---
title: "How to perform action on Actionbar icon?"  
description: "How to perform action on Actionbar icon?"  
author: "Lillian Martin"  
published: 2014-11-15  
updated: 2014-11-15  
canonical: https://www.mindstick.com/forum/12592/how-to-perform-action-on-actionbar-icon  
category: "android"  
tags: ["android sdk"]  
reading_time: 1 minute  

---

# How to perform action on Actionbar icon?

Actionbar [icon](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/13090/icon-the-identity-of-your-brand) in [android](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/13046/10-reasons-why-i-prefer-android-vs-iphone-ios)

## Replies

### Reply by Tom Cruser

Add menu in res/menu/main_activity_actions.xml

```
<menu xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" >    <!-- Search, should appear as action button -->    <item android:id="@+id/action_search"          android:icon="@drawable/ic_action_search"          android:title="@string/action_search"          android:showAsAction="ifRoom" />    <!-- Settings, should always be in the overflow -->    <item android:id="@+id/action_settings"          android:title="@string/action_settings"          android:showAsAction="never" /></menu>
```

Use this override method

```
// This method will show menu in action bar@Overridepublic boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu) {    // Inflate the menu items for use in the action bar    MenuInflater inflater = getMenuInflater();    inflater.inflate(R.menu.main_activity_actions, menu);    return super.onCreateOptionsMenu(menu);}
```

And now again use below override method

```
@Overridepublic boolean onOptionsItemSelected(MenuItem item) {    // Handle presses on the action bar items    switch (item.getItemId()) {        case R.id.action_search:// your code here                   return true;        case R.id.action_settings:// your code here                   return true;        default:            return super.onOptionsItemSelected(item);    }}
```


---

Original Source: https://www.mindstick.com/forum/12592/how-to-perform-action-on-actionbar-icon

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