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Pop-up buttons

A pop-up button displays a menu of mutually exclusive options.

A stylized representation of a pop-up button displaying a set of options. The image is tinted red to subtly reflect the red in the original six-color Apple logo.

After people choose an item from a pop-up button’s menu, the menu closes, and the button can update its content to indicate the current selection.

An illustration showing a closed pop-up button that displays the word Two as its content.

An illustration showing a pop-up button with its menu open. The menu item named Two includes a checkmark, indicating that the item is selected, and the pop-up button's content also shows the word Two.

Best practices

Use a pop-up button to present a flat list of mutually exclusive options or states. A pop-up button helps people make a choice that affects their content or the surrounding view. Use a pull-down button instead if you need to:

  • Offer a list of actions

  • Let people select multiple items

  • Include a submenu

Provide a useful default selection. A pop-up button can update its content to identify the current selection, but if people haven’t made a selection yet, it shows the default item you specify. When possible, make the default selection an item that most people are likely to want.

Give people a way to predict a pop-up button’s options without opening it. For example, you can use an introductory label or a button label that describes the button’s effect, giving context to the options.

Consider using a pop-up button when space is limited and you don’t need to display all options all the time. Pop-up buttons are a space-efficient way to present a wide array of choices.

If necessary, include a Custom option in a pop-up button’s menu to provide additional items that are useful in some situations. Offering a Custom option can help you avoid cluttering the interface with items or controls that people need only occasionally. You can also display explanatory text below the list to help people understand how the options work.

Platform considerations

No additional considerations for iOS, macOS, or visionOS. Not supported in tvOS or watchOS.

iPadOS

Within a popover or modal view, consider using a pop-up button instead of a disclosure indicator to present multiple options for a list item. For example, people can quickly choose an option from the pop-up button’s menu without navigating to a detail view. Consider using a pop-up button in this scenario when you have a fairly small, well-defined set of options that work well in a menu.

Resources

Pull-down buttons

Buttons

Menus

Developer documentation

MenuPickerStyle — SwiftUI

changesSelectionAsPrimaryAction — UIKit

NSPopUpButton — AppKit

Videos

Change log

Date

Changes

October 24, 2023

Added artwork.

September 14, 2022

Added a guideline on using a pop-up button in a popover or modal view in iPadOS.

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