# Set overflow priorities so the right actions stay visible

> A vertical bar holds fewer items than a horizontal one, so more actions overflow. Priorities decide which survive.

Source: https://iphoneduosupport.com/checklist/toolbar-overflow-priority/

Severity: major
Category: navigation
Applies to: swiftui, uikit
Requires: ios-27.1 SDK
Symptom: Frequently used actions disappear into an ellipsis menu, or several separate overflow menus appear in one bar.
Sources: https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/tech-talks/111462/
Last verified: 2026-09-09

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A column has less room than a row, and the outer display in landscape overflows more often still. Without guidance the system cannot know that your compose button matters more than your sort button.

## Assign visibility priority

```swift
.toolbar {
    ToolbarItem { ComposeButton() }
        .visibilityPriority(.high)
}
```

```swift
// UIKit
item.visibilityPriority = .high
```

Reserve `.high` for the few actions users reach for constantly. Marking everything high is the same as marking nothing.

## Consolidate into the system overflow menu

Apps often grew their own ellipsis button next to the system one. On a vertical bar that reads as two identical menus. Move your items into the system menu:

```swift
.toolbar {
    ToolbarOverflowMenu {
        Button("Scan") { … }
        Button("Connect") { … }
    }
}
```

```swift
// UIKit
navigationItem.additionalOverflowItems = UIDeferredMenuElement({ provider in
    provider(self.persistentOverflowItems())
})
```

Apple's guidance is to reserve the ellipsis for overflow only.

## Choose what compresses first

When space is tight, say whether bar items or toolbar items should win:

```swift
.toolbarVerticalCompressionBehavior(.prefersToolbarItems)
```

```swift
// UIKit
navigationItem.verticalBarCompressionBehavior = .prefersBarItems
```

## Badges still work

Badges introduced in iOS 26 carry over, and are a good way to keep a signal visible on an item that has lost its text label:

```swift
InboxButton().badge(7)
```

```swift
// UIKit
item.badge = .count(7)
```

## How to verify

Audit each screen's bar in both axes — inner display landscape for the vertical bar, outer display landscape for heavier overflow. Confirm the actions you would put in a usability test are on screen rather than one tap deeper.

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Published by iPhone Duo Support (https://iphoneduosupport.com). Not affiliated with Apple Inc.