How should I design an iPad app using Apple's HIG?

Apple's HIG recommends using sidebars instead of bottom tab bars on iPadOS, supporting split views for multitasking, and adding pointer interactions. Apple HIG Skills provides instant, AI-ready guidance on all iPadOS conventions.

What are Apple's guidelines for adding Apple Pay?

Apple's HIG specifies exact payment button placement, flow design, error states, and UX patterns required for App Store approval. Apple HIG Skills gives your AI agent access to the full Apple Pay design guidelines.

How do I make my Apple app accessible?

Apple's HIG requires support for VoiceOver, Dynamic Type, sufficient color contrast ratios, and motor accessibility features like Switch Control. Apple HIG Skills covers all accessibility foundations and requirements.

How do I design for visionOS and Apple Vision Pro?

Apple's HIG for visionOS covers ornaments, volumes, immersive spaces, eye tracking, and spatial interaction patterns. Apple HIG Skills includes dedicated visionOS platform guidance and spatial layout references.

What are Apple's dark mode design guidelines?

Apple's HIG specifies using system semantic colors, material backgrounds, elevated surfaces, and vibrancy for dark mode. Apps should test in both modes and avoid hard-coded color values. Apple HIG Skills covers the full dark mode specification.

How should I design notifications for iOS apps?

Apple's HIG covers notification grouping, Live Activities, action buttons, and respecting user attention. Apple HIG Skills provides guidelines for the full notification system including widgets and complications.

Source: Apple Inc. Canonical content at https://developer.apple.com/design/human-interface-guidelines/designing-for-ipados. 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.

Designing for iPadOS

Display.

Ergonomics.

Inputs.

App interactions.

System features.

Best practices

Take advantage of the large display to elevate the content people care about, minimizing modal interfaces and full-screen transitions, and positioning onscreen controls where they’re easy to reach, but not in the way.
Use viewing distance and input mode to help you determine the size and density of the onscreen content you display.
Let people use Multi-Touch gestures, a physical keyboard or trackpad, or Apple Pencil, and consider supporting unique interactions that combine multiple input modes.
Adapt seamlessly to appearance changes — like device orientation, multitasking modes, Dark Mode, and Dynamic Type — and transition effortlessly to running in macOS, letting people choose the configurations that work best for them.

Designing for iPadOS

Designing for iPadOS

Best practices

Resources

Developer documentation

Videos

Get HIG guidance in your AI

Designing for iPadOS

Designing for iPadOS

Best practices

Resources

Related

Developer documentation

Videos

Get HIG guidance in your AI