Entering data

Patterns
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  • Pre-gathering as much information as possible to minimize the amount of data that people need to supply

  • Supporting all available input methods so people can choose the method that works for them

Best practices

Get information from the system whenever possible.

Be clear about the data you need.

Use a secure text-entry field when appropriate.

Never prepopulate a password field.

When possible, offer choices instead of requiring text entry.

As much as possible, let people provide data by dragging and dropping it or by pasting it.

Dynamically validate field values.

When data entry is necessary, make sure people understand that they must provide the required data before they can proceed.

Platform considerations

macOS

Consider using an expansion tooltip to show the full version of clipped or truncated text in a field.


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

Apple HIG text and imagery are © Apple Inc. This page is a structured index of Apple’s canonical documentation (snapshot 2025-02-02), provided for quick reference and AI-agent consumption — it isn’t affiliated with or endorsed by Apple. Read the original at developer.apple.com (opens in new tab).

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