---
title: Displaying a Settings window
framework: uikit
role: article
role_heading: Article
path: uikit/displaying-a-settings-window
---

# Displaying a Settings window

Provide a Settings window in your Mac app built with Mac Catalyst so users can manage app settings defined in a Settings bundle.

## Overview

Overview Mac apps typically display app-specific settings using a Settings window accessible through the standard Settings menu item under the app menu in the menu bar. Mac apps built with Mac Catalyst that include a Settings.bundle file automatically get the Settings menu item and a Settings window. When a user selects the Settings menu item, the system displays a Mac-friendly Settings window based on the options provided in your Settings bundle. To learn about Settings bundles, see Building a Settings bundle for your app. Add a Settings window to your app To include a Settings window in your Mac app, start by adding a Settings.bundle file to your Xcode project: Open your app project in Xcode and choose File > New > Target. From the Resource group, select Settings Bundle, and then click Next. Enter the name of your settings bundle. Click Create.

Add toolbar tabs to the Settings window A Settings bundle can include one or more child panes that allow you to organize your settings hierarchically (see Building a Settings bundle for your app). In iOS, the Settings app displays a child pane as a settings row. When the user taps the row, the app displays a new view showing the settings defined in the child pane’s property list file. In macOS, the Settings window displays a child pane as a tab on the window’s toolbar. When the user clicks the tab, they see the settings provided in the child pane’s property list file. The tab for a child pane displays the pane’s title and a system-provided icon. To customize the icon, add the following key to the child pane’s property list file: You must include the image file in the Settings bundle that contains the child pane’s property list file. Confirm changes made with a toggle switch Another element of the Settings bundle is the toggle switch element, which displays an ON/OFF switch that the user can toggle. Your Mac app can prompt the user for a confirmation when they toggle the switch by including the following keys in the toggle switch element: Each dictionary contains the following keys that define the contents of the prompt: For more information, see Building a Settings bundle for your app. Display subtitles for toggle switches Some iOS apps show descriptive text in a subtitle below a toggle switch using a group item with footer text. While the Settings window supports this approach, the appearance on a Mac isn’t ideal. Instead, include the following key in the toggle switch element to show a subtitle:

## See Also

### User preferences

- [Detecting changes in the preferences window](uikit/detecting-changes-in-the-preferences-window.md)