UITabBarController crashes when editing the items

I'm using one UITabBarController which leads to 6 NavigationController. Therefore the user will get 4 icons displayed and one icon with three points to see the rest of the Navigation Controller.

If the user now tries to edit the list and moves one item from the hidden area towards the TabBar at the bottom, the App crashes with the error:

Exception NSException * "Can't add self as subview" 0x0000600000d16040

I can see this effect at least on both my apps. If the same compilation is run on a older iOS version, there is no crash.

Is there anything I have to take care of the configuration of the TabBar, when it comes to iOS26?

Have the same issue. Made a swizzling class to get the exact view which crashes:

- (void)swizzled_addSubview:(UIView *)view {
    if (view == self) {
        NSLog(@"🚨 ERROR: Tried to add self (%@) as subview to self. This is illegal and causes a crash.", self);
        NSLog(@"Backtrace:\n%@", [NSThread callStackSymbols]);
        
        //For debugging return here
        return;
    }
    
    [self swizzled_addSubview:view];
}

Which gives a hint which view:

UIView+Swizzling.m | 🚨 ERROR: Tried to add self (<_TtCC5UIKit32_UITabBarVisualProvider_FloatingP33_3C6E5A7AE2316B749C88F887559DAAB619SelectedContentView: 0x12cc8c000; frame = (0 0; 360 62); autoresize = W+H; layer = <CALayer: 0x12cc528e0>>) as subview to self. This is illegal and causes a crash.

By returning that function if view == self it does not crash any more but has side effects e.g. icon color is black instead of blue in my case... And probably some more.

I think there is nothing we could do than waiting for a fix.

Ok, I created a small project where the bug can be reproduced. How can I report this bug to Apple?

The error occurs, when you have a UITabBarController which has more or equal as 6 assigned UINavigationController.

When you then go to the "..." More Button and klick on Edit and then move one of the non visible icons to the bar at the Botton and then it is crashing.

Unfortunately I cannot attach a ZIP File here

@Mikesch8764 Could you please post the Feedback Id number here for the record.

I don't know why, but my answer is always missing. Here is the Feedback ID FB20345124

I'm having the same problem and bug in my app. When I try to rearrange tabs on the tab bar, I get a crash with the following description: Thread 1: "Can't add self as subview".

Is there a solution in sight for this, as it's a huge problem for my app's users?

Tested with iOS 26.1 beta 2 and it is still the same issue with crashing the app

UITabBarController crashes when editing the items
 
 
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