How do I adjust the left margin for prototype cells in a UITableView?

If I create a UITableViewController, for example via File → New Project... → iOS → Master-Detail Application in Xcode, a UITableView is created with a prototype cell.

The generated view hierarchy is:

A left "margin" is automagically created between the Cell's Content UIView left edge and the "Title" text's UILabel element as shown below in orange.

This results in a corresponding margin between the device's screen edge and the UILabel text at runtime:

So, where is the width of this gap set, and how can it be adjusted?

The controls in the Size Inspector for the UILabel are greyed out:

My preferred option would to be able to set the width of this gap from within Interface Builder, but I would also like to understand where this gap is being set, and how to alter it programmatically.

You just need to set contentInset property of the table view. You can set value according to your need.

self.tableView.contentInset = UIEdgeInsetsMake(0, -15, 0, 0);

OUTPUT RESULT

http://i.stack.imgur.com/gzU7r.png" width="320">

Go to Main.storyboard > select the UITableViewCell > Attributes Inspector. Change Separator dropdown list from Default Insets to Custom Insets. Change the left inset from 15 to 0

Starting from iOS 8 is available the cell property layoutMargins. So the correct way to adjust cell margins is setting this property in your tableView:cellForRowAtIndexPath or in your custom UITableViewCell in this way:

override func awakeFromNib() {
    super.awakeFromNib()

    self.layoutMargins = UIEdgeInsetsZero //or UIEdgeInsetsMake(top, left, bottom, right)
    self.separatorInset = UIEdgeInsetsZero //if you also want to adjust separatorInset
}

I hope this can help someone.

Just add the method in your code as mentioned in the below link

> https://stackoverflow.com/questions/27937855/how-do-i-eliminate-the-margin-on-the-left-side-of-a-uitableview-without-creatin/31579395#31579395

The method is like this in Objective-C:

- (void)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView willDisplayCell:(UITableViewCell *)cell forRowAtIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)indexPath{
    if ([tableView respondsToSelector:@selector(setSeparatorInset:)]) {
        [tableView setSeparatorInset:UIEdgeInsetsZero];
    }
    if ([tableView respondsToSelector:@selector(setLayoutMargins:)]) {
    [tableView setLayoutMargins:UIEdgeInsetsZero];
    }
    if ([tableView respondsToSelector:@selector(setLayoutMargins:)]) {
    cell.preservesSuperviewLayoutMargins = NO;
    [cell setLayoutMargins:UIEdgeInsetsZero];
    }
    if ([cell respondsToSelector:@selector(setSeparatorInset:)]){
    [cell setSeparatorInset:UIEdgeInsetsZero];
    }
}

Swift 3 and 4

public func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, willDisplay cell: UITableViewCell, forRowAt indexPath: IndexPath) {
    if cell.responds(to: #selector(setter: UITableViewCell.separatorInset)) {
        cell.separatorInset = .zero
    }
    if (cell.responds(to: #selector(setter: UIView.preservesSuperviewLayoutMargins))) {
        cell.preservesSuperviewLayoutMargins = false
    }

    if (cell.responds(to: #selector(setter: UIView.layoutMargins))) {
        cell.layoutMargins = UIEdgeInsets.zero
    }
    if tableView.responds(to: #selector(setter: UITableViewCell.separatorInset)) {
        tableView.separatorInset = .zero
    }
    
}

If you're using a xib for your cell, be sure that the "Relative to margin" is unchecked. You can check this via the inspector as shown in the following screenshot:

In the TableView "Attributes inspector" set the Separator Insets to "Custom" with Left = 0. That is all you have to do!

As WTIFS mentioned, UITableViewCell's indentation property is a great way to indent text labels in a built-in cell styles. Just do something like this to achieve nice left margin:

cell.indentationLevel = 2;

This, however, would not work for imageView.

Here is the swift version of Chetan's answer:

override func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, willDisplay cell: UITableViewCell, forRowAt indexPath: IndexPath) {
        tableView.separatorInset = UIEdgeInsets.zero
        tableView.layoutMargins = UIEdgeInsets.zero
        cell.preservesSuperviewLayoutMargins = false
        cell.layoutMargins = UIEdgeInsets.zero
        cell.separatorInset = UIEdgeInsets.zero
}

And if you want to change just the left margin of the cell's textlabel only, then change the Horizontal Space Constraint 'Constant' to say 16 or 8 based on the padding you want.(This is in the nib file). If you cant get to the 'constant' Select the label, change the x coordinate in the FrameRectangle View, and then click on the constraint pin at the left)

I think I just came up with an easy solution. lol.

The top answer have some problem...it decrease the left gap, but resulting a right gap.

I used the constrains in Interface Builder.

First add a -15 left margin constrain to the Table View.

Then add some Indentation to the Table Cell to make the contents look better.

↘

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Here're some step-by-step pics:

Add the constraint. Remember to uncheck the "spacing to nearest neighbor".

The Table Cells will move left. But seems too close to margin.

So choose the Table Cell, and add some indentation in the right area.