I'm trying to customize the menu in my iPad app for iOS 26, since most of the default menu options aren't relevant to my app. Fortunately, I already have the code for this from my Mac Catalyst implementation. However, the functionality to replace menus with new sets of options has no effect on some menus on iOS. For example, updating the Format menu works fine on Mac Catalyst and iOS 26:
override func buildMenu(with builder: UIMenuBuilder) {
super.buildMenu(with: builder)
let transposeUpItem = UIKeyCommand(title: NSLocalizedString("TRANSPOSE_UP"), image: nil, action: #selector(TransposeToolbar.transposeUp(_:)), input: "=", modifierFlags: UIKeyModifierFlags.command, propertyList: nil, alternates: [])
let transposeDownItem = UIKeyCommand(title: NSLocalizedString("TRANSPOSE_DOWN"), image: nil, action: #selector(TransposeToolbar.transposeDown(_:)), input: "-", modifierFlags: UIKeyModifierFlags.command, propertyList: nil, alternates: [])
let transposeGroup = UIMenu(title: "", image: nil, identifier: UIMenu.Identifier(rawValue: "transposeGroup"), options: UIMenu.Options.displayInline, children: [transposeUpItem, transposeDownItem])
let boldItem = UIKeyCommand(title: NSLocalizedString("BOLD"), image: nil, action: #selector(FormatToolbar.bold), input: "b", modifierFlags: UIKeyModifierFlags.command, propertyList: nil, alternates: [])
let italicItem = UIKeyCommand(title: NSLocalizedString("ITALIC"), image: nil, action: #selector(FormatToolbar.italic), input: "i", modifierFlags: UIKeyModifierFlags.command, propertyList: nil, alternates: [])
let underlineItem = UIKeyCommand(title: NSLocalizedString("UNDERLINE"), image: nil, action: #selector(FormatToolbar.underline), input: "u", modifierFlags: UIKeyModifierFlags.command, propertyList: nil, alternates: [])
let colorItem = UIKeyCommand(title: NSLocalizedString("COLOR"), image: nil, action: #selector(FormatToolbar.repeatColor), input: "c", modifierFlags: [.command, .alternate], propertyList: nil, alternates: [])
let clearItem = UIKeyCommand(title: NSLocalizedString("CLEAR_FORMATTING"), image: nil, action: #selector(FormatToolbar.clear), input: "x", modifierFlags: [.command, .alternate], propertyList: nil, alternates: [])
let formatGroup = UIMenu(title: "", image: nil, identifier: UIMenu.Identifier(rawValue: "formatGroup"), options: UIMenu.Options.displayInline, children: [boldItem, italicItem, underlineItem, colorItem, clearItem])
let markerItem = UIKeyCommand(title: NSLocalizedString("ADD_A_MARKER"), image: nil, action: #selector(FormatToolbar.marker), input: "m", modifierFlags: [.command, .alternate], propertyList: nil, alternates: [])
let markerGroup = UIMenu(title: "", image: nil, identifier: UIMenu.Identifier(rawValue: "markerGroup"), options: UIMenu.Options.displayInline, children: [markerItem])
var formatMenu = builder.menu(for: .format)
var formatItems = [transposeGroup, formatGroup, markerGroup]
formatMenu = formatMenu?.replacingChildren(formatItems)
if let formatMenu = formatMenu {
builder.replace(menu: .format, with: formatMenu)
}
}
The same approach for the View menu works fine on Mac Catalyst, but has no effect on iOS 26. I see the same View menu options as before:
override func buildMenu(with builder: UIMenuBuilder) {
super.buildMenu(with: builder)
let helpItem = UIKeyCommand(title: NSLocalizedString("HELP"), image: nil, action: #selector(utilityHelp), input: "1", modifierFlags: UIKeyModifierFlags.command, propertyList: nil, alternates: [])
let actionItemsItem = UIKeyCommand(title: NSLocalizedString("ACTION_ITEMS"), image: nil, action: #selector(utilityActionItems), input: "2", modifierFlags: UIKeyModifierFlags.command, propertyList: nil, alternates: [])
let remoteControlItem = UIKeyCommand(title: NSLocalizedString("APP_CONTROL_STATUS"), image: nil, action: #selector(utilityRemoteControl), input: "3", modifierFlags: UIKeyModifierFlags.command, propertyList: nil, alternates: [])
let midiItem = UIKeyCommand(title: NSLocalizedString("MIDI_STATUS"), image: nil, action: #selector(utilityMidi), input: "4", modifierFlags: UIKeyModifierFlags.command, propertyList: nil, alternates: [])
let linkingItem = UIKeyCommand(title: NSLocalizedString("LIVE_SHARING_STATUS"), image: nil, action: #selector(utilityLinking), input: "5", modifierFlags: UIKeyModifierFlags.command, propertyList: nil, alternates: [])
let syncItem = UIKeyCommand(title: NSLocalizedString("SYNCHRONIZATION"), image: nil, action: #selector(utilitySync), input: "6", modifierFlags: UIKeyModifierFlags.command, propertyList: nil, alternates: [])
let settingsItem = UIKeyCommand(title: NSLocalizedString("SETTINGS"), image: nil, action: #selector(utilitySettings), input: "7", modifierFlags: UIKeyModifierFlags.command, propertyList: nil, alternates: [])
let utilityGroup = UIMenu(title: "", image: nil, identifier: UIMenu.Identifier(rawValue: "utilityGroup"), options: UIMenu.Options.displayInline, children: [helpItem, actionItemsItem, remoteControlItem, midiItem, linkingItem, syncItem, settingsItem])
let backItem = UIKeyCommand(title: NSLocalizedString("BUTTON_BACK"), image: nil, action: #selector(navigateBack), input: UIKeyCommand.inputLeftArrow, modifierFlags: UIKeyModifierFlags.command, propertyList: nil, alternates: [])
let mainMenuItem = UIKeyCommand(title: NSLocalizedString("MAIN_MENU"), image: nil, action: #selector(navigateMain), input: UIKeyCommand.inputLeftArrow, modifierFlags: [.command, .alternate], propertyList: nil, alternates: [])
let navigateGroup = UIMenu(title: "", image: nil, identifier: UIMenu.Identifier(rawValue: "navigateGroup"), options: UIMenu.Options.displayInline, children: [backItem, mainMenuItem])
var viewMenu = builder.menu(for: .view)
var viewItems = [utilityGroup, navigateGroup]
viewMenu = viewMenu?.replacingChildren(viewItems)
if let viewMenu = viewMenu {
builder.replace(menu: .view, with: viewMenu)
}
}
I tried a couple other approaches, but they also did nothing:
var viewMenu = builder.menu(for: .view)
var viewItems = [utilityGroup, navigateGroup]
builder.replaceChildren(ofMenu: .view, from: { oldChildren in
viewItems
})
Also:
viewMenu = UIMenu(title: NSLocalizedString("VIEW"), image: nil, identifier: .view, options: UIMenu.Options.displayInline, children: viewItems)
if let viewMenu = viewMenu {
builder.replace(menu: .view, with: viewMenu)
}
Does anyone know how to make this work for the View menu?
It's frustrating that Apple added all these default options, without an easy way to remove options that aren't relevant.
