How to hide a status bar in iOS?

Add the following code to your view controller:

if ([self respondsToSelector:@selector(setNeedsStatusBarAppearanceUpdate)]) {
    // iOS 7
    [self performSelector:@selector(setNeedsStatusBarAppearanceUpdate)];
} else {
    // iOS 6
    [[UIApplication sharedApplication] setStatusBarHidden:YES withAnimation:UIStatusBarAnimationSlide];
}

- (BOOL)prefersStatusBarHidden {
    return YES;
}

You need to add this code in your AppDelegate file, not in your Root View Controller

Or add the property Status bar is initially hidden in your plist file

Folks, in iOS 7+

please add this to your info.plist file, It will make the difference :)

UIStatusBarHidden UIViewControllerBasedStatusBarAppearance

For iOS 11.4+ and Xcode 9.4 +

Use this code either in one or all your view controllers

override var prefersStatusBarHidden: Bool { return true }

What helped me is this (changing plist file):

1. set Status bar is initially hidden = YES
2. add row: View controller-based status bar appearance = NO