{"abstract":[{"text":"People depend on their iPhone to help them stay connected, play games, view","type":"text"},{"text":" ","type":"text"},{"text":"media, accomplish tasks, and track personal data in any location and while on","type":"text"},{"text":" ","type":"text"},{"text":"the go.","type":"text"}],"hierarchy":{"paths":[["doc:\/\/com.apple.documentation\/documentation\/technologies","doc:\/\/com.apple.HIG\/design\/human-interface-guidelines","doc:\/\/com.apple.HIG\/design\/Human-Interface-Guidelines\/getting-started"]]},"identifier":{"interfaceLanguage":"swift","url":"doc:\/\/com.apple.HIG\/design\/Human-Interface-Guidelines\/designing-for-ios"},"kind":"article","legalNotices":{"copyright":"Copyright © 2026 Apple Inc. All rights reserved.","privacyPolicy":"https:\/\/www.apple.com\/privacy\/privacy-policy","termsOfUse":"https:\/\/www.apple.com\/legal\/internet-services\/terms\/site.html"},"metadata":{"availableLanguages":["en-US","zh-CN","ja-JP","ko-KR"],"images":[{"identifier":"ios.svg","type":"icon"},{"identifier":"platforms-designing-for-ios-thumbnail.png","type":"card"}],"role":"article","title":"Designing for iOS"},"primaryContentSections":[{"content":[{"inlineContent":[{"identifier":"platforms-iOS-intro.png","type":"image"}],"type":"paragraph"},{"inlineContent":[{"text":"As you begin designing your app or game for iOS, start by understanding the","type":"text"},{"text":" ","type":"text"},{"text":"following fundamental device characteristics and patterns that distinguish the","type":"text"},{"text":" ","type":"text"},{"text":"iOS experience. Using these characteristics and patterns to inform your design","type":"text"},{"text":" ","type":"text"},{"text":"decisions can help you provide an app or game that iPhone users appreciate.","type":"text"}],"type":"paragraph"},{"inlineContent":[{"inlineContent":[{"text":"Display.","type":"text"}],"type":"strong"},{"text":" iPhone has a medium-size, high-resolution display.","type":"text"}],"type":"paragraph"},{"inlineContent":[{"inlineContent":[{"text":"Ergonomics.","type":"text"}],"type":"strong"},{"text":" People generally hold their iPhone in one or both hands as they","type":"text"},{"text":" ","type":"text"},{"text":"interact with it, switching between landscape and portrait orientations as","type":"text"},{"text":" ","type":"text"},{"text":"needed. While people are interacting with the device, their viewing distance","type":"text"},{"text":" ","type":"text"},{"text":"tends to be no more than a foot or two.","type":"text"}],"type":"paragraph"},{"inlineContent":[{"inlineContent":[{"text":"Inputs.","type":"text"}],"type":"strong"},{"text":" Multi-Touch","type":"text"},{"text":" ","type":"text"},{"identifier":"https:\/\/developer.apple.com\/design\/human-interface-guidelines\/gestures","isActive":true,"type":"reference"},{"text":",","type":"text"},{"text":" ","type":"text"},{"identifier":"https:\/\/developer.apple.com\/design\/human-interface-guidelines\/virtual-keyboards","isActive":true,"type":"reference"},{"text":",","type":"text"},{"text":" ","type":"text"},{"text":"and ","type":"text"},{"identifier":"https:\/\/developer.apple.com\/design\/human-interface-guidelines\/siri","isActive":true,"type":"reference"},{"text":" ","type":"text"},{"text":"control let people perform actions and accomplish meaningful tasks while","type":"text"},{"text":" ","type":"text"},{"text":"they’re on the go. In addition, people often want apps to use their","type":"text"},{"text":" ","type":"text"},{"identifier":"https:\/\/developer.apple.com\/design\/human-interface-guidelines\/privacy","isActive":true,"type":"reference"},{"text":" ","type":"text"},{"text":"and input from the device’s ","type":"text"},{"identifier":"https:\/\/developer.apple.com\/design\/human-interface-guidelines\/gyro-and-accelerometer","isActive":true,"type":"reference"},{"text":",","type":"text"},{"text":" ","type":"text"},{"text":"and they may also want to participate in ","type":"text"},{"identifier":"https:\/\/developer.apple.com\/design\/human-interface-guidelines\/spatial-interactions","isActive":true,"type":"reference"},{"text":".","type":"text"}],"type":"paragraph"},{"inlineContent":[{"inlineContent":[{"text":"App interactions.","type":"text"}],"type":"strong"},{"text":" Sometimes, people spend just a minute or two checking on","type":"text"},{"text":" ","type":"text"},{"text":"event or social media updates, tracking data, or sending messages. At other","type":"text"},{"text":" ","type":"text"},{"text":"times, people can spend an hour or more browsing the web, playing games, or","type":"text"},{"text":" ","type":"text"},{"text":"enjoying media. People typically have multiple apps open at the same time, and","type":"text"},{"text":" ","type":"text"},{"text":"they appreciate switching frequently among them.","type":"text"}],"type":"paragraph"},{"inlineContent":[{"inlineContent":[{"text":"System features.","type":"text"}],"type":"strong"},{"text":" iOS provides several features that help people interact","type":"text"},{"text":" ","type":"text"},{"text":"with the system and their apps in familiar, consistent ways.","type":"text"}],"type":"paragraph"},{"items":[{"content":[{"inlineContent":[{"identifier":"doc:\/\/com.apple.HIG\/design\/Human-Interface-Guidelines\/widgets","isActive":true,"type":"reference"}],"type":"paragraph"}]},{"content":[{"inlineContent":[{"identifier":"doc:\/\/com.apple.HIG\/design\/Human-Interface-Guidelines\/home-screen-quick-actions","isActive":true,"type":"reference"}],"type":"paragraph"}]},{"content":[{"inlineContent":[{"identifier":"https:\/\/developer.apple.com\/design\/human-interface-guidelines\/searching","isActive":true,"type":"reference"}],"type":"paragraph"}]},{"content":[{"inlineContent":[{"identifier":"https:\/\/developer.apple.com\/design\/human-interface-guidelines\/siri#Shortcuts-and-suggestions","isActive":true,"type":"reference"}],"type":"paragraph"}]},{"content":[{"inlineContent":[{"identifier":"doc:\/\/com.apple.HIG\/design\/Human-Interface-Guidelines\/activity-views","isActive":true,"type":"reference"}],"type":"paragraph"}]}],"type":"unorderedList"},{"anchor":"Best-practices","level":2,"text":"Best practices","type":"heading"},{"inlineContent":[{"text":"Great iPhone experiences integrate the platform and device capabilities that","type":"text"},{"text":" ","type":"text"},{"text":"people value most. To help your design feel at home in iOS, prioritize the","type":"text"},{"text":" ","type":"text"},{"text":"following ways to incorporate these features and capabilities.","type":"text"}],"type":"paragraph"},{"items":[{"content":[{"inlineContent":[{"text":"Help people concentrate on primary tasks and content by limiting the number of","type":"text"},{"text":" ","type":"text"},{"text":"onscreen controls while making secondary details and actions discoverable","type":"text"},{"text":" ","type":"text"},{"text":"with minimal interaction.","type":"text"}],"type":"paragraph"}]},{"content":[{"inlineContent":[{"text":"Adapt seamlessly to appearance changes — like device orientation, Dark Mode,","type":"text"},{"text":" ","type":"text"},{"text":"and Dynamic Type — letting people choose the configurations that work best","type":"text"},{"text":" ","type":"text"},{"text":"for them.","type":"text"}],"type":"paragraph"}]},{"content":[{"inlineContent":[{"text":"Support interactions that accommodate the way people usually hold their device.","type":"text"},{"text":" ","type":"text"},{"text":"For example, it tends to be easier and more comfortable for people to reach a","type":"text"},{"text":" ","type":"text"},{"text":"control when it’s located in the middle or bottom area of the display, so","type":"text"},{"text":" ","type":"text"},{"text":"it’s especially important to let people swipe to navigate back or initiate","type":"text"},{"text":" ","type":"text"},{"text":"actions in a list row.","type":"text"}],"type":"paragraph"}]},{"content":[{"inlineContent":[{"text":"With people’s permission, integrate information available through platform","type":"text"},{"text":" ","type":"text"},{"text":"capabilities in ways that enhance the experience without asking people to","type":"text"},{"text":" ","type":"text"},{"text":"enter data. For example, you might accept payments, provide security through","type":"text"},{"text":" ","type":"text"},{"text":"biometric authentication, or offer features that use the device’s location.","type":"text"}],"type":"paragraph"}]}],"type":"unorderedList"},{"anchor":"Resources","level":2,"text":"Resources","type":"heading"},{"anchor":"Related","level":4,"text":"Related","type":"heading"},{"inlineContent":[{"identifier":"https:\/\/developer.apple.com\/design\/resources\/#ios-apps","isActive":true,"type":"reference"}],"type":"paragraph"},{"anchor":"Developer-documentation","level":4,"text":"Developer documentation","type":"heading"},{"inlineContent":[{"identifier":"https:\/\/developer.apple.com\/ios\/get-started\/","isActive":true,"type":"reference"}],"type":"paragraph"},{"anchor":"Videos","level":4,"text":"Videos","type":"heading"},{"items":["doc:\/\/com.apple.documentation\/videos\/play\/wwdc2025\/219","doc:\/\/com.apple.documentation\/videos\/play\/wwdc2025\/356"],"style":"compactGrid","type":"links"}],"kind":"content"}],"schemaVersion":{"major":0,"minor":3,"patch":0},"sections":[],"topicSectionsStyle":"compactGrid","references":{"1AAA030E-2ECA-47D8-AE09-6D7B72A840F6":{"alt":null,"identifier":"1AAA030E-2ECA-47D8-AE09-6D7B72A840F6","type":"image","variants":[{"traits":["1x"],"url":"https:\/\/devimages-cdn.apple.com\/wwdc-services\/images\/3055294D-836B-4513-B7B0-0BC5666246B0\/1AAA030E-2ECA-47D8-AE09-6D7B72A840F6\/10044_wide_250x141_1x.jpg"},{"traits":["2x"],"url":"https:\/\/devimages-cdn.apple.com\/wwdc-services\/images\/3055294D-836B-4513-B7B0-0BC5666246B0\/1AAA030E-2ECA-47D8-AE09-6D7B72A840F6\/10044_wide_250x141_2x.jpg"},{"traits":["3x"],"url":"https:\/\/devimages-cdn.apple.com\/wwdc-services\/images\/3055294D-836B-4513-B7B0-0BC5666246B0\/1AAA030E-2ECA-47D8-AE09-6D7B72A840F6\/10044_wide_250x141_3x.jpg"}]},"5CD0E251-424E-490F-89CF-1E64848209A6":{"alt":null,"identifier":"5CD0E251-424E-490F-89CF-1E64848209A6","type":"image","variants":[{"traits":["1x"],"url":"https:\/\/devimages-cdn.apple.com\/wwdc-services\/images\/3055294D-836B-4513-B7B0-0BC5666246B0\/5CD0E251-424E-490F-89CF-1E64848209A6\/9910_wide_250x141_1x.jpg"},{"traits":["2x"],"url":"https:\/\/devimages-cdn.apple.com\/wwdc-services\/images\/3055294D-836B-4513-B7B0-0BC5666246B0\/5CD0E251-424E-490F-89CF-1E64848209A6\/9910_wide_250x141_2x.jpg"},{"traits":["3x"],"url":"https:\/\/devimages-cdn.apple.com\/wwdc-services\/images\/3055294D-836B-4513-B7B0-0BC5666246B0\/5CD0E251-424E-490F-89CF-1E64848209A6\/9910_wide_250x141_3x.jpg"}]},"components-activity-views-thumbnail.png":{"alt":"A stylized representation of a share button. 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