Changing the Background Color of a UIButton When Highlighted

28 February 2025 Stephan Petzl Leave a comment Xcode

When developing iOS applications, you may encounter a situation where you need to change the background color of a UIButton while it is highlighted. This typically occurs when a user presses and holds the button. Unfortunately, simply setting the background color does not work as expected in this scenario. This article provides a comprehensive guide on how to achieve this effect using several approaches.

Solution Overview

There are multiple methods to change the background color of a UIButton when it is highlighted. Below, we explore some of the most effective techniques, focusing on a method that overrides the UIButton’s behavior to achieve the desired effect.

Method 1: Override the setHighlighted Method

One of the most reliable methods is to override the UIButton’s setHighlighted method. This allows you to customize the background color based on the button’s state.

Objective-C Implementation

- (void)setHighlighted:(BOOL)highlighted {
    [super setHighlighted:highlighted];
    if (highlighted) {
        self.backgroundColor = UIColorFromRGB(0x387038);
    } else {
        self.backgroundColor = UIColorFromRGB(0x5bb75b);
    }
}
  

Swift Implementation

override open var isHighlighted: Bool {
    didSet {
        super.isHighlighted = isHighlighted
        backgroundColor = isHighlighted ? UIColor.black : UIColor.white
    }
}
  

Method 2: Use UIButton Extensions

Another approach is to use UIButton extensions to set background colors for different states. This method is particularly useful because it allows you to manage colors for various button states efficiently.

extension UIButton {
    func setBackgroundColor(_ color: UIColor, for state: UIControl.State) {
        let rect = CGRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: 1, height: 1)
        UIGraphicsBeginImageContext(rect.size)
        color.setFill()
        UIRectFill(rect)
        let colorImage = UIGraphicsGetImageFromCurrentImageContext()
        UIGraphicsEndImageContext()
        setBackgroundImage(colorImage, for: state)
    }
}
  

Conclusion and Further Recommendations

Changing the background color of a UIButton when it is highlighted can significantly enhance the user interface of your application by providing visual feedback. While there are several methods to achieve this, overriding the setHighlighted method or using UIButton extensions are particularly effective solutions.

If you’re looking for more efficient ways to automate and test these UI changes, consider using Repeato. Repeato is a no-code test automation tool that simplifies the process of creating, running, and maintaining automated tests for iOS apps. Its advanced features, such as the test recorder and support for data-driven testing, make it easier to validate UI behaviors like button state changes without writing extensive code. By leveraging Repeato’s capabilities, you can ensure your app’s UI remains consistent and responsive across various user interactions.

Check it out!

Like this article? there’s more where that came from!

• Resolving the “xcrun: error: invalid active developer path” Error on macOS
• Adding Existing Frameworks in Xcode 4: A Comprehensive Guide
• Disabling ARC for a Single File in Xcode: A Step-by-Step Guide
• Resolving the Xcode-Select Active Developer Directory Error
• Resolving the “Multiple Commands Produce” Error in Xcode 10