How to show image in bar button item as is?

I did it that way:

declare an IBOutlet for the button (here the back button).

Then in viewDidLoad:

        let backButtonImage = UIImage(named: "My Image") 
        let backView = UIImageView(image: backButtonImage)
        backView.frame.size = CGSize(width: 100, height: 50)
        backButtonItem.customView = UIView(frame: CGRect(x:0, y:0, width: 100, height: 50))
        backButtonItem.customView?.addSubview(backView)

You would have to restore the action after this. You can add a tapGesture:

        let backButtonImage = UIImage(named: "My Image") 
        let backView = UIImageView(image: backButtonImage)
        let tapGesture = UITapGestureRecognizer(target: self, action: #selector(tapImage(_:)))
        backView.addGestureRecognizer(tapGesture)
        backView.isUserInteractionEnabled = true
        backView.frame.size = CGSize(width: 100, height: 50)
        backButtonItem.customView = UIView(frame: CGRect(x:0, y:0, width: 100, height: 50))
        backButtonItem.customView?.addSubview(backView)

with the action (here, there was an unwindSegue for the back button ; gave it an identifier to reuse programmatically):

    @objc func tapImage(_ recognizer: UITapGestureRecognizer) {
        print("Button Tapped")  // 15.1.2020 Should be a back button
        performSegue(withIdentifier: "unwindToStartViewController", sender: nil)
    }

After reading this, I realized there is a MUCH simpler solution.

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/31117069/changing-tab-bar-item-image-and-text-color-ios

- Select the bar button in IB

- Set the image (MyImage from xcAssets) in Bar item field (need to be the right size)

This you had done probably.

Now the key point:

- select MyImage in xcAssets

- Open attributes inspector, look at the top, in Image Set:

- change 'Render As' from 'Default' to 'Original Image'.

That's it.