Apply backgroundTint to background drawable for API 19

This worked for me on API19 device, support lib v7

layout

<Button    android:id="@id/btn"    android:layout_width="wrap_content"    android:layout_height="wrap_content"    android:text="@string/label"    style="@style/Button"    />

styles

<style name="Button" parent="Base.TextAppearance.AppCompat.Button" >    <item name="backgroundTint">@color/fab_bg</item></style>

I know its little bit old question but you don't need to create a style element even.

Just use AppCompatButton from the support library with app: namespace.

<android.support.v7.widget.AppCompatButton android:layout_width="40dp"                    android:layout_height="40dp"                    android:id="@+id/AbResetBtn"                    android:background="@android:drawable/stat_notify_sync"                    app:backgroundTint="@color/button_material_light" />

You need to use android support library 22.1+ to use AppCompatButton http://android-developers.blogspot.se/2015/04/android-support-library-221.html

But unfortunately you will not be able to do this in the xml.

In the onCreate of your activity, to the following:

public class MainActivity extends AppCompatActivity {    @Override    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);        setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);        AppCompatButton v = (AppCompatButton) findViewById(R.id.mybutton);        ColorStateList csl = new ColorStateList(new int[][]{new int[0]}, new int[]{0xffffcc00});        v.setSupportBackgroundTintList(csl);    }}

More info here: Lollipop's backgroundTint has no effect on a Button

Tip: maybe you will be able to do everything in the xml using app:backgroundTint="@color/button_material_light", but I didn't tested.

--EDIT--

Check @ema3272 second comment for the full solution