SwiftUI Picker: Segmented, Menu, Wheel & Enum Bindings

How a Picker binds to a selection

A Picker connects a selection binding to a list of options. Each option must carry a .tag whose value type exactly matches the binding, or the picker will silently show no selection — this is the single most common Picker bug. When you use a ForEach over Identifiable data, the id often supplies the tag automatically, but for anything else, attach .tag explicitly. Keep the tag type consistent: mixing an Int selection with String tags breaks the match.

@State private var quantity = 1

Picker("Quantity", selection: $quantity) {
    ForEach(1...10, id: \.self) { n in
        Text("\(n)").tag(n)   // tag type Int matches $quantity
    }
}

Binding to a CaseIterable enum

The cleanest pickers bind to an enum. Make it String-backed, conform to CaseIterable and Identifiable, and you can iterate every case with ForEach while the compiler guarantees you handle only valid values. This pattern keeps your options and their display strings in one place and eliminates stringly-typed bugs. It also makes the selection trivially Codable for persistence in @AppStorage or a settings store.

enum Theme: String, CaseIterable, Identifiable {
    case system, light, dark
    var id: Self { self }
    var label: String { rawValue.capitalized }
}

@State private var theme: Theme = .system

Picker("Appearance", selection: $theme) {
    ForEach(Theme.allCases) { theme in
        Text(theme.label).tag(theme)
    }
}

Choosing a picker style

The style you pick shapes the whole interaction, so match it to the number of options and the context. Segmented works best for two to four mutually exclusive choices shown inline. Menu is ideal in forms where space is tight — it collapses to the current value and expands on tap. Wheel suits ranges like time or quantity where scrubbing feels natural. NavigationLink pushes a dedicated selection list, which shines when options are numerous or need subtitles.

• .segmented — 2 to 4 inline options, always visible
• .menu — compact pop-up, great inside Forms
• .wheel — spinning drum for ranges and dates
• .navigationLink — pushes a full selection screen for long lists
• .inline — expands all options directly in a List

Picker("Sort", selection: $sort) {
    ForEach(SortOrder.allCases) { Text($0.label).tag($0) }
}
.pickerStyle(.segmented)   // or .menu, .navigationLink

// .navigationLink requires being inside a NavigationStack

Multi-component wheel pickers

To build a picker with several spinning columns — think a custom duration picker of hours and minutes — place multiple Pickers side by side in an HStack, each with .pickerStyle(.wheel) and its own binding. SwiftUI does not offer a single multi-column Picker type, so composing wheels is the idiomatic approach. Give each wheel a frame and clip it if you need tight spacing, and label the columns for accessibility.

@State private var hours = 0
@State private var minutes = 0

HStack(spacing: 0) {
    Picker("Hours", selection: $hours) {
        ForEach(0..<24, id: \.self) { Text("\($0) h").tag($0) }
    }
    .pickerStyle(.wheel)

    Picker("Minutes", selection: $minutes) {
        ForEach(0..<60, id: \.self) { Text("\($0) m").tag($0) }
    }
    .pickerStyle(.wheel)
}
.frame(height: 160)

Pickers inside Forms and iOS 26 notes

Dropped into a Form or List, a Picker automatically adopts the compact .menu style with a trailing chevron, which is the expected look for settings screens. You rarely need to set the style explicitly there. On iOS 26, form rows and menu pickers pick up the Liquid Glass material along with the rest of the system, so a picker built with the standard styles updates its look for free — no code changes required beyond running on the new SDK.

Form {
    Section("Preferences") {
        Picker("Theme", selection: $theme) {
            ForEach(Theme.allCases) { Text($0.label).tag($0) }
        }
        // Renders as a compact menu row with a chevron
    }
}

Frequently Asked Questions