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/playing-video. 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.

Playing video

In full-screen — or aspect-fill — mode, the video scales to fill the display, and some edge cropping may occur. This mode is the default for wide video (2:1 through 2.40:1). For developer guidance, see resizeAspectFill.
In fit-to-screen — or aspect — mode, the entire video is visible onscreen, and letterboxing or pillarboxing occurs as needed. This mode is the default for standard video (4:3, 16:9, and anything up to 2:1) and ultrawide video (anything above 2.40:1). For developer guidance, see resizeAspect.

Best practices

Use the system video player to give people a familiar and convenient experience.

Always display video content at its original aspect ratio.

Result of padding a 4:3 video
Result of padding a 21:9 video

Provide additional information when it adds value.

Support the interactions people expect, regardless of the input device they’re using to control playback.

If people need to access playback options or content-specific information in your tvOS app, consider adding a transport control or a custom content tab.

Avoid allowing audio from different sources to mix as viewers switch between modes.

Integrating with the TV app

Ensure a smooth transition to your app.

Show the expected content immediately.

Avoid asking people if they want to resume playback.

Play or pause playback when people press Space on a connected Bluetooth keyboard.

Make sure content plays for the correct viewer.

Use the previous end time when resuming playback of a long video clip.

Loading content

Avoid displaying loading screens when possible.

Start playback immediately.

Minimize loading screen content.

Exiting playback

Show a contextually relevant screen.

Be prepared for an immediate exit.

Platform considerations

tvOS

Defer to content when displaying logos or noninteractive overlays above video.

Show interactive overlays gracefully.

visionOS

Help people stay comfortable when playing video in your app.

Letting them choose when to start playing a video
Using a small window for playback, letting people resize it if they want
Making sure people can see their surroundings during playback

In a fully immersive experience, avoid letting virtual content obscure playback or transport controls.

Avoid automatically starting a fully immersive video playback experience.

Create a thumbnail track if you want to support scrubbing.

Avoid expanding an inline video player to fill a window.

Use a RealityKit video player if you need to play video in a view like a splash screen or a transitional view.

watchOS

Keep video clips short.

Use the recommended sizes and encoding values for media assets.

Avoid creating a poster image that looks like a system control.

Consider creating a poster image that represents a video clip’s contents.

Playing video

Playing video

Best practices

Integrating with the TV app

Loading content

Exiting playback

Platform considerations

tvOS

visionOS

watchOS

Resources

Developer documentation

Videos

Change log

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