Use image as a button in kivy (original) (raw)

Last Updated : 12 Jul, 2025

Kivy is a platform independent GUI tool in Python. As it can be run on Android, IOS, linux and Windows etc. It is basically used to develop the Android application, but it does not mean that it can not be used on Desktops applications. As we have discussed earlier that how to work with images and now in this we will gonna be learn how to use the images and create a button with them. In this article we will learn how can we use the image as button and how to add functionality and styling on that image.

To learn about it you must be aware about some properties, that are - background_down : 1) Background image of the button used for the default graphical representation when the button is pressed. 2) background_down is a StringProperty . background_normal : 1) Background image of the button used for the default graphical representation when the button is not pressed. 2) background_normal is also a StringProperty . background_disabled_normal : 1) Background image of the button used for the default graphical representation when the button is disabled and not pressed. 2) background_disabled_normal is also a StringProperty . Notes : 1) Now its only sufficient to understand that string property means they only take values in string that means like background_down: "normal.png" like this. 2) On click on the image it looks same like a simple button (as we uses it in a button).

Image used in this article are: normal.png: down.png:

Basic Approach :

-> import kivy -> import kivy App -> import button -> set minimum version(optional) -> Extend the class :
-> create an image a button -> Do styling -> Arrange call back if needed -> Add and return a button -> Run an instance of the class

Kivy Tutorial – Learn Kivy with Examples.

Simple Implementation that how to create a button using image

Python3 `

Sample Python application demonstrating that

how to create button using image in kivy

##################################################

import kivy module

import kivy

this restrict the kivy version i.e

below this kivy version you cannot

use the app or software

kivy.require("1.9.1")

base Class of your App inherits from the App class.

app:always refers to the instance of your application

from kivy.app import App

creates the button in kivy

if not imported shows the error

from kivy.uix.button import Button

this restrict the kivy version i.e

below this kivy version you cannot

use the app or software

kivy.require('1.9.0')

to change the kivy default settings we use this module config

from kivy.config import Config

0 being off 1 being on as in true / false

you can use 0 or 1 && True or False

Config.set('graphics', 'resizable', True)

class in which we are creating the image button

class ButtonApp(App):

def build(self): 

    # create an image a button 
    # Adding images normal.png image as button
    # decided its position and size 
    btn = Button(text ="Push Me !",
                 color =(1, 0, .65, 1),
                 background_normal = 'normal.png',
                 background_down ='down.png',
                 size_hint = (.3, .3),
                 pos_hint = {"x":0.35, "y":0.3}
               ) 

    return btn 
       

creating the object root for ButtonApp() class

root = ButtonApp()

run function runs the whole program

i.e run() method which calls the target

function passed to the constructor.

root.run()

`

Output: Code to implement the styling and arranging a callback to the button -

Python3 `

Sample Python application demonstrating that

how to create button using image in kivy

##################################################

import kivy module

import kivy

this restrict the kivy version i.e

below this kivy version you cannot

use the app or software

kivy.require("1.9.1")

base Class of your App inherits from the App class.

app:always refers to the instance of your application

from kivy.app import App

creates the button in kivy

if not imported shows the error

from kivy.uix.button import Button

this restrict the kivy version i.e

below this kivy version you cannot

use the app or software

kivy.require('1.9.0')

to change the kivy default settings we use this module config

from kivy.config import Config

0 being off 1 being on as in true / false

you can use 0 or 1 && True or False

Config.set('graphics', 'resizable', True)

class in which we are creating the imagebutton

class ButtonApp(App):

def build(self): 

    # create a fully styled functional button
    # Adding images normal.png and down.png
    btn = Button(text ="Push Me !",
                 background_normal = 'normal.png',
                 background_down = 'down.png',
                 size_hint = (.3, .3),
                 pos_hint = {"x":0.35, "y":0.3}
               ) 

    # bind() use to bind the button to function callback 
    btn.bind(on_press = self.callback) 
    return btn 

# callback function tells when button pressed 
def callback(self, event): 
    print("button pressed") 
    print('Yoooo !!!!!!!!!!!') 
      

creating the object root for ButtonApp() class

root = ButtonApp()

run function runs the whole program

i.e run() method which calls the target

function passed to the constructor.

root.run()

`

Output: