# Multitasking

Source: https://developer.apple.com/design/human-interface-guidelines/multitasking
Skill: hig-patterns
Snapshot: 2025-02-02

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<!-- hig-doctor:attribution -->
> **Source**: Apple Inc. Canonical content at https://developer.apple.com/design/human-interface-guidelines/multitasking.
> This file is a structured index of that content, snapshot 2025-02-02.
> Apple HIG text and imagery are © Apple Inc.; this repository provides organization and cross-referencing for AI agent consumption only.

# Multitasking

## Best practices

**Pause activities that require people’s attention or active participation when they switch away.**

**Respond smoothly to audio interruptions.**

  * Pause audio indefinitely for primary audio interruptions, such as playing music, podcasts, or audiobooks.

  * Temporarily lower the volume or pause the audio for shorter interruptions, such as GPS directional notifications, and resume the original volume or playback when the interruption ends.

**Finish user-initiated tasks in the background.**

**Use notifications sparingly.**

## Platform considerations

### visionOS

**Avoid interfering with the system-provided multitasking behavior.**

**Don’t pause a window’s video playback when people look away from it.**

**Be prepared for situations where your audio can duck.**

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For the complete guidance, including worked examples and illustrations, see the canonical page: https://developer.apple.com/design/human-interface-guidelines/multitasking