S

31

I do not know where you have used your methods that you put on your question but I could get the desired result if I use, on my ViewController class (in which I want to change the back button), on viewDidLoad() function, the following line:

self.navigationController?.navigationBar.backItem?.title = "Anything Else"

The result will be:

Before

After

Sargasso answered 1/9, 2016 at 8:46 Comment(3)

In my case it only worked if you place this piece of code on the viewDidAppear method and not the viewDidLoad one – Incandescent 11/10, 2017 at 13:32

Use navigationController.navigationBar.topItem?.title = "" instead to avoid putting this in viewDidAppear – Arlinda 10/5, 2018 at 10:36

This seems the most satisfactory way and avoids a flash as the back button title is changed to " " using self.navigationItem.title = " " in the calling controller (slower devices). Also the other situation where self.navigationItem.title = " " is completely ignored intermittently transitioning quickly into the view controller via a tab controller tab switch programatically. – Litharge 13/1, 2020 at 17:0

D

24

The back button belongs to the previous view controller, not the one currently presented on screen. To modify the back button you should update it before pushing, add viewdidload :

Swift 4:

self.navigationItem.backBarButtonItem = UIBarButtonItem(title: "", style: .plain, target: self, action: nil)

Disembody answered 22/8, 2016 at 15:5 Comment(0)

B

12

You can just modify the NavigationItem in the storyboard

In the Back Button add a space and press Enter.

Note: Do this in the previous VC.

Bargeboard answered 5/2, 2018 at 13:34 Comment(0)

M

9

This should work:

override func viewDidLoad() {
    super.viewDidLoad()

    var button = UIBarButtonItem(title: "YourTitle", style: UIBarButtonItemStyle.Bordered, target: self, action: "goBack")
    self.navigationItem.backBarButtonItem = button

}

func goBack()
{
    self.navigationController?.popViewControllerAnimated(true)
}

Although it is not recommended since this actually replaces the backButton and it also removed the back arrow and the swipe gesture.

Mulloy answered 12/2, 2015 at 7:20 Comment(2)

not the right way to do it, you're just replacing the back button – Duran 29/8, 2015 at 9:14

Better to do it from the interface builder – Liminal 10/5, 2016 at 12:49

U

9

Swift 4.2

If you want to change the navigation bar back button item text, put this in viewDidLoad of the controller BEFORE the one where the back button shows, NOT on the view controller where the back button is visible.

 let backButton = UIBarButtonItem()
 backButton.title = "New Back Button Text"
 self.navigationController?.navigationBar.topItem?.backBarButtonItem = backButton

If you want to change the current navigation bar title text use the code below (note that this becomes the default back text for the NEXT view pushed onto the navigation controller, but this default back text can be overridden by the code above)

 self.title = "Navigation Bar Title"

Unapproachable answered 24/10, 2018 at 12:8 Comment(0)

V

9

There are two ways.

1.In the previousViewController.viewDidLoad()

let backBarBtnItem = UIBarButtonItem()
backBarBtnItem.title = "back"
navigationItem.backBarButtonItem = backBarBtnItem

2.In the currentViewController.viewDidAppear()

let backBarBtnItem = UIBarButtonItem()
backBarBtnItem.title = "back"      
navigationController?.navigationBar.backItem?.backBarButtonItem = backBarBtnItem

Reason : the backButton comes from navigationBar.backItem.backBarButtonItem,so the first way is obvious.In currentViewController.viewDidLoad(),we can't obtain the reference of backItem,because in viewDidAppear(),the navigationBar pushed navigationView on its stack.so we can make changes to the backItem in currentViewController.viewDidAppear()

For more details,you can see Document:UINavigationBar

Valorievalorization answered 21/12, 2019 at 10:53 Comment(0)

S

8

Swift 4 - Configure the back button before pushing any view controllers

// if you want to remove the text
navigationItem.backBarButtonItem = UIBarButtonItem()

// if you want to modify the text to "back"
navigationItem.backBarButtonItem = UIBarButtonItem(title: "back", style: .plain, target: nil, action: nil)

Schoolmistress answered 11/3, 2018 at 8:10 Comment(0)

M

6

Back button text and color text:

navigationController?.navigationBar.tintColor = .red
navigationController?.navigationBar.topItem?.backButtonTitle = "Hi"

Micra answered 16/11, 2021 at 13:46 Comment(0)

G

3

In the viewDidLoad method of the presenting controller add:

// hide navigation bar title in the next controller
let backButton = UIBarButtonItem(title: "", style:.Plain, target: nil, action: nil)
navigationItem.backBarButtonItem = backButton

Graz answered 5/6, 2016 at 21:23 Comment(0)

V

3

although these answers fix the problem but this could be some useful

class MainNavigatioController: UINavigationController {

    override func pushViewController(_ viewController: UIViewController, animated: Bool) {
        // first
        let backItem = UIBarButtonItem()
        backItem.title = "رجوع"
        self.viewControllers.last?.navigationItem.backBarButtonItem = backItem
        // then
        super.pushViewController(viewController, animated: animated)

    }

}

Vahe answered 30/8, 2018 at 9:53 Comment(0)

R

3

Swift 4

While the previous saying to prepare for segue is correct and its true the back button belongs to the previous VC, its just adding a bunch more unnecessary code.

The best thing to do is set the title of the current VC in viewDidLoad and it'll automatically set the back button title correctly on the next VC. This line worked for me

navigationController?.navigationBar.topItem?.title = "Title"

Roland answered 9/2, 2019 at 22:58 Comment(0)

R

3

It works for me. Swift 5

navigationItem.backButtonTitle = ""

Romain answered 23/9, 2021 at 15:47 Comment(1)

Important to note that this goes in the VC that's 'back', not in the one you're currently looking at. – Sf 28/3, 2022 at 22:56

M

2

This works for Swift 5:

self.navigationItem.backBarButtonItem?.title = ""

Please note it will be effective for the next pushed view controller not the current one on the display, that's why it's very confusing!

Also, check the storyboard and select the navigation item of the previous view controller then type something in the Back Button (Inspector).

Mcclean answered 6/11, 2019 at 6:47 Comment(3)

That didn't change anything. this works: navigationItem.backButtonTitle = "" – Tipton 3/11, 2020 at 15:35

It will be effective for the next pushed view controller not the current one on the display – Mcclean 4/11, 2020 at 18:40

No, I put it everywhere, still doesn't work. It returns nil, so i don't even have one. I think this is for if you have customised and added your own button. I am manipulating the "real" one. if you change text on backButtonTitle, does it do anything for you? I think they are two different. – Tipton 5/11, 2020 at 14:17

I

1

Try this... it will work ....

override func prepare(for segue: UIStoryboardSegue, sender: Any?) {
    self.title = ""
}

The above code will hide the text and show only the back arrow on navigation bar.

Insider answered 23/3, 2017 at 6:16 Comment(0)

O

1

Swift 4

In my case the solution was to clear the navigation item of the Master View Controller before move to the Child View Controller. And set it again if it is shown again

MasterController

override func viewWillAppear(_ animated: Bool) {
    super.viewWillAppear(animated)
    navigationItem.title = "Master Title"
}

override func viewWillDisappear(_ animated: Bool) {
    super.viewWillDisappear(animated)
    navigationItem.title = ""
}

And this is how I push a UIViewController and clear the back bar button item in the child controller:

MasterController

let childController = ChildController(collectionViewLayout: UICollectionViewFlowLayout())
childController.navigationItem.backBarButtonItem?.title = ""
navigationController?.pushViewController(childController, animated: true)

Osvaldooswal answered 3/8, 2018 at 20:34 Comment(0)

A

1

Following code can be added to a view controller from where you are pushing view controller in which you want to change back button text

Swift 5

self.navigationItem.backBarButtonItem = UIBarButtonItem(title: "", style: .plain, target: self, action: nil)

For example:-

ViewController1
ViewController2

Assume we want to update back title of viewcontroller2 and we are pushing viewcontroller2 from viewcontroller1.

then you can use following code:-

let vc2 = storyboard.instantiateViewController(withIdentifier: "ViewController2")
self.navigationItem.backBarButtonItem = UIBarButtonItem(title:  "your custom back button title", style: .plain, target: self, action: nil)
self.navigationController?.pushViewController(vc2, animated: true)

Acrylonitrile answered 10/5, 2021 at 13:3 Comment(0)

U

1

There has two of different ways to Implanting that part those are ,

1.

navigationItem.backButtonTitle = "Title Goes Here"

(swift 5)

2.

let backButton = UIBarButtonItem()
backButton.title = "Title Goes Here"
navigationController?.navigationBar.topItem?.backBarButtonItem = backButton

Underworld answered 16/8, 2022 at 1:15 Comment(0)

W

0

Set self.title = "" before self.navigationController?.pushViewController(vc, animated: true).

Winebaum answered 14/9, 2016 at 5:54 Comment(0)

E

0

override func viewWillAppear(_ animated: Bool) {

    self.tabBarController?.navigationItem.title = "Notes"

    let sendButton = UIBarButtonItem(title: "New", style: .plain, target: self, action: #selector(goToNoteEditorViewController))

    self.tabBarController?.navigationItem.rightBarButtonItem = sendButton
}

func goToNoteEditorViewController(){
   // action what you want
}

Hope it helps!! #swift 3

Ennui answered 4/5, 2017 at 12:28 Comment(0)

L

0

If you are pushing a view controller from page view controller page, you cannot update the navigation controller's back button title. To solve this create a delegate back to your parent view controller (you may also be able to traverse the view controller hierarchy back up to the parent).

Furthermore, Back buttons have a character limit. If you exceed that character limit, the system will default to "Back". It will not truncate for you. For example:

backItem.title = "Birthdays/Anniversaries" // Get's converted to "Back".
backItem.title = "Birthdays/Anniversa…" // Fits and shows as is.

Limeade answered 27/7, 2017 at 19:26 Comment(0)

A

0

for Swift 4.2

let backItem = UIBarButtonItem()
backItem.title = ""
navigationItem.backBarButtonItem = backItem

Attitude answered 18/4, 2019 at 19:34 Comment(0)

F

0

Solution checked and work in Swift 5

Below I put few solutions for different cases:

1. Remove text from back button

The best solution to remove text from back button is to add in viewDidLoad():

navigationItem.backBarButtonItem = UIBarButtonItem()

2. Set own text on back button

In case you want to set your own title, do it by setting title of backButton:

let backButton = UIBarButtonItem()
backButton.title = "My Title"
navigationItem.backBarButtonItem = backItem

3. Empty back button on all VC

If you want to create common style in entire app - to have just arrow back without text, create base VC for all your View Controllers:

class BaseViewController: UIViewController {
    override func viewDidLoad() {
        super.viewDidLoad()

        navigationItem.backBarButtonItem = UIBarButtonItem()
    }
}

Solution presented above let you customize back button in the future if you want to make some exception later, by adding additional variable and overriding it in specific ViewController, f.ex:

class BaseViewController: UIViewController {

    var customBackButtonTitle: String?

    override func viewDidLoad() {
        super.viewDidLoad()

        var backButton = UIBarButtonItem()
        if let text = customBackButtonTitle {
            backButton.title = text
        }
        navigationItem.backBarButtonItem = backButton
    }
}

Firer answered 16/3, 2020 at 12:25 Comment(0)

I

0

GOTCHA: If you are having trouble with any of the many-starred suggestions, ensure that you are registering your UITableViewCells in viewDidLoad(), not from init()

Imeldaimelida answered 22/4, 2020 at 6:29 Comment(0)

1. Remove text from back button

2. Set own text on back button

3. Empty back button on all VC

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