---
title: "numberOfItems(in:)"
framework: appkit
role: symbol
role_heading: Instance Method
path: "appkit/nsmenudelegate/numberofitems(in:)"
---

# numberOfItems(in:)

Invoked when a menu is about to be displayed at the start of a tracking session so the delegate can specify the number of items in the menu.

## Declaration

```swift
@MainActor optional func numberOfItems(in menu: NSMenu) -> Int
```

## Parameters

- `menu`: The menu object about to be displayed.

## Return Value

Return Value The number of menu items in the menu.

## Discussion

Discussion If you return a positive value, the menu is resized by either removing or adding items. Newly created items are blank. After the menu is resized, your menu(_:update:at:shouldCancel:) method is called for each item. If you return a negative value, the number of items is left unchanged and menu(_:update:at:shouldCancel:) is not called. If you can populate the menu quickly, you can implement menuNeedsUpdate(_:) instead of numberOfItems(in:) and menu(_:update:at:shouldCancel:).

## See Also

### Handling Tracking

- [menuNeedsUpdate(_:)](appkit/nsmenudelegate/menuneedsupdate(_:).md)