Changing background color of selected cell?

Question

Does anyone know how to change the background color of a cell using UITableViewCell, for each selected cell? I created this UITableViewCell inside the code for TableView.

Juryrig

Answer 1

Changing the property selectedBackgroundView is correct and the simplest way. I use the following code to change the selection color:

// set selection color
UIView *myBackView = [[UIView alloc] initWithFrame:cell.frame];
myBackView.backgroundColor = [UIColor colorWithRed:1 green:1 blue:0.75 alpha:1];
cell.selectedBackgroundView = myBackView;
[myBackView release];

Trepang

Yeah, but this does not look good in UITableViewStyleGrouped when selecting first or last cell in the section. – Apologize

@Apologize but it still works on iOS7+ :) There are no more rounded corners in UITableViewStyleGrouped mode – Cementation

Answer 2

I finally managed to get this to work in a table view with style set to Grouped.

First set the selectionStyle property of all cells to UITableViewCellSelectionStyleNone.

cell.selectionStyle = UITableViewCellSelectionStyleNone;

Then implement the following in your table view delegate:

static NSColor *SelectedCellBGColor = ...;
static NSColor *NotSelectedCellBGColor = ...;

- (NSIndexPath *)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView willSelectRowAtIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)indexPath
{
    NSIndexPath *currentSelectedIndexPath = [tableView indexPathForSelectedRow];
    if (currentSelectedIndexPath != nil)
    {
        [[tableView cellForRowAtIndexPath:currentSelectedIndexPath] setBackgroundColor:NotSelectedCellBGColor];
    }

    return indexPath;
}

- (void)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView didSelectRowAtIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)indexPath
{
    [[tableView cellForRowAtIndexPath:indexPath] setBackgroundColor:SelectedCellBGColor];
}

- (void)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView willDisplayCell:(UITableViewCell *)cell forRowAtIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)indexPath
{
    if (cell.isSelected == YES)
    {
        [cell setBackgroundColor:SelectedCellBGColor];
    }
    else
    {
        [cell setBackgroundColor:NotSelectedCellBGColor];
    }
}

Coppins

this is the best answer! – Katelynnkaterina

I am sorry to inform you, but your solution does not work, xcode 5, iOS7 – Soliloquy

@Soliloquy Just implemented this under iOS7/Xcode 5 for a Plain UITableView. I had to employ additional logic in cellForRowAtIndexPath: to handle displaying the selected cell properly after the cell had been scrolled back into view, so that may be your problem. – Runic

Don't you also need to override didDeselectRowAtIndexPath? – Alien

@EvanR What kind of additional logic did you add? – Hibben

@Hibben It was a while ago, but I believe in tableView:cellForRowAtIndexPath: I added something along the lines of `if ([indexPath isEqual:[tableView indexPathForSelectedRow]]) { cell.selected = YES; } else { cell.selected = NO; } – Runic

willDisplayCell is helped for my default selected cell of tableview for changing text color when default selected cell is selected. – Buxom

This answer should be accepted, I just used it today and it worked for me – Glimmering

Answer 3

SWIFT 4, XCODE 9, IOS 11

After some testing this WILL remove the background color when deselected or cell is tapped a second time when table view Selection is set to "Multiple Selection". Also works when table view Style is set to "Grouped".

extension ViewController: UITableViewDelegate {
    func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, didSelectRowAt indexPath: IndexPath) {
        if let cell = tableView.cellForRow(at: indexPath) {
            cell.contentView.backgroundColor = UIColor.darkGray
        }
    }
}

Note: In order for this to work as you see below, your cell's Selection property can be set to anything BUT None.

How it looks with different options

Style: Plain, Selection: Single Selection

Style: Plain, Selection: Multiple Selection

Style: Grouped, Selection: Multiple Selection

Bonus - Animation

For a smoother color transition, try some animation:

extension ViewController: UITableViewDelegate {
    func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, didSelectRowAt indexPath: IndexPath) {
        if let cell = tableView.cellForRow(at: indexPath) {
            UIView.animate(withDuration: 0.3, animations: {
                cell.contentView.backgroundColor = UIColor.darkGray
            })
        }
    }
}

Bonus - Text and Image Changing

You may notice the icon and text color also changing when cell is selected. This happens automatically when you set the UIImage and UILabel Highlighted properties

UIImage

1. Supply two colored images:

2. Set the Highlighted image property:

UILabel

Just supply a color for the Highlighted property:

Niemeyer

thanks for the Bonus - Text and Image Changing. First time to know about label highlighted usage – Sewan

I have plain style, and I have Single selection but I have custom cell and the behavior is like when I click on item, it gets colored background but when I click another cell, the background of first item never goes back. Why it is so?? – Carcinogen

@MarkMoeykens when I implemented the above with each one of the storyboard settings, the cell did not "unselect" after I press on it a second time ... even though I have a block of code explicity setting its color to white – Araliaceous

I am looking for OSX solution. I am able to change cell colour but not able to hide/unhide button inside cells. Any help? – Parasitism

Answer 4

// animate between regular and selected state
- (void)setSelected:(BOOL)selected animated:(BOOL)animated {

    [super setSelected:selected animated:animated];

    if (selected) {
        self.backgroundColor = [UIColor colorWithRed:234.0f/255 green:202.0f/255 blue:255.0f/255 alpha:1.0f];
    }
    else {
        self.backgroundColor = [UIColor clearColor];
    }
}

Chaldean

I tried doing this but setting self.backgroundView to alternating images for either scenario—was not able to get it to work. I even tried putting self.selectedBackgroundView in if (selected) and niling each view out first. Trying to figure out what I'm missing here! Ultimately had to do it by changing self.backgroundView in the if statement and calling self.backgroundColor = [UIColor colorWithPatternImage:[UIImage imageNamed:]] in the else statement. – Runic

Answer 5

-(void)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView didSelectRowAtIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)indexPath {

     UITableViewCell *cell = (UITableViewCell *)[tableView cellForRowAtIndexPath:indexPath];
     cell.contentView.backgroundColor = [UIColor yellowColor];

}

Kelly

The problem with this is that the other rows that were previously selected would still have that new background color. – Treulich

@vnchopra, I think this may have changed since 2013 but I just tried this and it does get removed when you select another cell. (Xcode 9, iOS 11, Swift 4) – Niemeyer

Answer 6

I created UIView and set the property of cell selectedBackgroundView:

UIView *v = [[UIView alloc] init];
v.backgroundColor = [UIColor redColor];
cell.selectedBackgroundView = v;

Pekingese

For a solution that works (properly) with UIAppearance for iOS 7 (and higher?) using its default selectedBackgroundView to set the color, take a look at my answer to similar question. – Gregale

Answer 7

If you're talking about selected cells, the property is -selectedBackgroundView. This will be shown when the user selects your cell.

Polaris

Answer 8

I've had luck with the following:

- (void)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView willDisplayCell:(UITableViewCell *)cell forRowAtIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)indexPath
{
    bool isSelected = // enter your own code here
    if (isSelected)
    {
        [cell setBackgroundColor:[UIColor colorWithRed:1 green:1 blue:0.75 alpha:1]];
        [cell setAccessibilityTraits:UIAccessibilityTraitSelected];
    }
    else
    {
        [cell setBackgroundColor:[UIColor clearColor]];
        [cell setAccessibilityTraits:0];
    }
}

Waft

Answer 9

I have a highly customized UITableViewCell. So I implemented my own cell selection.

cell.selectionStyle = UITableViewCellSelectionStyleNone;

I created a method in my cell's class:

- (void)highlightCell:(BOOL)highlight
{
    if (highlight) {
        self.contentView.backgroundColor = RGB(0x355881);
        _bodyLabel.textColor = RGB(0xffffff);
        _fromLabel.textColor = RGB(0xffffff);
        _subjectLabel.textColor = RGB(0xffffff);
        _dateLabel.textColor = RGB(0xffffff);
    }
    else {
        self.contentView.backgroundColor = RGB(0xf7f7f7);;
        _bodyLabel.textColor = RGB(0xaaaaaa);
        _fromLabel.textColor = [UIColor blackColor];
        _subjectLabel.textColor = [UIColor blackColor];
        _dateLabel.textColor = RGB(0x496487);
    }
}

In my UITableViewController class in ViewWillAppear added this:

NSIndexPath *tableSelection = [self.tableView indexPathForSelectedRow];
SideSwipeTableViewCell *cell = (SideSwipeTableViewCell*)[self.tableView cellForRowAtIndexPath:tableSelection];
[cell highlightCell:NO];

In didSelectRow added this:

SideSwipeTableViewCell *cell = (SideSwipeTableViewCell*)[self.tableView cellForRowAtIndexPath:indexPath];
[cell highlightCell:YES];

Saxen

Answer 10

I was able to solve this problem by creating a subclass of UITableViewCell and implementing the setSelected:animated: method

- (void)setSelected:(BOOL)selected animated:(BOOL)animated {
    [super setSelected:selected animated:animated];

    // Configure the view for the selected state
    if(selected) {
        [self setSelectionStyle:UITableViewCellSelectionStyleNone];
        [self setBackgroundColor:[UIColor greenColor]];
    } else {
        [self setBackgroundColor:[UIColor whiteColor]];
    }
}

The trick was setting the

cell.selectionStyle = UITableViewCellSelectionStyleDefault;

in the implementing view controller and then in the tableViewCell setting it as

[self setSelectionStyle:UITableViewCellSelectionStyleNone];

Hope this helps. :)

Depilate

I confirm this works well. In my custom cell subclass initWithCoder I set the selection style to none and then customise the colours etc in setSelected based upon if it is selected. – Illjudged

Answer 11

For iOS7+ and if you are using Interface Builder then subclass your cell and implement:

Objective-C

- (void)awakeFromNib {
    [super awakeFromNib];
    // Default Select background
    UIView *v = [[UIView alloc] init];
    v.backgroundColor = [UIColor redColor];
    self.selectedBackgroundView = v;
}

Swift 2.2

override func awakeFromNib() {
    super.awakeFromNib()
    // Default Select background
    self.selectedBackgroundView = { view in
        view.backgroundColor = .redColor()
        return view
    }(UIView())
}

Olivo

Answer 12

This worked perfectly with grouped calls: Implement a custom subclass of UITableViewCell

This will respect corners and such...

- (void)setSelected:(BOOL)selected animated:(BOOL)animated
{
    [super setSelected:selected animated:animated];

    if(selected)
        [self setBackgroundColor:[UIColor colorWithRed:(245/255.0) green:(255/255.0) blue:(255/255.0) alpha:1]];
    else
        [self setBackgroundColor:[UIColor whiteColor]];

}

Rhea

Thanks this works, but don't forget to set UITableViewCell "Selection" to "None" instead of default, otherwise the default gray background would keep showing up. – Epistrophe

Answer 13

If you just want to remove the grey background color do this :

-(void)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView didSelectRowAtIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)indexPath
{
     [[tableView cellForRowAtIndexPath:indexPath] setSelectionStyle:UITableViewCellSelectionStyleNone];
}     

Antecede

Answer 14

The default style is gray and it destroys the colors of the cell if it was done programmatically. You can do this to avoid that. (in Swift)
cell.selectionStyle = .None

Torchwood

the swift 4 version of the solution is cell?.selectionStyle = .none – Peafowl

Answer 15

Check out AdvancedTableViewCells in Apple's sample code.

You'll want to use the composite cell pattern.

Coleorhiza

Answer 16

In Swift

let v = UIView()
    v.backgroundColor = self.darkerColor(color)
    cell?.selectedBackgroundView = v;

...

func darkerColor( color: UIColor) -> UIColor {
    var h = CGFloat(0)
    var s = CGFloat(0)
    var b = CGFloat(0)
    var a = CGFloat(0)
    let hueObtained = color.getHue(&h, saturation: &s, brightness: &b, alpha: &a)
    if hueObtained {
        return UIColor(hue: h, saturation: s, brightness: b * 0.75, alpha: a)
    }
    return color
}

Marxmarxian

This is definitely the best modern answer, because setting the selection style to .None and using the "willSelectRow" and "didSelectRow" delegate methods has the side effect that a long press on a row will not highlight it as selected, which is the default behavior for normal styling. – Aubervilliers

Answer 17

Works for me

UIView *customColorView = [[UIView alloc] init];
    customColorView.backgroundColor = [UIColor colorWithRed:180/255.0 
                                                      green:138/255.0 
                                                       blue:171/255.0 
                                                      alpha:0.5];
    cell.selectedBackgroundView =  customColorView;

Vizcacha

Answer 18

in Swift 3, converted from illuminates answer.

override func setSelected(_ selected: Bool, animated: Bool) {
    super.setSelected(selected, animated: animated)
    if(selected) {
        self.selectionStyle = .none
        self.backgroundColor = UIColor.green
    } else {
        self.backgroundColor = UIColor.blue
    }
}

(however the view only changes once the selection is confirmed by releasing your finger)

Statuesque

Answer 19

Swift 5.3

Here I did for a single row without creating a class for the cell.

override func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, didSelectRowAt indexPath: IndexPath) {
    if let cell = tableView.cellForRow(at: indexPath) {
        cell.contentView.backgroundColor = #colorLiteral(red: 0.1411764771, green: 0.3960784376, blue: 0.5647059083, alpha: 1)
    }
}
override func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, didDeselectRowAt indexPath: IndexPath) {
    if let cell = tableView.cellForRow(at: indexPath) {
        cell.contentView.backgroundColor = #colorLiteral(red: 1, green: 1, blue: 1, alpha: 1)
    }
}

Mooncalf

I am looking for OSX solution. I am able to change cell colour but not able to hide/unhide button inside cells. Any help? – Parasitism

Answer 20

Create a custom UITableViewCell. Inside you custom class override the "setSelected" function and change the contentView background color. You can also override you "setHighlighted" function.

In Swift:

class myTableViewCell: UITableViewCell {

    override func awakeFromNib() {
        super.awakeFromNib()
        // Initialization code
    }

    override func setSelected(selected: Bool, animated: Bool) {
        super.setSelected(selected, animated: animated)

        // Configure the view for the selected state
        // Add your color here
        self.contentView.backgroundColor = UIColor.whiteColor()
    }

    override func setHighlighted(highlighted: Bool, animated: Bool) {
        // Add your color here
        self.contentView.backgroundColor = UIColor.whiteColor()
    }
}

Mart

Answer 21

override func setSelected(_ selected: Bool, animated: Bool) {
    super.setSelected(selected, animated: animated)

    if selected {
        self.contentView.backgroundColor = .black
    } else {
        self.contentView.backgroundColor = .white
    }
}

Paresh

Answer 22

Swift 3, 4, 5 select cell background colour

1) Change only highlighted colour when user click on cell:

1.1) Inside cell class:

override func awakeFromNib() {
    super.awakeFromNib()
    // Initialization code

    let backgroundView = UIView()
    backgroundView.backgroundColor = UIColor.init(white: 1.0, alpha: 0.1)
    selectedBackgroundView = backgroundView
}

1.2) Viewcontroller that you use customized cell

override func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, didSelectRowAt indexPath: IndexPath) {
    tableView.deselectRow(at: indexPath, animated: true)
}

2) If you to set colour for selected cells:

override func setSelected(_ selected: Bool, animated: Bool) {
    super.setSelected(selected, animated: animated)
    // Configure the view for the selected state

    if selected {
        self.backgroundColor = .darkGray
    } else {
        self.backgroundColor = .white
    }
}

Colombia

Answer 23

Here is a quick way to do this right in Interface Builder (within a Storyboard). Drag a simple UIView to the top of your UITableView as in Next connect your cell's selectedBackgroundView Outlet to this view. You can even connect multiple cells' outlets to this one view.

Boehike

no, that's not a good deal. if u do this ... there is only one instance for each cell. U r not able to select more then one item with this solution – Vocative

Yeah this method looks good, but the view gets shared and you get a flash as it jumps to the next cell – Williamson

Answer 24

For a solution that works (properly) with UIAppearance for iOS 7 (and higher?) by subclassing UITableViewCell and using its default selectedBackgroundView to set the color, take a look at my answer to a similar question here.

Gregale

Answer 25

- (void)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView didHighlightRowAtIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)indexPath
{
    UITableViewCell *cell = (UITableViewCell *)[tableView cellForRowAtIndexPath:indexPath];
    cell.contentView.backgroundColor = [UIColor yellowColor];
}

- (void)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView didUnhighlightRowAtIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)indexPath
{
    UITableViewCell *cell = (UITableViewCell *)[tableView cellForRowAtIndexPath:indexPath];
    cell.contentView.backgroundColor = nil;
}

Wanonah

Answer 26

I have tried each one among above answers, but none of them best fits for me,

then i have looked into one of the native provided method, and it is working fine.

first, make cellSelectionStyle to None and then go for this solution.

func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, willDeselectRowAt indexPath: IndexPath) -> IndexPath?
{   
    let cell = tableView.cellForRow(at: indexPath);

   //cell which is getting deselected, make whatever changes that are required to make it back normal        

    cell.backgroundColor = kNormalColor;

    return indexPath;
}

func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, willSelectRowAt indexPath: IndexPath) -> IndexPath?
{
    let cell = tableView.cellForRow(at: indexPath);

   //cell which is getting selected, make whatever changes that are required to make it selected        

    cell.backgroundColor = kSelectedColor;

    return indexPath;
}

advantage of this methods over other all is :

1. It works for multiple cell selection
2. You can change any element, whichever you want, not only background color of given cell when it get selected as well as deselected.

Amiss

Answer 27

var last_selected:IndexPath!

define last_selected:IndexPath inside the class

func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, didSelectRowAt indexPath: IndexPath) {
    let cell = tableView.cellForRow(at: indexPath) as! Cell
    cell.contentView.backgroundColor = UIColor.lightGray
    cell.txt.textColor = UIColor.red

    if(last_selected != nil){
        //deselect
        let deselect_cell = tableView.cellForRow(at: last_selected) as! Cell
        deselect_cell.contentView.backgroundColor = UIColor.white
        deselect_cell.txt.textColor = UIColor.black
    }

    last_selected = indexPath
}

Subjunctive

I am looking for OSX solution. I am able to change cell colour but not able to hide/unhide button inside cells. Any help? – Parasitism

Answer 28

Set selection property to None, make sure tableView has 'Single Selection' set and use this method in tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, cellForRowAt indexPath: IndexPath) -> UITableViewCell delegate method:

extension UITableViewCell {
    func setSelectionColor(isSelected: Bool, selectionColor: UIColor, nonSelectionColor: UIColor) {
        contentView.backgroundColor = isSelected ? selectionColor : nonSelectionColor
    }
}

Joappa

Answer 29

SWIFT 5.X
It also works when accessoryType changed for cell

extension UITableViewCell{
    var selectedBackgroundColor: UIColor?{
        set{
            let customColorView = UIView()
            customColorView.backgroundColor = newValue
            selectedBackgroundView = customColorView
        }
        get{
            return selectedBackgroundView?.backgroundColor
        }
    }
}

And in UIViewController use like below...

func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, cellForRowAt indexPath: IndexPath) -> UITableViewCell {
    let cell = tableView.dequeueReusableCell(withIdentifier: "Cell", for: indexPath) as! myCell
    cell.selectedBackgroundColor = UIColor.lightGray
    return cell
  }

Katiekatina

I am looking for OSX solution. I am able to change cell colour but not able to hide/unhide button inside cells. Any help? – Parasitism

Answer 30

I had a recent issue with an update to Swift 5 where the table view would flash select and then deselect the selected cell. I tried several of the solutions here and none worked. The solution is setting clearsSelectionOnViewWillAppear to false.

I had previously used the UIView and selectedBackgroundColor property, so I kept with that approach.

override func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, cellForRowAt indexPath: IndexPath) -> UITableViewCell {
  let cell = tableView.dequeueReusableCell(withIdentifier: "popoverCell", for: indexPath) as! PopoverCell

  let backgroundView = UIView()
  backgroundView.backgroundColor = Color.Blue
  cell.selectedBackgroundView = backgroundView
}

Below are the changes I needed for Swift 5. The property clearsSelectionOnViewWillAppear was the reason my cells were deselecting. The following select was necessary on first load.

override func viewDidLoad() {
  super.viewDidLoad()

  clearsSelectionOnViewWillAppear = false
  popoverTableView.selectRow(at: selectedIndexPath, animated: false, scrollPosition: .none)
}

Washstand

I am looking for OSX solution. I am able to change cell colour but not able to hide/unhide button inside cells. Any help? – Parasitism