You could try to override the value returned, rather than setting it. The method is declared as { get }, so just provide a getter:

 override var preferredStatusBarStyle: UIStatusBarStyle {

    return .lightContent

}

If you set this conditionally, you'll need to call setNeedsStatusBarAppearanceUpdate() so it'll animate the change when you're ready

Latest Update (Xcode 10+ / Swift 4.2+)

This article is left intact for anyone willing to understand the logic behind different approaches that were present for the past several years. Meanwhile, as of Xcode 10, Swift 4.2 first approach is deprecated and is no longer supported (i.e. will not take effect if you try to employ it). It's still referred for your information to better understand the reasoning behind Plist.info flag and customizing practice.

Important clarification

It is very important to understand two approaches to customizing the status bar appearance. They are different and should not be mixed.

First approach – one color for whole app (DEPRECATED since iOS7)

In info.plist you find or create a key called

View controller-based status bar appearance

and set it to NO.

What it does? It essentially establishes a setting that says that in your application, status bar appearance is not defined individually by each view controller. This is super important to understand. This means that you have uniform setting for entire app, for all screens. There are two settings: default, which is black text on white background, or lightContent, which is white text on black background.

To set one of these up (one setting for all screens):

func application(_ application: UIApplication, didFinishLaunchingWithOptions launchOptions: [UIApplicationLaunchOptionsKey: Any]?) -> Bool {

    application.statusBarStyle = .lightContent // .default

    return true

}

This way you won't need to reestablish this setting on each view controller. However, you can always resort to this method to voluntarily change appearance.

Second approach – individual color for each view controller

This is the opposite. To make it work, go ahead to info.plist and set

View controller-based status bar appearance

to YES

This way, whenever a new view controller is open, status bar style is set individually if you insert this implementation in each UIViewController instance you need:

override var preferredStatusBarStyle: UIStatusBarStyle {

    return .lightContent // .default

}

You have the same as in first, set either dark or light style for statusbar, individual to each view controller.

Third approach – Hack!

There's a hack which allows to access statusbar directly:

func application(_ application: UIApplication, didFinishLaunchingWithOptions launchOptions: [UIApplicationLaunchOptionsKey: Any]?) -> Bool {



    if let statusBar = UIApplication.shared.value(forKey: "statusBar") as? UIView {

        statusBar.backgroundColor = UIColor.blue

    }



    return true

}

Why hack? If you need status bar color other than black or white, you use undocumented API. You get statusBar object using KVC and set its background color. Object you get this way is UIStatusBar, which is derived from UIView and thus naturally supports backgroundColor property. This is dirty, not legal way, but so far it's the only way to set up custom color for statusbar (not taking into account UINavigationBar approach, which allows to customize navbar+statusbar appearance altogether). It may well lead your app to being rejected. But maybe you're lucky. And if you are, in certain complex circumstances (like hierarchy of nested, child navigation and view controllers) this may be pretty much the only, or at least the less troublesome way to customize statusbar appearance (for example, to make it transparent)

Xcode 10+, Swift 4.2

There are no alternatives any more: developer should let each view controller define statusbar appearance, by setting the flag to YES (or omitting this action, because it's YES by default) and following above instructions.

Bonus

Hack-based solution you might (although not encouraged to) use in complex circumstances in order to voluntarily change statusbar appearance at any stage. Color-wise, the following extension method does exactly what you could have done with regular approach. You can adjust it to your needs.

extension UIViewController {

    func setStatusBarStyle(_ style: UIStatusBarStyle) {

        if let statusBar = UIApplication.shared.value(forKey: "statusBar") as? UIView {

            statusBar.backgroundColor = style == .lightContent ? UIColor.black : .white

            statusBar.setValue(style == .lightContent ? UIColor.white : .black, forKey: "foregroundColor")

        }

    }

}

Swift 3 & 4, iOS 10 & 11, Xcode 9 & 10

For me, this method doesn't work:

override var preferredStatusBarStyle: UIStatusBarStyle {

    return .lightContent

}

when I used to each view controller, but this worked:

• In file info.list, add row: View controller-based status bar appearance and set to NO



• 
  

  Next in appdelegate:

  
  
  

  UIApplication.shared.statusBarStyle = .lightContent
  
  

  
  

You need to add below key in your Info.plist file:

View controller-based status bar appearance with boolean value set to NO

In your appdelegate class, in didFinishLaunchingWithOptions method before return.

let statusBar: UIView = UIApplication.shared.value(forKey: "statusBar") as! UIView

if statusBar.responds(to:#selector(setter: UIView.backgroundColor)) {

    statusBar.backgroundColor = UIColor.red

}

UIApplication.shared.statusBarStyle = .lightContent

change backgroundColor and statusBarStyle as per requirement.

If you want to change the statusBar's color to white, for all of the views contained in a UINavigationController, add this inside AppDelegate:

func application(_ application: UIApplication, didFinishLaunchingWithOptions launchOptions: [UIApplicationLaunchOptionsKey: Any]?) -> Bool {

    // Override point for customization after application launch.



    UINavigationBar.appearance().barStyle = .blackOpaque

    return true

}

This code:

override var preferredStatusBarStyle: UIStatusBarStyle {

    return .lightContent

}

does not work for UIViewControllers contained in a UINavigationController, because the compiler looks for the statusBarStyle of the UINavigationController, not for the statusBarStyle of the ViewControllers contained by it.

Hope this helps those who haven't succeeded with the accepted answer!

If you want to change the status bar style any time after the view has appeared you can use this:

• 
  

  In file info.list add row: View controller-based status bar appearance and set it to YES

  
  
  

  var viewIsDark = Bool()
  
  
  
  func makeViewDark() {
  
  
  
      viewIsDark = true
  
      setNeedsStatusBarAppearanceUpdate()
  
  }
  
  
  
  func makeViewLight() {
  
  
  
      viewIsDark = false
  
      setNeedsStatusBarAppearanceUpdate()
  
  }
  
  
  
  override var preferredStatusBarStyle: UIStatusBarStyle {
  
  
  
      if viewIsDark {
  
          return .lightContent 
  
      } else {
  
          return .default 
  
      } 
  
  }
  
  

  
  

You can also do this in storyboard

1. Create a new entry in info.plist "View controller-based status bar appearance" set it to "YES".


2. Go to your storyboard and then select the navigation controller that you want to change. Click on the navigation bar from Storyboard document outline section (left panel on storyboard)


3. Go to the right panel and click the attributes section


4. Under the Navigation Bar section you will see style. Select the style you would like (default is for black and black is for white)

You will have to do this for each navigation controller you have. However, any views under that navigation controller will change all the view's status bars style/color to the one you just selected. I find this option better because you can see your results instantly and do not have to add extra lines of code in every view controller.

(Done with Xcode 8.3.3 in an all Swift project)

First step you need add a row with key: View controller-based status bar appearance and value NO to Info.plist file. After that, add 2 functions in your controller to specific only that controller will effect:

override func viewWillAppear(_ animated: Bool) {

       super.viewWillAppear(animated)

       UIApplication.shared.statusBarStyle = .lightContent

}



override func viewWillDisappear(_ animated: Bool) {

        super.viewWillDisappear(animated)

        UIApplication.shared.statusBarStyle = .default    

}

Swift 3

In Info.plist add a row called "View controller-based status bar appearance" and set its value to No.

class YourViewController: UIViewController {



    override func viewDidLoad() {

        super.viewDidLoad()



        UIApplication.shared.statusBarStyle = .lightContent //or .default

        setNeedsStatusBarAppearanceUpdate()



    }



}

Xcode 8.3.1, Swift 3.1

1. Create a new entry in info.plist "View controller-based status bar appearance" set it to "NO".




2. Open AppDelegate.swift and add these lines in "didFinishLaunchingWithOptions" method:

application.statusBarStyle = .lightContent

There seems to be a small issue about the status bar text colour when dealing with navigation bars.

If you want the .plist entry View controller-based status bar appearance set to YES, it sometimes won't work when you have a coloured nav bar.

For example:

override func viewWillAppear(_ animated: Bool) {

    let nav = self.navigationController?.navigationBar

    nav?.barTintColor = .red

    nav?.tintColor = .white

    nav?.titleTextAttributes = [NSAttributedStringKey.foregroundColor: UIColor.white]

    setNeedsStatusBarAppearanceUpdate()

}

and

override var preferredStatusBarStyle: UIStatusBarStyle {return .lightContent}

The code above won't work even if you have set the following in the AppDelegate:

UIApplication.shared.statusBarStyle = .lightContent

For those still struggling, apparently it somehow judges if the status bar needs to be light or dark by the styles in the nav bar. So, I managed to fix this by adding the following line in viewWillAppear:

nav?.barStyle = UIBarStyle.black

When the bar style is black, then it listens to your overridden variable. Hope this helps someone :)

Swift 4.0
Please use this code in "didFinishLaunchingWithOptions launchOptions:" Appdelegate class

UIApplication.shared.statusBarStyle = .lightContent

let statusBar: UIView = UIApplication.shared.value(forKey: "statusBar") as! UIView

if statusBar.responds(to: #selector(setter: UIView.backgroundColor)){

  statusBar.backgroundColor = UIColor.black

}

Here is Apple Guidelines/Instruction about status bar style change.

If you want to set status bar style, application level then set UIViewControllerBasedStatusBarAppearance to NO in your .plist file. And in your appdelegate > didFinishLaunchingWithOptions add following ine (programatically you can do it from app delegate).

Objective C

[UIApplication sharedApplication] setStatusBarStyle:UIStatusBarStyleLightContent animated:YES];

Swift

func application(_ application: UIApplication, didFinishLaunchingWithOptions launchOptions: [UIApplicationLaunchOptionsKey: Any]?) -> Bool {

    application.statusBarStyle = .lightContent

    return true

}

if you wan to set status bar style, at view controller level then follow these steps:

1. Set the UIViewControllerBasedStatusBarAppearance to YES in the .plist file, if you need to set status bar style at UIViewController level only.



2. In the viewDidLoad add function - setNeedsStatusBarAppearanceUpdate




3. override preferredStatusBarStyle in your view controller.

Objective C

- (void)viewDidLoad

{

    [super viewDidLoad];

    [self setNeedsStatusBarAppearanceUpdate];

}



- (UIStatusBarStyle)preferredStatusBarStyle

{

    return UIStatusBarStyleLightContent;

}

Swift

override func viewDidLoad() {

    super.viewDidLoad()

    self.setNeedsStatusBarAppearanceUpdate()

}



override var preferredStatusBarStyle: UIStatusBarStyle {

    return .lightContent

}

Set value of .plist according to status bar style setup level.

This worked for me

Set View controller-based status bar appearance into NO in plist then In UIViewController viewDidAppear just added the following line

UIApplication.shared.setStatusBarStyle(UIStatusBarStyle.lightContent, animated: true)

swift 3

if View controller-based status bar appearance = YES in Info.plist

then use this extension for all NavigationController

    extension UINavigationController

    {

        override open var preferredStatusBarStyle: UIStatusBarStyle {

        return .lightContent

         }

     }

if there is no UINavigationController and only have UIViewController then use Below code:

    extension UIViewController

    {

        override open var preferredStatusBarStyle: UIStatusBarStyle {

        return .lightContent

         }

     }

override var preferredStatusBarStyle: UIStatusBarStyle {

    return .lightContent

}

This worked for me :) I have Navigation Controller embedded in my view controllers with navigation bar hidden. I wanted to set status bar light on some of the viewsin app.

Swift 4+

for white statusbar text:

navigationController.navigationBar.barStyle = .blackTranslucent

For people looking to change status bar for all viewcontrollers on: iOS 11, Swfit 4 solution is pretty easy.

1) Info.plist add:

View controller-based status bar appearance -> NO

2) Left side of XCode slect project > Targets > Select your project > Under General > Deployment Info > Select Status Bar Style: Light

If you want to change status bar only for one viewcontroller, on viewDidLoad add:

override var preferredStatusBarStyle : UIStatusBarStyle {

    return .lightContent

}

iOS 11.2

func application(_ application: UIApplication, didFinishLaunchingWithOptions launchOptions: [UIApplicationLaunchOptionsKey: Any]?) -> Bool {

    // Override point for customization after application launch.



    UINavigationBar.appearance().barStyle = .black



    return true

}

You can using a bool property named "shouldStatusBarDark" to toggle you status bar color. And you also could update its value to change the status bar color when you scrolling.

 var shouldStatusBarDark = false {

     didSet {

         setNeedsStatusBarAppearanceUpdate()

     }

 }



 override var preferredStatusBarStyle: UIStatusBarStyle {

     return shouldStatusBarDark ? .default : .lightContent

 }



 func scrollViewDidScroll(_ scrollView: UIScrollView) {

     let offSetY = scrollView.contentOffset.y

     if offSetY > 50 {

         UIView.animate(withDuration: 0.4, animations: {

             self.navView.alpha = 1

             self.shouldStatusBarDark = true

         })

     } else {

         UIView.animate(withDuration: 0.4, animations: {

             self.navView.alpha = 0

             self.shouldStatusBarDark = false

         })

     }

 }

To add to the great asnwer by @Krunal https://stackoverflow.com/a/49552326/4697535

In case you are using a UINavigationController, the preferredStatusBarStyle will have no effect on the UIViewController.

Xcode 10 and Swift 4.

Set a custom UINavigationController

Example:

class LightNavigationController: UINavigationController {



   open override var preferredStatusBarStyle: UIStatusBarStyle {

       return .lightContent

   }

}

Use an extension for an app level solution:

extension UINavigationController {



  open override var preferredStatusBarStyle: UIStatusBarStyle {

      guard let index = tabBarController?.selectedIndex else { return .default }

      switch index {

      case 0, 1, 2: return .lightContent // set lightContent for tabs 0-2

      default: return .default // set dark for tab 3

      }

  }

}

I was getting:

Overriding var must be as accessible as its enclosing type

Which is fixed by adding public like:

override public var preferredStatusBarStyle: UIStatusBarStyle {

    get {

        return .lightContent

    }

}

On Swift3 iOS10.

For objective C just add this line in your application didFinishLaunch method

UIApplication.sharedApplication.statusBarStyle = UIStatusBarStyleLightContent;

using WebkitView

Swift 9.3 iOS 11.3

import UIKit

import WebKit



class ViewController: UIViewController, WKNavigationDelegate, WKUIDelegate {



    @IBOutlet weak var webView: WKWebView!

    var hideStatusBar = true



    override func loadView() {

        let webConfiguration = WKWebViewConfiguration()

        webView = WKWebView(frame: .zero, configuration: webConfiguration)

        webView.uiDelegate = self

        view = webView

    }



    override func viewDidLoad() {

        super.viewDidLoad()

        self.setNeedsStatusBarAppearanceUpdate()

        let myURL = URL(string: "https://www.apple.com/")

        let myRequest = URLRequest(url: myURL!)

        UIApplication.shared.statusBarView?.backgroundColor = UIColor.red



         webView.load(myRequest)



    }

}



extension UIApplication {



    var statusBarView: UIView? {

        return value(forKey: "statusBar") as? UIView

    }



}

Please Add the following line into your info.plist then only you can achieve it

"View controller-based status bar appearance = NO"

And add the following snippet into your code and see the output

        UIApplication.shared.statusBarStyle = .lightContent

        UIApplication.shared.statusBarStyle = .default

Most of these answers are the same thing re-hashed, but none of them actually address the launch screen for me when using a dark background.

I got around this with the following in my info.plist which produced a light styled status bar.

<key>UIStatusBarStyle</key>

<string>UIStatusBarStyleLightContent</string>

Swift 3

To set the same appearance of navigation Bar across your app, you can do this in AppDelegate.swift:

func application(_ application: UIApplication, didFinishLaunchingWithOptions launchOptions: [UIApplicationLaunchOptionsKey: Any]?) -> Bool {



        setupNavigationBarAppearence()

        return true

    }







private func setupNavigationBarAppearence(){

        let navigationBarAppearace = UINavigationBar.appearance()

        navigationBarAppearace.isTranslucent = false

        //nav bar color

        navigationBarAppearace.barTintColor = UIColor.primaryColor()

        //SETS navbar title string to white

        navigationBarAppearace.titleTextAttributes = [NSForegroundColorAttributeName: UIColor.white]

        //Makes the batery icon an any other icon of the device to white.

        navigationBarAppearace.barStyle = .black

    }