Is it possible to add a custom share action to my app which is visible in another app as well?

Question

Apps like ILovePDF, Google Chrome, and others have this feature in the 3rd row of the iOS share sheet where you can add a custom action like "Open in Chrome" and "Edit with Ilovepdf". Can anyone help me out on how to achieve this functionality?

Custom actions in iOS ShareSheet - screenshot

All the resources I've got on the internet show only the implementation of custom actions in my app's share sheet, but not in another app's.

All the articles I referred to regarding integrating custom actions, talk about integrating them within the share sheet of the app you're building and not how to show those actions in other apps' share sheet as well

Answer 1

I guess what you are looking for is an Action extension.

See this Apple guide for details: https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/General/Conceptual/ExtensibilityPG/Action.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40014214-CH13-SW1

Answer 2

Yes, you add the Share Extension to your targets and build your custom Share View.

1. Add the Share Extension to your app's project by going to your app's project page and clicking on the plus icon or, File > New > Target and look for Share Extension

2. Build a Custom View even using SwiftUI in your newly created extension. I'm going to provide a template View here as an example:

    import UIKit
    import Social
    import SwiftUI

    class ShareViewController: UIViewController {
  
        override func viewDidLoad() {
            super.viewDidLoad()
            //view.backgroundColor = .red
        
            /// Interactive Dismiss Disabled
            isModalInPresentation = true
        
            if let extensionContext = extensionContext,
               let itemProvider = (extensionContext.inputItems.first as? NSExtensionItem)?.attachments {
                let hostingView = UIHostingController(rootView: ShareViewTemplate(itemProvider: itemProvider,
                                                                    extensionContext: extensionContext))
                hostingView.view.frame = view.frame
                view.addSubview(hostingView.view)
            }
        
        
        }

    }

    fileprivate struct ShareViewTemplate: View {
    
    //MARK: - Properties
        var itemProvider: [NSItemProvider]
        var extensionContext: NSExtensionContext?
    
        var body: some View {
            VStack {
                Text("Your Custom View using SwiftUI")
            }
            .frame(maxWidth: .infinity, maxHeight: .infinity, alignment: .center)
            .overlay(alignment: .topLeading) {
                Button("", systemImage: "xmark") {
                    dismiss()
                }
                .padding()
            }
        
        }
    
        private func dismiss() {
            extensionContext?.completeRequest(returningItems: [])
        }
    }

3. When you run the app you will be asked on what application you want the share extension to be run. Say I chose the Gallery:

4. Then in your chosen app, for example, the Photos app, when using the share option you will see your custom app too:

5. When clicking on it you will be presented with your custom SwiftUI View:

I hope to have answered your question! Let me know!