intrinsicContentSize

UIKit Mid-level Swift 5.0+ iOS 17+ Reviewed 31 Oct 2026 By Alok Singh

Fill the blank

Fill the blank so Auto Layout picks up the new size when the text changes.

final class TagView: UIView {
    private let label = UILabel()
    var text = "" {
        didSet {
            label.text = text
            ____
        }
    }
    override var intrinsicContentSize: CGSize {
        let size = label.intrinsicContentSize
        return CGSize(width: size.width + 16, height: size.height + 8)
    }
}

OptionsinvalidateIntrinsicContentSize()setNeedsDisplay()layoutIfNeeded()sizeToFit()

Hint 1 of 1

Auto Layout caches the intrinsic size.

Choose an answer, then open Show answer below to check it.

Show answer

Answer: A invalidateIntrinsicContentSize()

Correct. It tells Auto Layout to ask for the size again.

Why not the others?

B setNeedsDisplay(). That redraws content; it doesn't recompute layout size.
C layoutIfNeeded(). It runs layout now but with the cached old intrinsic size.
D sizeToFit(). It changes the frame directly, which Auto Layout overrides.

30-second answer

intrinsicContentSize is the natural size a view wants from its content, like a label's text size. Auto Layout uses it, together with hugging and compression priorities, so you don't need width and height constraints. In a custom view, override it and call invalidateIntrinsicContentSize() whenever the content changes.

Practise saying it · 30 s. No recording, just a timer

Explain intrinsicContentSize.

Say your answer out loud, then check which of these points you covered:

Natural size from content
Works with priorities
Invalidate on change

Deep dive

Return UIView.noIntrinsicMetric for an axis without a natural size.

Labels need preferredMaxLayoutWidth or constraints to wrap.

Self-sizing cells rely on intrinsic sizes of their subviews.

Don't compute it from the view's own frame, which causes loops.

Common mistakes

Forgetting to invalidate after content changes.
Adding explicit size constraints that fight the intrinsic size.

Senior take & follow-ups

Seniors connect intrinsic size, priorities and self-sizing.

Follow-up questions

Think of your answer first, then open the hint.

What is noIntrinsicMetric?
Show hint
No natural size on that axis.
How do self-sizing cells work?
Show hint
Estimated sizes plus constraints from content to the cell edges.

Suggest a fix if something here is wrong or out of date.