Getting Started with .NET MAUI Navigation Drawer

13 Nov 202424 minutes to read

This section guides you through setting up and configuring a NavigationDrawer in your .NET MAUI application. Follow the steps below to add a basic Navigation Drawer to your project.

To quickly get started with the .NET MAUI Navigation Drawer, watch this video.

Prerequisites

Before proceeding, ensure the following are set up:

  1. Install .NET 8 SDK or later is installed.
  2. Set up a .NET MAUI environment with Visual Studio 2022 (v17.3 or later) or Visual Studio Code. For Visual Studio Code users, ensure that the .NET MAUI workload is installed and configured as described here..

Step 1: Create a New MAUI Project

Visual Studio

  1. Go to File > New > Project and choose the .NET MAUI App template.
  2. Name the project and choose a location. Then, click Next.
  3. Select the .NET framework version and click Create.

Visual Studio Code

  1. Open the command palette by pressing Ctrl+Shift+P and type .NET:New Project and enter.
  2. Choose the .NET MAUI App template.
  3. Select the project location, type the project name and press Enter.
  4. Then choose Create project.

Step 2: Install the Syncfusion MAUI NavigationDrawer NuGet Package

  1. In Solution Explorer, right-click the project and choose Manage NuGet Packages.
  2. Search for Syncfusion.Maui.NavigationDrawer and install the latest version.
  3. Ensure the necessary dependencies are installed correctly, and the project is restored.

Step 3: Register the handler

Syncfusion.Maui.Core NuGet is a dependent package for all Syncfusion controls of .NET MAUI. In the MauiProgram.cs file, register the handler for Syncfusion core.

  • C#
    • using Microsoft.Maui;
using Microsoft.Maui.Hosting;
using Microsoft.Maui.Controls.Compatibility;
using Microsoft.Maui.Controls.Hosting;
using Microsoft.Maui.Controls.Xaml;
using Syncfusion.Maui.Core.Hosting;

namespace NavigationDrawerGettingStarted
{
    public static class MauiProgram
    {
    public static MauiApp CreateMauiApp()
    {
        var builder = MauiApp.CreateBuilder();
        builder
        .UseMauiApp<App>()
        .ConfigureSyncfusionCore()
        .ConfigureFonts(fonts =>
        {
            fonts.AddFont("OpenSans-Regular.ttf", "OpenSansRegular");
        });

        return builder.Build();
        }      
    }
}

    Step 4: Add a Basic NavigationDrawer

    1. To initialize the control, import the NavigationDrawer namespace into your code.

    2. Initialize SfNavigationDrawer

    <ContentPage
    . . .    
    xmlns:navigationDrawer="clr-namespace:Syncfusion.Maui.NavigationDrawer;assembly=Syncfusion.Maui.NavigationDrawer">
    <navigationDrawer:SfNavigationDrawer x:Name="navigationDrawer">
    <navigationDrawer:SfNavigationDrawer.ContentView>
        <Grid/>
    </navigationDrawer:SfNavigationDrawer.ContentView>
    </navigationDrawer:SfNavigationDrawer>
</ContentPage>
    using Syncfusion.Maui.NavigationDrawer;
    namespace NavigationDrawerGettingStarted
    {
        public partial class MainPage : ContentPage
        {
            public MainPage()
            {
                InitializeComponent();           
                SfNavigationDrawer navigationDrawer = new SfNavigationDrawer();
                Grid grid = new Grid();
                navigationDrawer.ContentView = grid;
                this.Content = navigationDrawer; 
            }
        }   
    }

    NOTE

    It is mandatory to set ContentView for SfNavigationDrawer on initializing.

    Adjust Drawer Size

    The default position of the navigation pane is on the left, so change the drawer width to 250 by using the DrawerWidth property.

    <navigationdrawer:SfNavigationDrawer x:Name="navigationDrawer">
    <navigationdrawer:SfNavigationDrawer.DrawerSettings>
        <navigationdrawer:DrawerSettings DrawerWidth="250"/>
    </navigationdrawer:SfNavigationDrawer.DrawerSettings>
    <navigationdrawer:SfNavigationDrawer.ContentView>
        <Grid/>
    </navigationdrawer:SfNavigationDrawer.ContentView>
</navigationdrawer:SfNavigationDrawer>
    using Syncfusion.Maui.NavigationDrawer;

namespace NavigationDrawerGettingStarted;

public partial class NavigationDrawerPage : ContentPage
{
	public NavigationDrawerPage()
	{
		InitializeComponent();
        SfNavigationDrawer navigationDrawer = new SfNavigationDrawer();
        Grid grid = new Grid();
        navigationDrawer.ContentView = grid;
        navigationDrawer.DrawerSettings = new DrawerSettings()
        {
            DrawerWidth = 250,
        };
        this.Content = navigationDrawer;
    }
}

    NOTE

    To change the side of the navigation pane, utilize the Position property. Adjust the drawer height in the Top and Bottom positions using the DrawerHeight property.

    Add Hamburger Menu for Toggling Drawer

    Create an ImageButton and set the required image to the Source property. To ensure the image appears correctly, place the image in the Resources/Images directory. Subscribe Clicked event of the button and invoke the ToggleDrawer() method to toggle the drawer. Properly align the layout of ContentView to position the hamburger icon at the top left, as demonstrated in the following code.

    <navigationdrawer:SfNavigationDrawer x:Name="navigationDrawer">
    <navigationdrawer:SfNavigationDrawer.DrawerSettings>
        <navigationdrawer:DrawerSettings DrawerWidth="250"/>
    </navigationdrawer:SfNavigationDrawer.DrawerSettings>
    <navigationdrawer:SfNavigationDrawer.ContentView>
        <Grid x:Name="mainContentView" 
          BackgroundColor="White" RowDefinitions="Auto,*">
            <HorizontalStackLayout BackgroundColor="#6750A4" Spacing="10" Padding="5,0,0,0">
                <ImageButton x:Name="hamburgerButton"
                             HeightRequest="50"
                             WidthRequest="50"
                             HorizontalOptions="Start"
                             Source="hamburgericon.png"
                             BackgroundColor="#6750A4"
                             Clicked="hamburgerButton_Clicked"/>
                <Label x:Name="headerLabel" 
                   HeightRequest="50" 
                   HorizontalTextAlignment="Center" 
                   VerticalTextAlignment="Center" 
                   Text="Home" FontSize="16" 
                   TextColor="White" 
                   BackgroundColor="#6750A4"/>
            </HorizontalStackLayout>
            <Label Grid.Row="1" 
              x:Name="contentLabel" 
              VerticalOptions="Center" 
              HorizontalOptions="Center" 
              Text="Content View" 
              FontSize="14" 
              TextColor="Black"/>
        </Grid>
    </navigationdrawer:SfNavigationDrawer.ContentView>
</navigationdrawer:SfNavigationDrawer>
    namespace NavigationDrawerGettingStarted;

public partial class NavigationDrawerPage : ContentPage
{
    SfNavigationDrawer navigationDrawer;
    Label contentLabel;
	public NavigationDrawerPage()
	{
		InitializeComponent();
        navigationDrawer = new SfNavigationDrawer();
        Grid grid = new Grid()
        {
            RowDefinitions =
            {
                new RowDefinition {Height=new GridLength(1,GridUnitType.Auto)},
                new RowDefinition(),
            },
            BackgroundColor = Colors.White,
        };

        HorizontalStackLayout layout = new HorizontalStackLayout()
        { 
            BackgroundColor = Color.FromArgb("#6750A4"),
            Spacing = 10,
            Padding = new Thickness(5,0,0,0),
        };

        var hamburgerButton = new ImageButton
        {
            HeightRequest = 50,
            WidthRequest = 50,
            HorizontalOptions = LayoutOptions.Start,
            BackgroundColor = Color.FromArgb("#6750A4"),
            Source = "hamburgericon.png",
        };
        hamburgerButton.Clicked += hamburgerButton_Clicked;

        var label = new Label
        {
            HeightRequest = 50,
            HorizontalTextAlignment = TextAlignment.Center,
            VerticalTextAlignment = TextAlignment.Center,
            Text = "Home",
            FontSize = 16,
            TextColor = Colors.White,
            BackgroundColor = Color.FromArgb("#6750A4")
        };
        layout.Children.Add(hamburgerButton);
        layout.Children.Add(label);

        contentLabel = new Label
        {
            HorizontalOptions = LayoutOptions.Center,
            VerticalOptions = LayoutOptions.Center,
            Text = "Content View",
            FontSize = 14,
            TextColor = Colors.Black
        };
        grid.SetRow(layout, 0);
        grid.SetRow(contentLabel, 1);
        grid.Children.Add(layout);
        grid.Children.Add(contentLabel);
        navigationDrawer.ContentView = grid;

        navigationDrawer.DrawerSettings = new DrawerSettings()
        {
            DrawerWidth = 250,
        };
        this.Content = navigationDrawer;
    }
}
    private void hamburgerButton_Clicked(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {
        navigationDrawer.ToggleDrawer();
    }

    CustomView Image

    Set ListView as Drawer Content

    Create a ListView with items and set it as DrawerContentView.

    <navigationdrawer:SfNavigationDrawer x:Name="navigationDrawer">
    <navigationdrawer:SfNavigationDrawer.DrawerSettings>
        <navigationdrawer:DrawerSettings DrawerWidth="250"
                                     DrawerHeaderHeight="160">
            <navigationdrawer:DrawerSettings.DrawerHeaderView>
                <Grid BackgroundColor="#6750A4" RowDefinitions="120,40">
                    <Image Source="user.png"
                       HeightRequest="110"
                       Margin="0,10,0,0"
                       BackgroundColor="#6750A4"
                       VerticalOptions="Center"
                       HorizontalOptions="Center"/>
                    <Label Text="James Pollock"
                       Grid.Row="1"
                       HorizontalTextAlignment="Center"
                       HorizontalOptions="Center"
                       FontSize="20"
                       TextColor="White"/>
                </Grid>
            </navigationdrawer:DrawerSettings.DrawerHeaderView>
            <navigationdrawer:DrawerSettings.DrawerContentView>
                <ListView x:Name="listView"
                      ItemSelected="listView_ItemSelected">
                    <ListView.ItemTemplate>
                        <DataTemplate>
                            <ViewCell>
                                <VerticalStackLayout HeightRequest="40">
                                    <Label Margin="10,7,0,0"
                                       Text="{Binding}"
                                       FontSize="16"
                                       TextColor="Black"/>
                                </VerticalStackLayout>
                            </ViewCell>
                        </DataTemplate>
                    </ListView.ItemTemplate>
                </ListView>
            </navigationdrawer:DrawerSettings.DrawerContentView>
        </navigationdrawer:DrawerSettings>
    </navigationdrawer:SfNavigationDrawer.DrawerSettings>
    <navigationdrawer:SfNavigationDrawer.ContentView>
        <Grid x:Name="mainContentView" 
      BackgroundColor="White" RowDefinitions="Auto,*">
            <HorizontalStackLayout BackgroundColor="#6750A4" Spacing="10" Padding="5,0,0,0">
                <ImageButton x:Name="hamburgerButton"
                         HeightRequest="50"
                         WidthRequest="50"
                         HorizontalOptions="Start"
                         Source="hamburgericon.png"
                         BackgroundColor="#6750A4"
                         Clicked="hamburgerButton_Clicked"/>
                <Label x:Name="headerLabel" 
               HeightRequest="50" 
               HorizontalTextAlignment="Center" 
               VerticalTextAlignment="Center" 
               Text="Home" FontSize="16" 
               TextColor="White" 
               BackgroundColor="#6750A4"/>
            </HorizontalStackLayout>
            <Label Grid.Row="1" 
          x:Name="contentLabel" 
          VerticalOptions="Center" 
          HorizontalOptions="Center" 
          Text="Content View" 
          FontSize="14" 
          TextColor="Black"/>
        </Grid>
    </navigationdrawer:SfNavigationDrawer.ContentView>
</navigationdrawer:SfNavigationDrawer>
    namespace NavigationDrawerGettingStarted;

public partial class NavigationDrawerPage : ContentPage
{
    SfNavigationDrawer navigationDrawer;
	public NavigationDrawerPage()
	{
		InitializeComponent();
        Grid headerGrid = new Grid()
        {
            RowDefinitions =
            {
                new RowDefinition { Height = 120 },
                new RowDefinition { Height = 40 },
            },
            BackgroundColor = Color.FromArgb("#6750A4"),
        };

        var image = new Image
        {
            Source = "user.png",
            HeightRequest = 110,
            Margin = new Thickness(0, 10, 0, 0),
            BackgroundColor = Color.FromArgb("#6750A4"),
            HorizontalOptions = LayoutOptions.Center,
            VerticalOptions = LayoutOptions.Center
        };

        var headerlabel = new Label
        {
            Text = "James Pollock",
            HorizontalTextAlignment = TextAlignment.Center,
            HorizontalOptions = LayoutOptions.Center,
            FontSize = 20,
            TextColor = Colors.White
        };
        headerGrid.SetRow(image, 0);
        headerGrid.SetRow(headerlabel, 1);
        headerGrid.Children.Add(image);
        headerGrid.Children.Add(headerlabel);

        ListView listView = new ListView();
        listView.ItemSelected += listView_ItemSelected;
        List<string> list = new List<string>();
        list.Add("Home");
        list.Add("Profile");
        list.Add("Inbox");
        list.Add("Out box");
        list.Add("Sent");
        list.Add("Draft");
        listView.ItemsSource = list;

        navigationDrawer.DrawerSettings = new DrawerSettings()
        {
            DrawerHeaderView = headerGrid,
            DrawerContentView = listView,
            DrawerHeaderHeight = 160,
            DrawerWidth = 250,
        };
        this.Content = navigationDrawer;
    }
}
    private void hamburgerButton_Clicked(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {
        navigationDrawer.ToggleDrawer();
    }

    private void listView_ItemSelected(object sender, SelectedItemChangedEventArgs e)
    {
        if (e.SelectedItem.ToString() == "Home")
            contentLabel.Text = "Home";
        else if (e.SelectedItem.ToString() == "Profile")
            contentLabel.Text = "Profile";
        else if (e.SelectedItem.ToString() == "Inbox")
            contentLabel.Text = "Inbox";
        else if (e.SelectedItem.ToString() == "Out box")
            contentLabel.Text = "Out box";
        else if (e.SelectedItem.ToString() == "Sent")
            contentLabel.Text = "Sent";
        else if (e.SelectedItem.ToString() == "Draft")
            contentLabel.Text = "The folder is empty";
        navigationDrawer.ToggleDrawer();
    }

    OverView Image for NavigationDrawer

    You can find the getting started sample from the GitHub link.