Tab bar
A persistent row of top-level destinations along the bottom of a mobile app, with one item selected at a time.
The tab bar is the primary navigation on most mobile apps. iOS calls it 'tab bar', Material Design 3 calls it 'navigation bar' (and Material 2 called it 'bottom navigation'). Three to five top-level destinations is the standard. Each item shows an icon and usually a short label; tapping switches the entire view. Don't confuse it with tabs (which switch panels inside a single view) or with a top app bar.
Also called
bottom navigationbottom nav barnavigation bar
When to use
- Mobile apps with three to five top-level sections
- Apps where users switch between sections frequently
- Persistent navigation that stays in reach of the thumb
When not to use
- Apps with one main section (no need for a tab bar)
- More than five destinations (use a drawer or 'More' menu)
- Sequential flows like onboarding where switching is wrong
Related
Source
Apple HIG ('Tab bars'); Material Design ('Navigation bar' in M3, 'Bottom navigation' in M2).