How to Customize the Title Bar in .NET MAUI Blazor Hybrid App?

Prerequisites

Before we begin, make sure you have the following prerequisites:

• .NET 6 or later installed on your machine
• Visual Studio 2022 or later (optional, but recommended)
• A .NET MAUI Blazor Hybrid App project set up and ready to go

Customizing the Title Bar

Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s dive into the customization process. We’ll cover three main areas: 1) changing the title bar’s background color, 2) adding a custom title, and 3) customizing the navigation buttons.

Changing the Title Bar’s Background Color

Let’s start with the easiest customization: changing the title bar’s background color. You can do this by adding a single line of code to your `MauiProgram.cs` file:

using Microsoft.Maui.Controls;

namespace MyApp
{
    public static class MauiProgram
    {
        public static MauiApp CreateMauiApp()
        {
            var builder = WebApplication.CreateBuilder();
            builder.Services.AddMauiBlazorWebView();
            builder.Services.AddTransient<MyApp>();

            var app = builder.Build();

            // Add this line to change the title bar's background color
            app.UseShell(shell =>
            {
                shell.NavBarBackgroundColor = Colors.Red;
            });

            app.UseRouting();
            app.UseEndpoints(endpoints =>
            {
                endpoints.MapFallbackToFile("index.html");
            });

            return app;
        }
    }
}

In this example, we’re setting the background color to red, but you can choose any color you like using the `Colors` class or a hex code.

Adding a Custom Title

Next, let’s add a custom title to our title bar. You can do this by creating a custom `AppBar` component and adding it to your `MainLayout.razor` file:

<AppBar>
    <AppBarContent>
        <Text>My Custom Title</Text>
    </AppBarContent>
</AppBar>

In this example, we’re hardcoding the title as “My Custom Title”, but you can bind it to a variable or a method if you need more flexibility.

Customizing the Navigation Buttons

Last but not least, let’s customize the navigation buttons. You can do this by creating a custom `AppBarButton` component and adding it to your `AppBar`:

<AppBar>
    <AppBarContent>
        <Text>My Custom Title</Text>
    </AppBarContent>
    <AppBar Leading>
        <AppBarButton Icon="fa-solid fa-arrow-left" />
    </AppBar Leading>
    <AppBar Trailing>
        <AppBarButton Icon="fa-solid fa-arrow-right" />
    </AppBar Trailing>
</AppBar>

In this example, we’re adding two custom navigation buttons with font awesome icons, but you can use any icon or image you like.

Putting it all Together

Now that we’ve covered each customization individually, let’s put it all together. Here’s the final code:

using Microsoft.Maui.Controls;

namespace MyApp
{
    public static class MauiProgram
    {
        public static MauiApp CreateMauiApp()
        {
            var builder = WebApplication.CreateBuilder();
            builder.Services.AddMauiBlazorWebView();
            builder.Services.AddTransient<MyApp>();

            var app = builder.Build();

            app.UseShell(shell =>
            {
                shell.NavBarBackgroundColor = Colors.Red;
            });

            app.UseRouting();
            app.UseEndpoints(endpoints =>
            {
                endpoints.MapFallbackToFile("index.html");
            });

            return app;
        }
    }
}

<AppBar>
    <AppBarContent>
        <Text>My Custom Title</Text>
    </AppBarContent>
    <AppBar Leading>
        <AppBarButton Icon="fa-solid fa-arrow-left" />
    </AppBar Leading>
    <AppBar Trailing>
        <AppBarButton Icon="fa-solid fa-arrow-right" />
    </AppBar Trailing>
</AppBar>

And that’s it! With these customizations, you should now have a unique and personalized title bar that reflects your brand’s identity and style.

Bonus: Adding a Custom Background Image

If you want to take your title bar customization to the next level, you can add a custom background image. You can do this by adding a `BackgroundImage` property to your `AppBar`:

<AppBar BackgroundImage="my_background_image.png">
    <AppBarContent>
        <Text>My Custom Title</Text>
    </AppBarContent>
    <AppBar Leading>
        <AppBarButton Icon="fa-solid fa-arrow-left" />
    </AppBar Leading>
    <AppBar Trailing>
        <AppBarButton Icon="fa-solid fa-arrow-right" />
    </AppBar Trailing>
</AppBar>

Make sure to replace “my_background_image.png” with the actual file name and path of your background image.

Conclusion

And that’s a wrap! With these customizations, you should now have a beautifully designed title bar that sets your app apart from the competition. Remember to experiment with different colors, fonts, and images to find the perfect combination that reflects your brand’s identity and style.

Happy coding, and don’t forget to share your custom title bar designs with us!

References:

1. .NET MAUI Documentation: Navigation
2. .NET MAUI Documentation: AppBar
3. Font Awesome Icons

Frequently Asked Question

Customizing the title bar in a .NET MAUI Blazor Hybrid App can be a bit tricky, but don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! Here are some frequently asked questions to help you get started: