iOS 11 customise search bar in navigation bar

Question

I want to change the color of the text and icon in the iOS 11 searchbar when it is embedded in the navigation bar. So placeholder text, search text and search icon.

Answer 1

I just found out how to set also the rest of them: (with some help of Brandon, thanks!)

The "Cancel" text:

searchController.searchBar.tintColor = .white

The search icon:

searchController.searchBar.setImage(UIImage(named: "my_search_icon"), for: UISearchBarIcon.search, state: .normal)

The clear icon:

searchController.searchBar.setImage(UIImage(named: "my_search_icon"), for: UISearchBarIcon.clear, state: .normal)

The search text:

UITextField.appearance(whenContainedInInstancesOf: [UISearchBar.self]).defaultTextAttributes = [NSAttributedStringKey.foregroundColor.rawValue: UIColor.white]

Thanks for the help @Brandon!

The placeholder:

UITextField.appearance(whenContainedInInstancesOf: [UISearchBar.self]).attributedPlaceholder = NSAttributedString(string: "placeholder", attributes: [NSAttributedStringKey.foregroundColor: UIColor.white])

The white background:

let searchController = UISearchController(searchResultsController: nil)
searchController.delegate = self

let searchBar = searchController.searchBar
searchBar.tintColor = UIColor.white
searchBar.barTintColor = UIColor.white

if let textfield = searchBar.value(forKey: "searchField") as? UITextField {
    textfield.textColor = UIColor.blue
    if let backgroundview = textfield.subviews.first {

        // Background color
        backgroundview.backgroundColor = UIColor.white

        // Rounded corner
        backgroundview.layer.cornerRadius = 10;
        backgroundview.clipsToBounds = true;
    }
}

if let navigationbar = self.navigationController?.navigationBar {
    navigationbar.barTintColor = UIColor.blue
}

navigationItem.searchController = searchController
navigationItem.hidesSearchBarWhenScrolling = false

Taken from here.