How to convert a UIView to an image

Question

I want to convert a UIView to an image and save it in my app. Can someone please tell me how to take screenshot of a view or convert it to an image and what is the best way to save it in an app (Not camera roll)? Here is the code for the view:

var overView   = UIView(frame: CGRectMake(0, 0, self.view.frame.width/1.3, self.view.frame.height/1.3))
overView.center = CGPointMake(CGRectGetMidX(self.view.bounds),
CGRectGetMidY(self.view.bounds)-self.view.frame.height/16);
overView.backgroundColor = UIColor.whiteColor()
self.view.addSubview(overView)
self.view.bringSubviewToFront(overView)

Answer 1

An extension on UIView should do the trick.

extension UIView {

    // Using a function since `var image` might conflict with an existing variable
    // (like on `UIImageView`)
    func asImage() -> UIImage {
        let renderer = UIGraphicsImageRenderer(bounds: bounds)
        return renderer.image { rendererContext in
            layer.render(in: rendererContext.cgContext)
        }
    }
}

Apple discourages using UIGraphicsBeginImageContext starting iOS 10 with the introduction of the P3 color gamut. UIGraphicsBeginImageContext is sRGB and 32-bit only. They introduced the new UIGraphicsImageRenderer API that is fully color managed, block-based, has subclasses for PDFs and images, and automatically manages the context lifetime. Check out WWDC16 session 205 for more details (image rendering begins around the 11:50 mark)

To be sure that it works on every device, use #available with a fallback to earlier versions of iOS:

extension UIView {

    // Using a function since `var image` might conflict with an existing variable
    // (like on `UIImageView`)
    func asImage() -> UIImage {
        if #available(iOS 10.0, *) {
            let renderer = UIGraphicsImageRenderer(bounds: bounds)
            return renderer.image { rendererContext in
                layer.render(in: rendererContext.cgContext)
            }
        } else {
            UIGraphicsBeginImageContext(self.frame.size)
            self.layer.render(in:UIGraphicsGetCurrentContext()!)
            let image = UIGraphicsGetImageFromCurrentImageContext()
            UIGraphicsEndImageContext()
            return UIImage(cgImage: image!.cgImage!)
        }
    }
}

Answer 2

    UIGraphicsBeginImageContext(self.view.bounds.size);        
    self.view.layer.renderInContext(UIGraphicsGetCurrentContext())
    var screenShot = UIGraphicsGetImageFromCurrentImageContext();
    UIGraphicsEndImageContext();

Answer 3

var snapshot = overView.snapshotViewAfterScreenUpdates(false)

or in objective-c

UIView* snapshot = [overView snapshotViewAfterScreenUpdates:NO];

Answer 4

Using UIGraphicsImageRenderer doesn't work when the view contains Scene Kit subviews, Metal or Sprite Kit ones. In these cases, use

let renderer = UIGraphicsImageRenderer(size: view.bounds.size)
let image = renderer.image { ctx in
    view.drawHierarchy(in: view.bounds, afterScreenUpdates: true)
}

Answer 5

Thanks @Bao Tuan Diep ! I want add a supplement.

When you use the code:

yourView.layer.render(in:UIGraphicsGetCurrentContext()!)

You must notice that:

 - If you had used `autoLayout` or `Masonry` in `yourView` (that you want to convert) .
 - If you did not add `yourView` to another view which means that `yourView` was not used as a subview but just an object.

Then, your must use :

[yourView setNeedsLayout];
[yourView layoutIfNeeded];

to update yourView before yourView.layer.render(in:UIGraphicsGetCurrentContext()!).

Otherwise you may get an image object that contains no elements

Answer 6

I use this for small images (because it does not work for big images):

extension UIView {
    public func drawHierarchyAsImage() -> UIImage {
        let renderer = UIGraphicsImageRenderer(size: self.bounds.size)
        let image = renderer.image { _ in
            self.drawHierarchy(in: self.bounds, afterScreenUpdates: true)
        }
        return image
    }
}

For high resolution images i use this:

extension UIView {
    public func renderAsImage(scale: CGFloat) -> UIImage {
        let format = UIGraphicsImageRendererFormat()
        format.scale = scale

        let renderer = UIGraphicsImageRenderer(bounds: bounds, format: format)
        return renderer.image { rendererContext in
            if let presentation = layer.presentation() {
                presentation.render(in: rendererContext.cgContext)
            }
        }
    }
}

In my view hierarchy i have rotated views and thats why i use the presentation layer as mentioned here: renderInContext does not capture rotated subviews

Answer 7

Initializer with the new UIGraphicsImageRenderer available since iOS 10:

extension UIImage{
    convenience init(view: UIView) {

    let renderer = UIGraphicsImageRenderer(size: self.bounds.size)
    let canvas = CGRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: bounds.size.width, height: bounds.size.height)
    let image = renderer.image { _ in
        self.drawHierarchy(in: canvas, afterScreenUpdates: false)
    }
    self.init(cgImage: (image?.cgImage)!)
  }
}

Answer 8

work fine with me !

Swift4

 extension UIView {

    func toImage() -> UIImage {
        UIGraphicsBeginImageContextWithOptions(self.bounds.size, self.isOpaque, 0.0)
        self.drawHierarchy(in: self.bounds, afterScreenUpdates: false)
        let snapshotImageFromMyView = UIGraphicsGetImageFromCurrentImageContext()
        UIGraphicsEndImageContext()
        return snapshotImageFromMyView!
    }

    }

Answer 9

Swift 4.2, iOS 10

extension UIView {

    // If Swift version is lower than 4.2, 
    // You should change the name. (ex. var renderedImage: UIImage?)

    var image: UIImage? {
        let renderer = UIGraphicsImageRenderer(bounds: bounds)
        return renderer.image { rendererContext in layer.render(in: rendererContext.cgContext) }
    }
}

Sample

let view = UIView(frame: CGRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: 100, height: 100))
view.backgroundColor = .blue

let view2 = UIView(frame: CGRect(x: 10, y: 10, width: 20, height: 20))
view2.backgroundColor = .red
view.addSubview(view2)

let imageView = UIImageView(image: view.image)

Answer 10

For example if I have a view of size: 50 50 at 100,100. I can use the following to take a screenshot:

    UIGraphicsBeginImageContextWithOptions(CGSizeMake(100, 100), false, 0);
    self.view.drawViewHierarchyInRect(CGRectMake(-50,-5-,view.bounds.size.width,view.bounds.size.height), afterScreenUpdates: true)
    var image:UIImage = UIGraphicsGetImageFromCurrentImageContext();

Answer 11

Implementation in Swift 3 :

Add the code below , out of class scope .

extension UIImage {
    convenience init(_ view: UIView) {
        UIGraphicsBeginImageContext(view.frame.size)
        view.layer.render(in: UIGraphicsGetCurrentContext()!)
        let image = UIGraphicsGetImageFromCurrentImageContext()
        UIGraphicsEndImageContext()
        self.init(cgImage: (image?.cgImage)!)
    }
}

Usage :

let image = UIImage( Your_View_Outlet )

Answer 12

I implemented @Naveed J.'s method like this, and it worked like a charm.

Here was his extentsion:

extension UIView {

    // Using a function since `var image` might conflict with an existing variable
    // (like on `UIImageView`)
    func asImage() -> UIImage {
        let renderer = UIGraphicsImageRenderer(bounds: bounds)
        return renderer.image { rendererContext in
            layer.render(in: rendererContext.cgContext)
        }
    }
}

Here is how I implemented it.

//create an image from yourView to display
//determine the frame of the view/imageimage
let screen = self.superview!.bounds
let width = screen.width / 4 //make image 1/4 width of screen
let height = width
let frame = CGRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: width, height: height)
let x = (screen.size.width - frame.size.width) * 0.5
let y = (screen.size.height - frame.size.height) * 0.5
let mainFrame = CGRect(x: x, y: y, width: frame.size.width, height: frame.size.height)

let yourView = YourView() //instantiate yourView
yourView.frame = mainFrame //give it the frame
yourView.setNeedsDisplay() //tell it to display (I am not 100% sure this is needed)

let characterViewImage = yourView.asImage()

Answer 13

Convert your UIView to image by drawViewHierarchyInRect:afterScreenUpdates: which is many times faster than renderInContext

Important note: do not call this function from viewDidLoad or viewWillAppear , make sure you are capturing a view after it is it displayed /loaded fully

Obj C

     UIGraphicsBeginImageContextWithOptions(myView.bounds.size, myView.opaque, 0.0f);
     [myView drawViewHierarchyInRect:myView.bounds afterScreenUpdates:NO];
     UIImage *snapshotImageFromMyView = UIGraphicsGetImageFromCurrentImageContext();
     UIGraphicsEndImageContext();

     myImageView.image =  snapshotImageFromMyView;

Save the edited image Photo album

     UIImageWriteToSavedPhotosAlbum(snapshotImageFromMyView, nil,nil, nil);

Swift 3/4

    UIGraphicsBeginImageContextWithOptions(myView.bounds.size, myView.isOpaque, 0.0)
    myView.drawHierarchy(in: myView.bounds, afterScreenUpdates: false)
    let snapshotImageFromMyView = UIGraphicsGetImageFromCurrentImageContext()
    UIGraphicsEndImageContext()
    print(snapshotImageFromMyView)
    myImageView.image = snapshotImageFromMyView

Super easy generalization with extension , iOS11 , swift3/4

extension UIImage{
    convenience init(view: UIView) {

    UIGraphicsBeginImageContextWithOptions(view.bounds.size, view.isOpaque, 0.0)
    view.drawHierarchy(in: view.bounds, afterScreenUpdates: false)
    let image = UIGraphicsGetImageFromCurrentImageContext()
    UIGraphicsEndImageContext()
    self.init(cgImage: (image?.cgImage)!)

  }
}


Use : 
 //myView is completly loaded/visible , calling this code after only after viewDidAppear is call
 imgVV.image = UIImage.init(view: myView)
 // Simple image object
 let img =  UIImage.init(view: myView)

Answer 14

For view contains blurred subview (e.g. UIVisualEffectView instance), only drawViewHierarchyInRect:afterScreenUpdates works.

@ViJay Avhad's answer is correct for this case.

Answer 15

please try below code.
-(UIImage *)getMainImageFromContext
{
UIGraphicsBeginImageContextWithOptions(viewBG.bounds.size, viewBG.opaque, 0.0);
[viewBG.layer renderInContext:UIGraphicsGetCurrentContext()];
UIImage * img = UIGraphicsGetImageFromCurrentImageContext();
UIGraphicsEndImageContext();
return img;
}

Answer 16

This works for me for Xcode 9/Swift 3.2/Swift 4 and Xcode 8/Swift 3

 if #available(iOS 10.0, *) {

     // for Xcode 9/Swift 3.2/Swift 4 -Paul Hudson's code
     let renderer = UIGraphicsImageRenderer(size: view!.bounds.size)
     let capturedImage = renderer.image { 
         (ctx) in
         view!.drawHierarchy(in: view!.bounds, afterScreenUpdates: true)
     }
     return capturedImage

 } else {

     // for Xcode 8/Swift 3
     UIGraphicsBeginImageContextWithOptions((view!.bounds.size), view!.isOpaque, 0.0)
     view!.drawHierarchy(in: view!.bounds, afterScreenUpdates: false)
     let capturedImage = UIGraphicsGetImageFromCurrentImageContext()
     UIGraphicsEndImageContext()
     return capturedImage!
 }

Here's how to use it inside a function:

fileprivate func captureUIImageFromUIView(_ view:UIView?) -> UIImage {

     guard (view != nil) else{

        // if the view is nil (it's happened to me) return an alternative image
        let errorImage = UIImage(named: "Error Image")
        return errorImage
     }

     // if the view is all good then convert the image inside the view to a uiimage
     if #available(iOS 10.0, *) {

         let renderer = UIGraphicsImageRenderer(size: view!.bounds.size)
         let capturedImage = renderer.image { 
             (ctx) in
             view!.drawHierarchy(in: view!.bounds, afterScreenUpdates: true)
         }
         return capturedImage

     } else {

         UIGraphicsBeginImageContextWithOptions((view!.bounds.size), view!.isOpaque, 0.0)
         view!.drawHierarchy(in: view!.bounds, afterScreenUpdates: false)
         let capturedImage = UIGraphicsGetImageFromCurrentImageContext()
         UIGraphicsEndImageContext()
         return capturedImage!
     }
}

Here's how to do something with the image returned from the function:

@IBOutlet weak fileprivate var myCustomView: UIView!
var myPic: UIImage?

let myImageView = UIImageView()

@IBAction fileprivate func saveImageButtonTapped(_ sender: UIButton) {

   myPic = captureUIImageFromUIView(myCustomView)

   // display the pic inside a UIImageView
   myImageView.image = myPic!
}

I got the Xcode 9/Swift 3.2/Swift 4 answer from Paul Hudson convert uiview to uiimage

I got the Xcode 8/Swift 3 from somewhere on SO a longgg time ago and I forgot where :(

Answer 17

Swift 4.2

import Foundation
import UIKit  

extension UIImage {

    convenience init(view: UIView) {

        UIGraphicsBeginImageContextWithOptions(view.bounds.size, view.isOpaque, 0.0)
        view.drawHierarchy(in: view.bounds, afterScreenUpdates: false)
        let image = UIGraphicsGetImageFromCurrentImageContext()
        UIGraphicsEndImageContext()
        self.init(cgImage: (image?.cgImage)!)

    } 
}

using:

let img = UIImage.init(view: self.holderView)

Answer 18

In my opinion, the approach with the initialiser isn't that great because it creates two images.

I prefer this:

extension UIView {
    var snapshot: UIImage? {
        UIGraphicsBeginImageContext(self.frame.size)
        guard let context = UIGraphicsGetCurrentContext() else {
            return nil
        }
        layer.render(in: context)
        let image = UIGraphicsGetImageFromCurrentImageContext()
        UIGraphicsEndImageContext()
        return image
    }
}

Answer 19

Resorting to an extension, as some have suggested, might be okay for the common case yet not ideal in every application, depending on how one is drawing the view, i.e. as layers, or trying to display a view to its subviews.

If one is creating an image of the subview hierarchy:

    let renderer = UIGraphicsImageRenderer(bounds: view.bounds)
    let image = renderer.image { ctx in
        self.drawHierarchy(in: self.bounds, afterScreenUpdates: 

However, if your view consists of sublayers, for example CALayer, including CAShapeLayer comprised of UIBezierCurve... Something more like this may be in order:

    let renderer = UIGraphicsImageRenderer(bounds: view.bounds)
    let image = renderer.image { rendererContext in
        for sublayer in self.layer.sublayers!.reversed() {
            sublayer.render(in: rendererContext.cgContext)
        }
    }

And of course one might want to display a view with subviews which are layered. And since UIView.drawHierarchy() doesn't include sublayers... well, it could get more complicated

Answer 20

you can use extension

extension UIImage {
    convenience init(view: UIView) {
        UIGraphicsBeginImageContext(view.frame.size)
        view.layer.render(in:UIGraphicsGetCurrentContext()!)
        let image = UIGraphicsGetImageFromCurrentImageContext()
        UIGraphicsEndImageContext()
        self.init(cgImage: image!.cgImage!)
    }
}

Answer 21

Best practice as of iOS 10 and Swift 3

while still supporting iOS 9 and earlier still works as of iOS 13, Xcode 11.1, Swift 5.1

extension UIView {

    func asImage() -> UIImage? {
        if #available(iOS 10.0, *) {
            let renderer = UIGraphicsImageRenderer(bounds: bounds)
            return renderer.image { rendererContext in
                layer.render(in: rendererContext.cgContext)
            }
        } else {
            UIGraphicsBeginImageContextWithOptions(self.bounds.size, self.isOpaque, 0.0)
            defer { UIGraphicsEndImageContext() }
            guard let currentContext = UIGraphicsGetCurrentContext() else {
                return nil
            }
            self.layer.render(in: currentContext)
            return UIGraphicsGetImageFromCurrentImageContext()
        }
    }
}

I am unsure what the question means by:

what is the best way to save it in an app (Not camera roll)?

Answer 22

or iOS 10+ you can use the new UIGraphicsImageRenderer + the recommended drawHierarchy, which in some situations can be much faster than layer.renderInContext

extension UIView {
    func asImage() -> UIImage {
        let renderer = UIGraphicsImageRenderer(size: self.bounds.size)
        return renderer.image { _ in
            self.drawHierarchy(in: CGRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: bounds.size.width, height: bounds.size.height), afterScreenUpdates: false)
        }
    }
}

Answer 23

You can use it easily by using the extension like this

// Take a snapshot from a view (just one view)
let viewSnapshot = myView.snapshot

// Take a screenshot (with every views in screen)
let screenSnapshot = UIApplication.shared.snapshot

// Take a snapshot from UIImage initialization
UIImage(view: self.view)

If you wanna use those extension method/variables, implement this

1. UIImage extension

   extension UIImage {
       convenience init(view: UIView) {
           if let cgImage = view.snapshot?.cgImage {
               self.init(cgImage: cgImage)
           } else {
               self.init()
           }
       }
   }
   

2. UIView extension

   extension UIView {
   
       var snapshot: UIImage? {
           UIGraphicsBeginImageContextWithOptions(bounds.size, isOpaque, 0.0)
           if UIGraphicsGetCurrentContext() != nil {
               drawHierarchy(in: bounds, afterScreenUpdates: true)
               let screenshot = UIGraphicsGetImageFromCurrentImageContext()
               UIGraphicsEndImageContext()
               return screenshot
           }
           return nil
       }
   }
   

3. UIApplication extension

   extension UIApplication {
   
       var snapshot: UIImage? {
           return keyWindow?.rootViewController?.view.snapshot
       }
   }
   

Answer 24

On iOS 10:

extension UIImage {
    convenience init(view: UIView) {
        UIGraphicsBeginImageContext(view.frame.size)
        view.layer.render(in: UIGraphicsGetCurrentContext()!)
        let image = UIGraphicsGetImageFromCurrentImageContext()
        UIGraphicsEndImageContext()
        self.init(cgImage: (image?.cgImage)!)
    }
}