# Settings

Source: https://developer.apple.com/design/human-interface-guidelines/settings
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/settings.
> 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.

# Settings

## Best practices

**Aim to provide default settings that give the best experience to the largest number of people.**

**Minimize the number of settings you offer.**

**Make settings available in ways people expect.**

**Avoid using settings to ask for setup information you can get in other ways.**

**Respect people’s systemwide settings and avoid including redundant versions of them in your custom settings area.**

## General settings

**Put general, infrequently changed settings in your custom settings area.**

## Task-specific options

**When possible, prefer letting people modify task-specific options without going to your settings area.**

## System settings

**Add only the most rarely changed options to the system-provided Settings app.**

## Platform considerations

### macOS

**Include a settings item in the[App menu](https://developer.apple.com/design/human-interface-guidelines/the-menu-bar#App-menu).**

**Dim a settings window’s minimize and maximize buttons.**

**In your settings window, use a noncustomizable toolbar that remains visible and always indicates the active toolbar button.**

**Update the window’s title to reflect the currently visible pane.**

**Restore the most recently viewed pane.**

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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/settings