Top app bar
The bar at the top of a screen with its title, a way back and a few actions. Material 3 calls it the top app bar; Apple calls it a navigation bar.
Why it matters
The title, the way back and a few actions at the top tell people where they are and how to leave.
Names cross here too: an iOS navigation bar is at the top and a Material navigation bar at the bottom.
Top app bar on iOS and Android
Also called Navigation bar (iOS), Toolbar. The same idea in each system, with the values Appetite UI gives it.
| Value | iOS | Android | Appetite UI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Navigation bar | Top app bar | Top Bar |
| Top bar height | 44 pt | 64 dp | platform/ |
| Component | iOS | Material 3 | What differs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Top bar | iOS / Toolbar on a 44 high top bar | M3 / Top app bar, Small 64 high, Medium 112, Large 152 | Material has four bar types: Small, Center-aligned, Medium and Large |
In Appetite UI
Where it appears in Appetite UI: Settings flow, Selection. The theme switch beside the title shows the dark frame.
In practice
The two names cross over: an iOS navigation bar is at the top, a Material navigation bar is at the bottom. Saying top app bar and tab bar avoids the mix up.
Appetite UI draws it as Top Bar, whose height reads platform/bar/top-height: 44 on iOS and 64 for the Material small bar.
Common mistakes
- Writing a custom Back label. Prefer the standard Back button.
- Crowding the bar with actions. Move the rest into a menu.
- Treating the iOS 44 and the Material 64 as one height.
Questions
How tall is the top bar on iOS and Android?
Appetite UI’s Platform collection gives the top bar 44 points on iOS and 64 dp on Android, Material’s small top app bar. Material 3 also has medium and large top app bars, 112 and 152 dp, which carry a bigger title.
What does Apple call the top app bar?
A navigation bar. It holds the title, the back button and a few actions; on iOS 26 and later its buttons sit on Liquid Glass over the content.
Sources
The pages the facts above rest on, each read October 31, 2026.