How to Hide Status Bar in Flutter

Flutter is a popular open-source framework developed by Google, allowing developers to build natively compiled, multi-platform applications from a single codebase. With Flutter, you can create highly responsive, visually appealing apps for Android, iOS, web, and desktop platforms.

Table of Contents

One of the standout features of Flutter is its ability to provide detailed control over your app’s user interface (UI). This includes customizing system elements like the status bar, which can be hidden to enhance the visual experience or provide a more immersive design for your app.

Entities:

Flutter framework
Dart programming language
UI customization
Cross-platform development
Status bar management

Also Read :- How to Get AppBar Height in Flutter?

How to Hide Status Bar in Flutter

Hiding the status bar in Flutter is a common requirement for developers aiming to deliver a distraction-free, full-screen experience. This can be achieved through Flutter’s SystemChrome class, which provides APIs to interact with system UI components.

Step-by-Step Guide

Import Required Package Start by importing the services package, which is essential for managing system UI overlays.
```
import 'package:flutter/services.dart';
```
Update the Main Function Inside your app’s main() function, use the SystemChrome.setEnabledSystemUIMode() method to hide the status bar.
```
void main() {
  WidgetsFlutterBinding.ensureInitialized();
  SystemChrome.setEnabledSystemUIMode(SystemUiMode.manual, overlays: []);
  runApp(MyApp());
}
```
In this example, the overlays: [] parameter ensures that all system overlays, including the status bar, are hidden.

Full-Screen Mode with Scaffold Wrap your app in a Scaffold widget to ensure proper rendering of UI elements in full-screen mode.

class MyApp extends StatelessWidget {
  @override
  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
    return MaterialApp(
      home: Scaffold(
        body: Center(
          child: Text('Full-Screen Mode!'),
        ),
      ),
    );
  }
}

Handle Orientation (Optional) To ensure a seamless experience, lock the device orientation when hiding the status bar.
```
SystemChrome.setPreferredOrientations([
  DeviceOrientation.portraitUp,
  DeviceOrientation.portraitDown,
]);
```

Advantages of Hiding the Status Bar

1. Enhanced Immersion

Apps like games or media players benefit from full-screen modes by providing users with an uninterrupted experience.

2. Clean and Minimalistic Design

Removing the status bar can create a cleaner UI, especially for applications that require focused user engagement.

3. Custom Branding

You can use the extra space for custom widgets or branding elements.

Also Read :- How to Get Data from API in Flutter

Use Cases for Status Bar Management in Flutter

1. Gaming Applications

Games often use full-screen modes to provide users with an immersive gameplay experience.

2. Multimedia Players

Video and music streaming apps hide the status bar during playback for a better viewing experience.

3. Photo Viewers

Photo gallery apps can use full-screen layouts to display images without distractions.

4. Onboarding Screens

Full-screen onboarding designs can make a great first impression by focusing on visuals and content.

Also Read :- How to Get Text from TextField in Flutter

Code Examples for Different Scenarios

Temporarily Hiding the Status Bar

If you want to toggle the status bar visibility, use the following approach:

bool isStatusBarHidden = true;

void toggleStatusBar() {
  isStatusBarHidden = !isStatusBarHidden;
  SystemChrome.setEnabledSystemUIMode(
    isStatusBarHidden ? SystemUiMode.manual : SystemUiMode.edgeToEdge,
    overlays: isStatusBarHidden ? [] : SystemUiOverlay.values,
  );
}

Hiding Only on Specific Screens

To hide the status bar on specific screens, implement it inside the widget’s initState method:

@override
void initState() {
  super.initState();
  SystemChrome.setEnabledSystemUIMode(SystemUiMode.manual, overlays: []);
}

@override
void dispose() {
  SystemChrome.setEnabledSystemUIMode(SystemUiMode.edgeToEdge);
  super.dispose();
}

Common Errors and Troubleshooting Tips

1. Widgets Overlapping the Status Bar

If widgets overlap the hidden status bar, use SafeArea to ensure proper spacing.

SafeArea(
  child: Text('Hello, Flutter!'),
);

2. Status Bar Flickering on Navigation

Avoid flickering by consistently setting the UI mode in all screens.

3. Compatibility Issues

Ensure you’re using the latest Flutter and Dart versions to avoid deprecated APIs.

Also Read :- How to Hide Keyboard in Flutter

Comparison Table: Full-Screen Modes

Method	Description	Best For
SystemUiMode.manual	Fully customizable UI overlays	Immersive apps
SystemUiMode.edgeToEdge	Allows overlays in specific areas	Interactive UI with status bars
SystemChrome.setEnabledSystemUIMode	Hides or shows system bars	Simple, flexible implementations

Additional Tips for Managing System UI

Leverage Themes: Customize system bar colors and transparency through the AppBar widget.
Test Across Devices: Ensure your full-screen implementation works seamlessly across multiple screen sizes and OS versions.
Use Debugging Tools: Use Flutter’s flutter doctor command to identify potential issues with your setup.

Also Read :- How to Get Document ID in Firestore Flutter

FAQs About Hiding Status Bar in Flutter

1. What is the status bar in Flutter?

The status bar displays system information like time, battery, and notifications at the top of the screen.

2. Why hide the status bar in an app?

Hiding the status bar provides a distraction-free, immersive user experience.

3. How do I hide the status bar in Flutter?

Use SystemChrome.setEnabledSystemUIMode(SystemUiMode.manual, overlays: []) to hide it.

4. Can I hide only the status bar and not the navigation bar?

Yes, use overlays: [SystemUiOverlay.bottom] to hide only the status bar.

5. Does hiding the status bar affect app performance?

No, it has minimal impact on app performance.

6. How do I make the status bar transparent in Flutter?

Use AppBar with a transparent background color or modify the system overlay style.

7. Can I toggle the status bar visibility dynamically?

Yes, use a state variable to control the visibility dynamically.

8. Are there alternatives to hiding the status bar?

You can style or modify its appearance instead of completely hiding it.

9. Is hiding the status bar recommended for all apps?

No, only use it when a full-screen mode improves the user experience.

10. Does hiding the status bar work on both Android and iOS?

Yes, Flutter supports hiding the status bar on both platforms.

11. How do I handle safe area adjustments when the status bar is hidden?

Use the SafeArea widget to manage padding and layout.

12. Can I customize the content displayed on the status bar?

Yes, you can change text and icons using native platform integrations.

13. What happens to notifications when the status bar is hidden?

Notifications are still received but aren’t visible until the status bar is shown.

14. Can I animate the transition when hiding the status bar?

Yes, use Flutter’s animation controllers to create smooth transitions.

15. Does hiding the status bar affect app debugging?

No, it does not interfere with debugging processes.

16. How do I enable full-screen mode in Flutter?

Use SystemUiMode.manual with an empty overlays list.

17. Can I hide the status bar in specific orientations only?

Yes, control visibility based on orientation using SystemChrome.setPreferredOrientations.

18. How do I test status bar behavior during development?

Test on real devices and emulators for accurate results.

19. What are common challenges when hiding the status bar?

Issues include overlapping widgets, inconsistent UI, and orientation conflicts.

20. Are there plugins available for advanced status bar control?

Yes, plugins like flutter_statusbarcolor offer advanced customization options.

Author
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Nishant Sharma

Flutter Developer at Indeses Business Ventures Pvt. Ltd

Experienced Software Engineer with a demonstrated history of working in the information technology and services industry. Skilled in Mobile Application Development, Firebase, Postman API, Android Studio, and MySQL.

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