Going full screen

Patterns
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Best practices

Support full-screen mode when it makes sense for your experience.

If necessary, adjust your layout in full-screen mode, but don’t programmatically resize your window.

Continue to provide access to essential features and controls so people can complete their task without exiting full-screen mode.

Except in games, let people reveal the Dock while your iPadOS or macOS app is in full-screen mode.

After people switch away from your full-screen experience, help them resume where they left off when they return.

Let people choose when to exit full-screen mode.

Prioritize content by temporarily hiding toolbars and navigation controls.

Platform considerations

iOS, iPadOS

Consider deferring system gestures to prevent accidental exits in a full-screen app or game.

macOS

Use the system-provided full-screen experience.

In a game, don’t change the display mode when players go full screen.

Always let people choose when to enter full-screen mode.


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

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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