UIButton *button = [[UIButton alloc] initWithFrame:CGRectMake(0,0,60,31)]; [button setBackgroundImage:[UIImage imageNamed:@"abc.png"] forState:UIControlStateNormal]; UIBarButtonItem *btn = [[UIBarButtonItem alloc] initWithCustomView:button]; self.navigationItem.rightBarButtonItem = btn; [button release]; [btn release];