How to Set selected item in BottomNavigationView

Instead of selected you need to setChecked(true) that item. Try this code

mBottomNavigationView=(BottomNavigationView)findViewById(R.id.bottom_nav);
mBottomNavigationView.getMenu().findItem(R.id.item_id).setChecked(true);

Checked item is highlighted in BottomNavigationView.

FYI: for fragment, onCreateView

BottomNavigationView mBottomNavigationView = getActivity().findViewById(R.id.bottomNavigationView);

mBottomNavigationView.setSelectedItemId(R.id.your_item);

Kotlin Solution

In a Fragment

getActivity()?.myNavigationViewId?.selectedItemId = R.id.other_tab_id

In an Activity

myNavigationViewId?.selectedItemId = R.id.other_tab_id

NOTE: Make sure to replace myNavigationViewId and other_tab_id with your actual navigation view and tab ids.

Just share my working source code

In Xml,

 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
    android:orientation="vertical"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent">
    <android.support.design.widget.BottomNavigationView
        android:background="@color/colorWhite"
        android:id="@+id/gfPrlBnvBtmView"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_gravity="start"
        android:layout_alignParentBottom="true"
        app:menu="@menu/bottom_navigation_main" />
</LinearLayout>

In Java,

  public class TestActivity extends AppCompatActivity implements BottomNavigationView.OnNavigationItemSelectedListener
{
    private BottomNavigationView mBtmView;
    private int mMenuId;
    @Override
    public void onCreate(@Nullable Bundle savedInstanceState, @Nullable PersistableBundle persistentState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState, persistentState);
        setContentView(R.layout.test);
        mBtmView = (BottomNavigationView) findViewById(R.id.gfPrlBnvBtmView);
        mBtmView.setOnNavigationItemSelectedListener(this);
        mBtmView.getMenu().findItem(R.id.action_yoga).setChecked(true);
    }

    @Override
    public boolean onNavigationItemSelected(@NonNull MenuItem item) {
        // uncheck the other items.
        mMenuId = item.getItemId();
        for (int i = 0; i < mBtmView.getMenu().size(); i++) {
            MenuItem menuItem = mBtmView.getMenu().getItem(i);
            boolean isChecked = menuItem.getItemId() == item.getItemId();
            menuItem.setChecked(isChecked);
        }

        switch (item.getItemId()) {
            case R.id.action_food: {
            }
            break;
            case R.id.action_medical: {
            }
            break;
            case R.id.action_yoga: {
            }
            break;
            case R.id.action_postures: {
            }
            break;
        }
        return true;
    }
}