Feature Tab Display

Tab display mode

Choose whether the tab bar shows icons, labels, or both. Great for compact bars on mobile or icon-driven dashboards.

Config key: tab_display (top-level) · Values: both (default) · icon · label

type: custom:tabdeck-card
tab_display: icon      # both | icon | label
style: pill
tabs:
  - name: Climate
    icon: mdi:thermostat
    card: { type: thermostat, entity: climate.living_room }
  - name: Lights
    icon: mdi:lightbulb-group
    card: { type: entities, entities: [light.kitchen] }
  - name: Security
    icon: mdi:shield-home
    card: { type: entities, entities: [alarm_control_panel.home] }

Behaviour

Value	Shows
both	Icon and label (the classic look).
icon	Icon only — but a tab with no icon still shows its label, so a tab is never empty.
label	Label only; icons are hidden.

Set it globally in the card config, or pick it from the Tab display dropdown in the visual editor.

Tips

• Pair tab_display: icon with the pill or segmented style for a clean app-style switcher.
• Give every tab an icon when using icon mode so the bar stays consistent.