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/top-shelf. 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.

Top Shelf

Best practices

Help people jump right into your content.

Feature new content.

Personalize people’s favorite content.

Avoid showing advertisements or prices.

Showcase compelling dynamic content that can help draw people in and encourage them to view more.

If you don’t provide the recommended full-screen content, supply at least one static image as a fallback.

Avoid implying interactivity in a static image.

Dynamic layouts

A carousel of full-screen video and images that includes two buttons and optional details
A row of focusable content
A set of scrolling banners

If you need text, add it to your image.

Top Shelf

Top Shelf

Best practices

Dynamic layouts

Carousel actions

Carousel details

Sectioned content row

Poster (2:3)

Square (1:1)

16:9

Scrolling inset banner

Platform considerations

Resources

Videos

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