What works let backButton = UIBarButtonItem(title: "", style: .plain, target: nil, action: nil) backButton.hidesSharedBackground = true self.navigationItem.rightBarButtonItem = backButton // or self.navigationItem.leftBarButtonItem = backButton What doesn't work let backButton = UIBarButtonItem(title: "", style: .plain, target: nil, action: nil) backButton.hidesSharedBackground = true self.navigationItem.backBarButtonItem = backButton I've tried setting this property on all possible permutations and combinations e.g. Inside navigationController(_ navigationController: UINavigationController, willShow viewController: UIViewController, animated: Bool) and pushViewController(_ viewController: UIViewController, animated: Bool) of a custom UINavigationController to make sure. Expected vs Actual behavior Setting hidesSharedBackground = true should remove the glass background from both regular bar button items and back bar button items but it has no effect on backBarButtonItem. Additional context I’m aware of the UIDesignRequiresCompatibility Info.plist key, but I’m looking for a programmatic solution if there is one. The goal is to remove the glass background from back buttons.