---
modificationDate: January 15, 2026
title: Symbols
description: A library that allows access to native symbols.
sourceCodeUrl: 'https://github.com/expo/expo/tree/sdk-53/packages/expo-symbols'
packageName: 'expo-symbols'
iconUrl: '/static/images/packages/expo-symbols.png'
platforms: ['ios', 'tvos', 'expo-go']
---

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# Expo Symbols

A library that allows access to native symbols.
iOS, tvOS, Included in Expo Go

> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](/llms.txt). Use this file to discover all available pages.

> This library is currently in beta and subject to breaking changes.

`expo-symbols` provides access to the [SF Symbols](https://developer.apple.com/sf-symbols/) library on iOS.

## Installation

```sh
npx expo install expo-symbols
```

If you are installing this in an [existing React Native app](/bare/overview), make sure to [install `expo`](/bare/installing-expo-modules) in your project.

## Usage

```jsx
import { SymbolView, SymbolViewProps, SFSymbol } from 'expo-symbols';
import { StyleSheet, View } from 'react-native';

export default function App() {
  return (
    <View style={styles.container}>
      <SymbolView name="airpods.chargingcase" style={styles.symbol} type="hierarchical" />
    </View>
  );
}

const styles = StyleSheet.create({
  container: {
    flex: 1,
    backgroundColor: '#fff',
    alignItems: 'center',
    justifyContent: 'center',
  },
  symbol: {
    width: 35,
    height: 35,
    margin: 5,
  },
});
```

## API

```js
import { SymbolView } from 'expo-symbols';
```

## Component

### `SymbolView`

Supported platforms: iOS, tvOS.

Type: React.[Element](https://www.typescriptlang.org/docs/handbook/jsx.html#function-component)<[SymbolViewProps](#symbolviewprops)\>

SymbolViewProps

### `animationSpec`

Supported platforms: iOS, tvOS.

Optional • Type: [AnimationSpec](#animationspec)

The animation configuration to apply to the symbol.

### `colors`

Supported platforms: iOS, tvOS.

Optional • Literal type: `union`

An array of colors to use when the [`SymbolType`](#symboltype) is `palette`.

Acceptable values are: [ColorValue](https://reactnative.dev/docs/colors) | [ColorValue[]](https://reactnative.dev/docs/colors)

### `fallback`

Supported platforms: iOS, tvOS.

Optional • Type: `React.ReactNode`

Fallback to render on Android and Web where `SF Symbols` are not available.

### `name`

Supported platforms: iOS, tvOS.

Type: [SFSymbol](https://github.com/nandorojo/sf-symbols-typescript)

The name of the symbol. Symbols can be viewed in the [Apple SF Symbols app](https://developer.apple.com/sf-symbols/).

### `resizeMode`

Supported platforms: iOS, tvOS.

Optional • Type: [ContentMode](#contentmode) • Default: `'scaleToAspectFit'`

Determines how the image should be resized to fit its container.

### `scale`

Supported platforms: iOS, tvOS.

Optional • Type: [SymbolScale](#symbolscale) • Default: `'unspecified'`

The scale of the symbol to render.

### `size`

Supported platforms: iOS, tvOS.

Optional • Type: `number` • Default: `24`

The size of the symbol.

### `tintColor`

Supported platforms: iOS, tvOS.

Optional • Type: [ColorValue](https://reactnative.dev/docs/colors)

The tint color to apply to the symbol.

### `type`

Supported platforms: iOS, tvOS.

Optional • Type: [SymbolType](#symboltype) • Default: `'monochrome'`

Determines the symbol variant to use.

### `weight`

Supported platforms: iOS, tvOS.

Optional • Type: [SymbolWeight](#symbolweight) • Default: `'unspecified'`

The weight of the symbol to render.

#### Inherited Props

-   [ViewProps](https://reactnative.dev/docs/view#props)

## Types

### `AnimationEffect`

Supported platforms: iOS, tvOS.

| Property | Type | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| direction(optional) | `'up' | 'down'` | The direction of the animation. |
| type | [AnimationType](#animationtype) | The type of animation to apply to the symbol. |
| wholeSymbol(optional) | `boolean` | Whether the entire symbol should animate or just the individual layers. Default: `false` |

### `AnimationSpec`

Supported platforms: iOS, tvOS.

The animation configuration to apply to the symbol.

| Property | Type | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| effect(optional) | [AnimationEffect](#animationeffect) | The effect to apply to the symbol. |
| repeatCount(optional) | `number` | The number of times the animation should repeat. |
| repeating(optional) | `boolean` | If the animation should repeat. |
| speed(optional) | `number` | The duration of the animation in seconds. |
| variableAnimationSpec(optional) | [VariableAnimationSpec](#variableanimationspec) | An object that specifies how the symbol’s layers should animate. |

### `AnimationType`

Supported platforms: iOS, tvOS.

Literal Type: `string`

The type of animation to apply to the symbol.

Acceptable values are: `'bounce'` | `'pulse'` | `'scale'`

### `ContentMode`

Supported platforms: iOS, tvOS.

Literal Type: `string`

Determines how the image should be resized to fit its container.

Acceptable values are: `'scaleToFill'` | `'scaleAspectFit'` | `'scaleAspectFill'` | `'redraw'` | `'center'` | `'top'` | `'bottom'` | `'left'` | `'right'` | `'topLeft'` | `'topRight'` | `'bottomLeft'` | `'bottomRight'`

### `SymbolScale`

Supported platforms: iOS, tvOS.

Literal Type: `string`

The scale of the symbol to render.

Acceptable values are: `'default'` | `'unspecified'` | `'small'` | `'medium'` | `'large'`

### `SymbolType`

Supported platforms: iOS, tvOS.

Literal Type: `string`

Determines the symbol variant to use.

-   `'monochrome'` - Creates a color configuration that specifies that the symbol image uses its monochrome variant.
    
-   `'hierarchical'` - Creates a color configuration with a color scheme that originates from one color.
    
-   `'palette'` - Creates a color configuration with a color scheme from a palette of multiple colors.
    
-   `'multicolor'` - Creates a color configuration that specifies that the symbol image uses its multicolor variant, if one exists.
    

Acceptable values are: `'monochrome'` | `'hierarchical'` | `'palette'` | `'multicolor'`

### `SymbolWeight`

Supported platforms: iOS, tvOS.

Literal Type: `string`

The weight of the symbol to render.

Acceptable values are: `'unspecified'` | `'ultraLight'` | `'thin'` | `'light'` | `'regular'` | `'medium'` | `'semibold'` | `'bold'` | `'heavy'` | `'black'`

### `VariableAnimationSpec`

Supported platforms: iOS, tvOS.

A variable color animation draws attention to a symbol by changing the opacity of the symbol’s layers. You can choose to apply the effect to layers either cumulatively or iteratively. For cumulative animations, each layer’s opacity remains changed until the end of the animation cycle. For iterative animations, each layer’s opacity changes briefly before returning to its original state. These effects are compounding, each value set to `true` will add an additional effect.

| Property | Type | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| cumulative(optional) | `boolean` | This effect enables each successive variable layer, and the layer remains enabled until the end of the animation cycle. This effect cancels the iterative variant. |
| dimInactiveLayers(optional) | `boolean` | An effect that dims inactive layers of a symbol. This effect draws inactive layers with reduced, but nonzero, opacity. |
| hideInactiveLayers(optional) | `boolean` | An effect that hides inactive layers of a symbol. This effect hides inactive layers completely, rather than drawing them with reduced, but nonzero, opacity. |
| iterative(optional) | `boolean` | An effect that momentarily enables each layer of a symbol in sequence. |
| nonReversing(optional) | `boolean` | An effect that doesn’t reverse each time it repeats. |
| reversing(optional) | `boolean` | An effect that reverses each time it repeats. |