How to change color of individual tabs in android?

Question

I want to change the color of individual tabs in an ActionBar in Android. Is that possible? All the documentation I've found so far has shown that you can change the color of the ActionBar as a whole, but not individual tabs. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

Your Tab Host XML file

TabHost

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> 
<TabHost xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" 
    android:id="@android:id/tabhost" android:layout_width="fill_parent" 
    android:layout_height="fill_parent">

    <LinearLayout android:orientation="vertical" 
        android:layout_width="fill_parent" android:layout_height="fill_parent"> 

        <TabWidget android:id="@android:id/tabs" 
            android:layout_width="fill_parent" android:layout_height="wrap_content" /> 
        <FrameLayout android:id="@android:id/tabcontent" 
            android:layout_width="fill_parent" android:layout_height="fill_parent"> 
        </FrameLayout> 

    </LinearLayout> 

</TabHost> 

in Your Main Activity

@Override
public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
    setContentView(R.layout.main);

    mTabHost = (TabHost) findViewById(android.R.id.tabhost);

    setupTab(new TextView(this), "Tab 1");
    setupTab(new TextView(this), "Tab 2");
    setupTab(new TextView(this), "Tab 3");
}

private void setupTab(final View view, final String tag) {
    View tabview = createTabView(mTabHost.getContext(), tag);
    TabSpec setContent = mTabHost.newTabSpec(tag).setIndicator(tabview).setContent(new TabContentFactory() {
        public View createTabContent(String tag) {
            return view;
        }
    });
    mTabHost.addTab(setContent);
}

private static View createTabView(final Context context, final String text) {
    View view = LayoutInflater.from(context).inflate(R.layout.tabs_bg, null);
    TextView tv = (TextView) view.findViewById(R.id.tabsText);
    tv.setText(text);
    return view;
}

CustomTabsLayout tabs_bg.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:id="@+id/tabsLayout" android:layout_width="fill_parent"
    android:layout_height="fill_parent" android:background="@drawable/tab_bg_selector"
    android:padding="10dip" android:gravity="center" android:orientation="vertical">

    <TextView android:id="@+id/tabsText" android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content" android:text="Title"
        android:textSize="15dip" android:textColor="@drawable/tab_text_selector" />
</LinearLayout>

tab_text_selector.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<selector xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
    <item android:state_selected="true" android:color="@android:color/white" />
    <item android:state_focused="true" android:color="@android:color/white" />
    <item android:state_pressed="true" android:color="@android:color/white" />
    <item android:color="#f8f8f8" />
</selector>

tab_bg_selector

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<selector xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
        <!--  Active tab -->
    <item android:state_selected="true" android:state_focused="false"
        android:state_pressed="false" android:drawable="@drawable/tab_bg_selected" />
    <!--  Inactive tab -->
    <item android:state_selected="false" android:state_focused="false"
    android:state_pressed="false" android:drawable="@drawable/tab_bg_unselected" />
    <!--  Pressed tab -->
    <item android:state_pressed="true" android:drawable="@android:color/transparent" />
    <!--  Selected tab (using d-pad) -->
    <item android:state_focused="true" android:state_selected="true"
    android:state_pressed="false" android:drawable="@android:color/transparent" />
</selector>

tab_bg_selected.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<shape xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:shape="rectangle">
    <gradient android:startColor="#A8A8A8" android:centerColor="#7F7F7F"
        android:endColor="#696969" android:angle="-90" />
</shape>

tab_bg_unselected.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<shape xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:shape="rectangle">
    <gradient android:startColor="#5C5C5C" android:centerColor="#424242"
    android:endColor="#222222" android:angle="-90" />
</shape>

And Finally in your main activity class

mTabHost.getTabWidget().setDividerDrawable(R.drawable.tab_divider);

And finish :)

Answer 2

Try this

tabHost = getTabHost();

tabHost.getTabWidget().getChildAt(1).setBackgroundColor(Color.parseColor("#FF0001"));
tabHost.getTabWidget().getChildAt(2).setBackgroundColor(Color.parseColor("#FF0002"));
tabHost.getTabWidget().getChildAt(3).setBackgroundColor(Color.parseColor("#FF0003"));
.................................