Collapsing NavigationStack When NavigationSplitView is Backgrounded on iPadOS 17.x

Before backgrounding the app:

After backgrounding the app:

hi @p98 ,

I downloaded your project and ran it on iPad simulators on both iOS 17.5 and iOS 18. I was unable to reproduce the issue on iOS 17.5 though, is there a specific device that you've seen this happen with more often? Or even a lower iOS version?

One other thing to note, NavigationSplitView will automatically collapse for you when the body is compact. Your use case might be different, but in this simplified project, if you remove the variables to check whether the size class is compact and just run bodyRegular no matter what, you'll se that it'll collapse into the NavigationStack for you when you turn the iPad.

Thank you for the quick reply.

I'm still seeing the buggy behavior on my side. Here are the steps I'm taking:

1. Open sample project in Xcode 15.4.
2. Run on simulator for iPad Pro 11-inch (M4) with iOS 17.5.
3. Use sidebar to select color.
4. Use detail view to select shape.
5. Make note of detail view title ("Color + Shape") and presence of "< Shapes" back button in top left of detail view.
6. Put app into background (e.g., press ⇧⌘H, or use the simulator's Home button).
7. Wait 2–5 seconds.
8. Bring app back into foreground.
9. Note that app detail view's title has changed ("Shapes") and back button is missing.

Let me know if those steps work for you.

I appreciate your advice regarding NavigationSplitView and its (very helpful) automatic adaptation for compact screens. That was actually my first choice. I ran into trouble, however, when trying to add .searchable() with its own NavigationStack to the root-level sidebar section of NavigationSplitView. It seems that NavigationStack isn't something that SwiftUI wants in that part of the NavigationSplitView. Thus, the less-optimal workaround with dynamic rendering based on @Environment(\.horizontalSizeClass).

Hey @p98 ,

Sorry for the delay, would you mind mentioning me with the "@" sign, it makes it easier for me to see when there's a response :)

Ah I see what the issue is now. This is a known issue with the toolbar item disappearing in the content view of a NavigationSplitView in 11inch iPads. Please file a bug report at https://feedbackassistant.apple.com and post the FB number here. You'll be able to follow the status of it if you do this.

Also, you mentioned

when trying to add .searchable() with its own NavigationStack to the root-level sidebar section of NavigationSplitView. It seems that NavigationStack isn't something that SwiftUI wants in that part of the NavigationSplitView.

Although you shouldn't add NavigationStack, you can definitely add the .searchable modifier here. Just add it to the bottom of your NavigationSplitView and you can control the placement yourself to be in the sidebar, as shown here. https://developer.apple.com/documentation/swiftui/adding-a-search-interface-to-your-app#Control-the-placement-programmatically

Thanks for confirming the known issue, @Vision Pro Engineer. I have opened FB14493265.

I appreciate the recommendations on .searchable. You're right, SwiftUI's flexibility on search-field placement is helpful. The trouble is, my search results require nested/hierarchical navigation. Thus, the theoretical need for NavigationStack (paired with NavigationPath) at some level inside or above .searchable, which seems to be quietly forbidden by NavigationSplitView in its parent sidebar view.