Let’s be honest. If your app’s navigation looks like it just rolled off the default component factory line, I’ve got some news for you. It’s boring. It’s bland. And in 2026, it’s a cardinal sin. We’re going to talk about implementing custom tab navigation with React Native.
I know what you’re thinking. “But the default tabs work just fine.” Yeah, they “work.” So does a microwave from 1992. I wouldn’t recommend putting one of those in your brand new kitchen, though.
The tab bar is probably the most interacted-with element in your whole app. It’s basically the user experience. By making it stand out just a little bit more, you’ve gone from a nice-to-have to a must.
Why Should I Even Bother, Y’all?
Yeah, I know. You’re busy. You have tickets to close and bugs to squash. Why should you waste time on something that seems purely cosmetic? Let’s be honest – it’s not only about the way it looks.
Brand Identity is More Than a Logo
You spend ages picking the right fonts, the perfect color palette. Then you just slap a default iOS or Android tab bar at the bottom? It’s like wearing a tuxedo with dirty trainers. It just doesn’t work.
The User Experience Is Fair Dinkum Better
A custom tab bar can be more self-explanatory. Add some text, use icons that exactly suit your brand or maybe a cool animation. Users notice this stuff. According to Statista’s 2026 report, apps with a unique UI see 15% better retention Statista 2026 Digital Market Outlook). That is not a small number.
Default Components Have Their Limits
Have you ever attempted to place a special, larger center button for some “create” action in the default tab bar? Total nightmare. You eventually fight against the library instead of working with it. Going custom means you make the rules.
The 2026 Toolkit for Custom React Native Tabs
Okay, so you’re on board. Let’s quickly check out the tools we’re using before getting started. Things move fast and what we used back in ’24 is already considered ancient history.
The Foundation: React Navigation v7
React Navigation v7 should be the baseline for everyone by now. It was only declared stable toward the very end of 2025. Its tabBar prop is the key, as it lets you swap out the whole default component with your own.
The Animations: Reanimated v3.8
All motion runs on Reanimated. UI thread animations got even more improved in its version 3.8, so there is literally zero justification left for any janky transitions.
The Icons: React Native SVG
Icon fonts are okay. But for sharp, scalable icons that look good at any screen density, SVGs are better. No argument.
Let’s Get Our Hands Dirty: Building This Thing
That was the theory. Here comes the code. I’m not handing you a full copy-paste library, but I will walk you through the bones of how this gets put together.
Step 1: Laying Down the Basic Navigator
First, you need a standard bottom tab navigator. Forget about the custom part for now. Just set up a working navigator with a few screens. This should be muscle memory for most of you.
Here is why: You need a working skeleton before you can put a fancy suit on it. Make sure your screens load and the basic navigation state is managed correctly. If you’re completely new to this, you might need a team specializing in mobile app development delaware.
import { createBottomTabNavigator } from ‘@react-navigation/bottom-tabs’;
const Tab = createBottomTabNavigator();
function MyTabs() {
return (
<Tab.Navigator>
<Tab.Screen name=”Home” component={HomeScreen} />
<Tab.Screen name=”Settings” component={SettingsScreen} />
</Tab.Navigator>
);
}
Nothing fancy. Let’s keep going.
Step 2: The Custom Tab Bar Component
This is where the magic happens. Create a new file, CustomTabBar.js. This component gets props like state (with route info) and navigation from the navigator itself. Your component will map over the state.routes to create your custom buttons.
Step 3: Swapping Out the Default
Now you go back to your navigator and use that tabBar prop I was on about earlier. The official docs for React Navigation v7 show this perfectly.
// In MyTabs.js
import CustomTabBar from ‘./CustomTabBar’;
function MyTabs() {
return (
<Tab.Navigator tabBar={(props) => <CustomTabBar {…props} />}>
{/* …your screens here… */}
</Tab.Navigator>
);
}
And there it goes. The default bar is simply gone. Now you just have whatever you built in CustomTabBar.js showing up. It’ll probably look busted at this point, but it’s yours.
Step 4: Animating the Active State
Inside your CustomTabBar, you need to know which tab is active. The state.index prop gives you that. You can use this to change the active tab’s style. To animate it, use a useSharedValue from Reanimated to track an indicator’s position and useAnimatedStyle to move it smoothly. Much better than something just popping into view.
The Gotchas: What’s Going to Bite You
This isn’t all sunshine and roses. There are a few things that always trip people up. Let’s head them off at the pass.
Performance Can Go South, Fast
If your custom component re-renders every single time the navigation state changes, your app is going to feel sluggish.
The Fix: Memoize your custom tab bar with React.memo and be smart about what you pass as props. Don’t always pass a huge, complex object if you can help it. Keep things simple.
Don’t Forget Accessibility
It’s 2026, and if your app isn’t accessible, you’re doing it wrong. The W3C guidelines are clear on this W3C Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 3.0 Draft.
The Fix: Wrap your custom tab buttons with an AccessibilityRole=”button” and give them an accessibilityLabel. And make darn sure that focus states are visually apparent.
The Notch. Oh God, The Notch.
You will design the most beautiful tab bar on your emulator, run it on a real device, and find out the notch or the home bar is covering half of it. I’ve been there. I was gobsmacked.
The Fix: Use react-native-safe-area-context to handle the insets. Don’t try to hardcode padding values. You will lose. Use the useWindowDimensions hook to make layout choices Official React Native 2026 Docs.
So, Was It Worth It?
Absolutely. The State of JS 2025 survey showed that most of us are already doing this State of JS 2025 Survey Results. Building custom navigation isn’t just a party trick for senior developers anymore. It’s becoming the standard.
Yes, it requires more work than just leaving it at default. But the return on investment in brand identity, user happiness, and plain flexibility is huge. You get total control.
Here’s the big takeaway: stop thinking of navigation as a utility. Start thinking about it as being central to your app’s personality. By implementing custom tab navigation with React Native, you’re sending a message to your users that you care about details. They’ll notice.