getActionBar() returns null

Question

Can use getSupportActionBar() instead of getActionBar() method.

If you are using the support library

import android.support.v7.app.ActionBarActivity;

public class MainActivity extends ActionBarActivity {

use getSupportActionBar() instead of getActionBar()

* Update:

The class ActionBarActivity now is deprecated:

import android.support.v7.app.ActionBarActivity;

I recommend to use:

import android.support.v7.app.AppCompatActivity

1. if you are using android.support.v7.app.AppCompatActivity

   public class HomeActivity extends AppCompatActivity {

Then you should be using android.support.v7.app.ActionBar

  ActionBar ab = getSupportActionBar();

2. If you are using android.support.v4.app.FragmentActivity

   public class HomeActivity extends FragmentActivity {

then you should be using android.app.ActionBar

    ActionBar ab = getActionBar();

3. If you are using android.support.v7.app.ActionBarActivity

   public class HomeActivity extends ActionBarActivity {

you should be using android.support.v7.app.ActionBar

   ActionBar ab = getSupportActionBar();

You have to define window type as actionbar before activity render its view.

use

requestWindowFeature(Window.FEATURE_ACTION_BAR);

before calling setContentView() method.

I faced the above issue where getActionBar() method returns null. I was calling the getActionBar() after setting the setContentView() and still its returning a null.

I resolved the issue by setting the min-sdk version in Android Manifest file that was missing initially. <uses-sdk android:minSdkVersion="11" />

ActionBar needs application or activity's Theme to have an app title. Make sure you have not styled your application or activity as Theme.NOTITLE.

<application
    android:name="com.xxx.yyy"
    android:debuggable="false"
    android:icon="@drawable/icon"
    android:label="@string/app_name"
    android:theme="@style/Theme.NoTitle"> // remove this line if you have this in your code


<activity
        android:name="com.xxx.yyy.Activity"
        android:configChanges="orientation|keyboardHidden|screenSize"
        android:theme="@style/Theme.NoTitle"  // remove this line if you have in your code
        android:windowSoftInputMode="adjustResize|stateHidden" >