How to Create a Custom .NET MAUI Shell TabBar
Default Shell doesn’t give you much room to customize the TabBar appearance, and going the native handler route means writing separate code for Android and iOS. This post demonstrates a different approach using Nalu’s TabBarView, which lets you replace the built-in tab bar with a fully custom, cross-platform Grid-based component.
What you’ll learn
- How to set up Nalu’s
TabBarViewwithUseNaluTabBar()in yourMauiProgram.cs - How to replace the default Shell TabBar with a custom Grid-based component
- How to create a custom
Shapeclass for drawing curved, wave-style tab bar backgrounds - How to use
UnsafeAccessorto tap into MAUI’s internal layout properties for path computation - How to implement animated tab switching with a floating indicator that moves between tabs
- How to wire up
ShellItemproperty changes to drive tab selection and animation logic