# VK_MVK_ios_surface(3) Manual Page

## Name

VK_MVK_ios_surface - instance extension

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## Registered Extension Number

123

## Revision

3

## Ratification Status

Not ratified

## Extension and Version Dependencies

VK_KHR_surface

## Deprecation State

- Deprecated by VK_EXT_metal_surface extension

## Contact

- Bill Hollings [GitHub]billhollings

## Other Extension Metadata

Last Modified Date

  2020-07-31

IP Status

  No known IP claims.

Contributors

  - Bill Hollings, The Brenwill Workshop Ltd.

## Description

The `VK_MVK_ios_surface` extension is an instance extension. It provides a mechanism to create a VkSurfaceKHR object (defined by the `VK_KHR_surface` extension) based on a `UIView`, the native surface type of iOS, which is underpinned by a CAMetalLayer, to support rendering to the surface using Apple’s Metal framework.

## Deprecation by `VK_EXT_metal_surface`

The `VK_MVK_ios_surface` extension is considered deprecated and has been superseded by the `VK_EXT_metal_surface` extension.

## New Commands

- vkCreateIOSSurfaceMVK

## New Structures

- VkIOSSurfaceCreateInfoMVK

## New Bitmasks

- VkIOSSurfaceCreateFlagsMVK

## New Enum Constants

- `VK_MVK_IOS_SURFACE_EXTENSION_NAME`

- `VK_MVK_IOS_SURFACE_SPEC_VERSION`

- Extending VkStructureType:

  - `VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_IOS_SURFACE_CREATE_INFO_MVK`

## Version History

- Revision 1, 2017-02-15 (Bill Hollings)

  - Initial draft.

- Revision 2, 2017-02-24 (Bill Hollings)

  - Minor syntax fix to emphasize firm requirement for `UIView` to be backed by a `CAMetalLayer`.

- Revision 3, 2020-07-31 (Bill Hollings)

  - Update documentation on requirements for `UIView`.

  - Mark as deprecated by `VK_EXT_metal_surface`.

## See Also

No cross-references are available

## Document Notes

For more information, see the Vulkan Specification

This page is a generated document. Fixes and changes should be made to the generator scripts, not directly.

## Copyright

Copyright 2014-2025 The Khronos Group Inc.

SPDX-License-Identifier: CC-BY-4.0