Explore the art and science of app design. Discuss user interface (UI) design principles, user experience (UX) best practices, and share design resources and inspiration.

Learn about designing great app and game experiences

Posts under General subtopic

Post

Replies

Boosts

Views

Activity

Huge UI difference between Simulator and Real Device
Hi everyone, I’m testing our SwiftUI app on both Xcode simulator and a real iPhone. On the simulator, everything looks clean and aligned. But when I run it on an actual iPhone (same build, iOS 18), the layout looks broken—fonts overlap, spacing is off, and elements are misaligned. Both screenshots are from the exact same screen and time. First is simulator, second is iPhone. Any idea why this difference happens? Is there something I should check in terms of rendering or layout settings? Thanks in advance!
1
0
291
Jul ’25
Feature Request: Dual Apple Pencil Pro Use or Charging Dock Support
Hi everyone 👋 I’ve been using the Apple Pencil Pro with my iPad Pro M4 and absolutely love it — the squeeze gesture, rotation, and haptics are amazing for creative work. But I’ve run into a little roadblock… Right now, only one Pencil Pro can be paired at a time. So while one is charging, you can’t use another as a backup without unpairing and re-pairing, which interrupts the workflow. I’d really love to see one of two things: The ability to use one Pencil while another charges or An official external charger (or support for third-party ones) Personally, I’d happily buy both a second Pencil and a charger if this became possible. I’ve even chatted with other creatives who feel the same — it would make a huge difference for long projects or working on the go. Just wanted to share this idea and see if anyone else here would like this too. Thanks for reading!
1
0
460
Jul ’25
Live Weather Radar Overlay in CarPlay Maps
Hi all — I wanted to share an idea I recently submitted through Feedback Assistant that I think could improve safety and usability for drivers using CarPlay: Add an option to overlay live weather radar (rain, snow, storms, etc.) directly onto CarPlay Maps while navigating. Similar to how traffic conditions are shown now, this would allow drivers to visually track incoming weather in real time without switching apps or relying on separate devices. Why this matters: • Enhances driver safety by increasing situational awareness • Helps with trip planning and route adjustments around severe weather • Reduces distractions by integrating everything into one screen • Useful for everyday drivers, long-haul travelers, and first responders I submitted this via Feedback Assistant, but I’d love to know what others think. If you also see value in this feature, consider submitting your own version via Feedback Assistant so Apple sees there’s interest. Let’s push for smarter, safer navigation — thanks for reading!
3
0
842
Jul ’25
Struggling creating a custom SF Symbol: The provided variants are not interpolatable
Hi, I am trying to create a custom SF Symbol from an SVG file created with Affinity Designer but, even though my SVG file look perfect in Firefox for example compared to the exported custom.circle.svg file (as recommended in Apple's documentation), I fail to get rid of this error: "The provided variants are not interpolatable" My creation process using Affinity Designer is: Export as SVG file Duplicate the custom.circle.svg file exported from the SF Symbols app In the new file, replace the 3 "path" tags in the "g" sections "id="Black-S", "Regular-S", "Ultralight-S" with the paths from the SVG file exported from Affinity designer Set the 3 transform matrices to "matrix(1 0 0 1 0 0)" for the 3 variants to be generated at the correct location. Verify in an SVG viewer that the file looks correct. Import the file via Drag&Drop into the SF Symbols app. What is wrong with my file? Thank you in advance for any help, Marc mySymbol.svg.txt
Topic: Design SubTopic: General Tags:
3
0
209
Jun ’25
Handling Context Save Errors
I was wondering if errors are common for the code below for saving SwiftData data and what would be the best way to handle them (popup, closing the app)? do { try modelContext.save() } catch { print("error") }
Topic: Design SubTopic: General Tags:
1
0
286
Jan ’26
CPContactTemplate does not display buttons iOS26
I'm trying to display CPButtons (CPContactCallButton, CPContactMessageButton) in CPContactTemplate. They are displayed using device with iOS16, but with iOS26 device CPContactTemplate only displays contact image and contact name. No buttons. Is it a bug? I don't have iOS17/18 devices to try.
Topic: Design SubTopic: General Tags:
3
0
379
Feb ’26
tvOS alternative app icons
Does anyone know if alternate app icons are actually supposed to work for Apple TV projects? We tried to set this up, and while it works in Debug, we run into validation errors when uploading the app to App Store Connect. Is this feature officially supported on tvOS, or is it iOS-only?
Topic: Design SubTopic: General
1
0
224
Mar ’26
UITabBarController with sidebar on iPadOS 18
When I create a tab group for the sidebar on iPad, the title and disclosure triangle act like a single control. Every time I tap the section title, the disclosure triangle for that section activates and hides or exposes that section's children and actions. I want the section title to behave like Photos, where tapping a section title just displays its view controller, and the disclosure triangle is a separate control that must be tapped to hide and show children and actions. I did not see any delegate methods that would let me control this behavior. Is this supported?
1
0
216
May ’25
iPad/iPhone - Display best practices….
So…I am hitting a wall here and could use some guidance towards best practice. I’ve developed an app in Xcode/SwiftUI that renders just fine on the iPhone - text, images, buttons, frames…everything is nicely centered on the screen or scrolls where and when I want. The iPad though…not so much. I’m having issues with tops and bottoms being cut off in scrollviews. These are just straight up text screens too - the ones with other elements/controls…they’re rendering fine. I’ve tried a mix of geometry, vstack, scrollview, padding, spacers…the lot of it. Nothing I seem to do works - the views do not want to fill and fit properly. And, of course, the issue becomes worse the moment you flip the iPad into landscape view. Or use the 13” models. I’d imagine others are battling these issues as well and found solutions, so I decided to hit up the brain trust.
3
0
230
Apr ’25
Getting original LocationNode from hit tested SCNNode
I would like to modify the content of a published LocationNode upon been clicked by the user. But unfortunately: func hitTest(_ point: CGPoint, options: [SCNHitTestOption : Any]? = nil) -> [SCNHitTestResult] returns an SCNNode array from which it is impossible to retrieve the original LocationNode being inserted in order to be able to modify it. Of course the solution would be to either insert the SCNNode corresponding to the inserted LocationNode in a custom class or conversely insert the identifier of the custom object as a tag of the LocationNode, in order to solve the issue. But both options seem impossible to implement. May anyone help me?
1
0
154
Apr ’25
ipados 26 and xib
hi, i have an objc ipad application that use xib with zooming for adapt to the screen (until ios18) but with ipad os 26 will be displayed wrong
Topic: Design SubTopic: General
6
0
227
Jul ’25
Repost : Analog Clock on lock screen
When we are going to have a real analog clock option on the lock screen. If an apple watch can do it surely its not that difficult. For someone who uses a clock to tell what time it isn't as opposed to what time it is, i’m constantly having to convert a digital image where the image of hands on a dial is so much easier. Surely this isnt because someone has forgotten how to read a clock
Topic: Design SubTopic: General
1
0
117
Apr ’25
Novice SwiftUI developer can't make network call
I'm trying to use URL structure in the foundation framework and it is failing to build, returning a nil value. Could it be trying to evaluate the string I am giving it as a variable for its argument at build time? Is there a test argument I can give URL to see if it can return a non-nil value? (of URL type)?
Topic: Design SubTopic: General
17
0
1.7k
Sep ’25
Ios26 beta 3 concerns about liquid glass design
With the new ios 26 beta 3 helps some stabillty and performance issues but most of the liquid glass has been removed or made very frosty look; and it defeats the whole purpose of a big redesign, and even thought the changes are because of readability and contrast complaints it should not take away liquid glass design. I think apple should consider adding a toggle or choice to choose if they would want a more frosted look or a more liquid glass look the the original plan.
Topic: Design SubTopic: General Tags:
1
1
276
Jul ’25
New in SF Symbols 7: ipod.and.vision.pro.
Why? Why stop there? (Why not ipod.and.imacg3? applenewton.and.vision.pro?) I get why the older ipod symbols exist but these new pairings are odd. If anyone ever sees these restricted symbols in the wild, or even just someone using a Vision Pro and an iPod (Touch) together in a way that's not contrived, please do let me know!
Topic: Design SubTopic: General Tags:
1
0
814
Oct ’25
Spam 4.3 (a)
Hello everyone, I’ve reached out to Apple’s review team multiple times, but unfortunately, I haven’t received any clear or specific guidance on why my app was rejected. My app has been rejected several times with the reason “Spam” under guideline 4.3, and I still don't understand exactly which part of the app is problematic. Even after providing the necessary information about the data, I resubmitted the app, and after a few days, it quickly moved into "In Review" status, but then was rejected within seconds with the same “Spam” message. I have sent over 13 messages asking for specific feedback, and all I get are vague responses saying “It’s spam, refer to 4.3, fix your app, and resubmit.” However, when I review the guidelines, I don’t see any specific reasons for rejection that apply to my app. I’m particularly confused because my app is a VPN, and when I check the guidelines, I see that apps in categories like dating and others are saturated, but VPN apps are not. My app uses completely dedicated servers, and the IP addresses are not found in any other apps. Still, my app keeps getting rejected. If anyone has encountered a similar issue or has any insight into what might be causing this, I would greatly appreciate it if you could provide detailed guidance on what specifically needs to be changed to get the app approved. Thank you!
Topic: Design SubTopic: General
4
1
1.4k
Feb ’26
Can I use apple.logo placed on the top of apple sign in related view?
I placed apple.logo symbol image on the top of a view. This view is used to link or unlink Apple ID for user. In the middle is the apple sign in button. I want to use something to describe or represent what the view is, instead of using text description. so I think sign in's company logo is a good choice. Is it allowed by apple official?
Replies
1
Boosts
0
Views
1.1k
Activity
Nov ’25
Huge UI difference between Simulator and Real Device
Hi everyone, I’m testing our SwiftUI app on both Xcode simulator and a real iPhone. On the simulator, everything looks clean and aligned. But when I run it on an actual iPhone (same build, iOS 18), the layout looks broken—fonts overlap, spacing is off, and elements are misaligned. Both screenshots are from the exact same screen and time. First is simulator, second is iPhone. Any idea why this difference happens? Is there something I should check in terms of rendering or layout settings? Thanks in advance!
Replies
1
Boosts
0
Views
291
Activity
Jul ’25
The new appearance system
Not sure if anyone else has this issue, however with the new appearances when i use the dark appearance and then open the app "TickTick", the icon goes to its original colour until the app is closed.
Replies
0
Boosts
0
Views
971
Activity
Dec ’25
Feature Request: Dual Apple Pencil Pro Use or Charging Dock Support
Hi everyone 👋 I’ve been using the Apple Pencil Pro with my iPad Pro M4 and absolutely love it — the squeeze gesture, rotation, and haptics are amazing for creative work. But I’ve run into a little roadblock… Right now, only one Pencil Pro can be paired at a time. So while one is charging, you can’t use another as a backup without unpairing and re-pairing, which interrupts the workflow. I’d really love to see one of two things: The ability to use one Pencil while another charges or An official external charger (or support for third-party ones) Personally, I’d happily buy both a second Pencil and a charger if this became possible. I’ve even chatted with other creatives who feel the same — it would make a huge difference for long projects or working on the go. Just wanted to share this idea and see if anyone else here would like this too. Thanks for reading!
Replies
1
Boosts
0
Views
460
Activity
Jul ’25
Live Weather Radar Overlay in CarPlay Maps
Hi all — I wanted to share an idea I recently submitted through Feedback Assistant that I think could improve safety and usability for drivers using CarPlay: Add an option to overlay live weather radar (rain, snow, storms, etc.) directly onto CarPlay Maps while navigating. Similar to how traffic conditions are shown now, this would allow drivers to visually track incoming weather in real time without switching apps or relying on separate devices. Why this matters: • Enhances driver safety by increasing situational awareness • Helps with trip planning and route adjustments around severe weather • Reduces distractions by integrating everything into one screen • Useful for everyday drivers, long-haul travelers, and first responders I submitted this via Feedback Assistant, but I’d love to know what others think. If you also see value in this feature, consider submitting your own version via Feedback Assistant so Apple sees there’s interest. Let’s push for smarter, safer navigation — thanks for reading!
Replies
3
Boosts
0
Views
842
Activity
Jul ’25
Struggling creating a custom SF Symbol: The provided variants are not interpolatable
Hi, I am trying to create a custom SF Symbol from an SVG file created with Affinity Designer but, even though my SVG file look perfect in Firefox for example compared to the exported custom.circle.svg file (as recommended in Apple's documentation), I fail to get rid of this error: "The provided variants are not interpolatable" My creation process using Affinity Designer is: Export as SVG file Duplicate the custom.circle.svg file exported from the SF Symbols app In the new file, replace the 3 "path" tags in the "g" sections "id="Black-S", "Regular-S", "Ultralight-S" with the paths from the SVG file exported from Affinity designer Set the 3 transform matrices to "matrix(1 0 0 1 0 0)" for the 3 variants to be generated at the correct location. Verify in an SVG viewer that the file looks correct. Import the file via Drag&Drop into the SF Symbols app. What is wrong with my file? Thank you in advance for any help, Marc mySymbol.svg.txt
Topic: Design SubTopic: General Tags:
Replies
3
Boosts
0
Views
209
Activity
Jun ’25
How can I create a custom Matchmaker View Controller in Game Center (macOS)
I am creating a shooting game which uses Game Center for multiplayer and I want to make the Matchmaker view look different. How can I do that?
Replies
1
Boosts
0
Views
126
Activity
Sep ’25
Handling Context Save Errors
I was wondering if errors are common for the code below for saving SwiftData data and what would be the best way to handle them (popup, closing the app)? do { try modelContext.save() } catch { print("error") }
Topic: Design SubTopic: General Tags:
Replies
1
Boosts
0
Views
286
Activity
Jan ’26
CPContactTemplate does not display buttons iOS26
I'm trying to display CPButtons (CPContactCallButton, CPContactMessageButton) in CPContactTemplate. They are displayed using device with iOS16, but with iOS26 device CPContactTemplate only displays contact image and contact name. No buttons. Is it a bug? I don't have iOS17/18 devices to try.
Topic: Design SubTopic: General Tags:
Replies
3
Boosts
0
Views
379
Activity
Feb ’26
tvOS alternative app icons
Does anyone know if alternate app icons are actually supposed to work for Apple TV projects? We tried to set this up, and while it works in Debug, we run into validation errors when uploading the app to App Store Connect. Is this feature officially supported on tvOS, or is it iOS-only?
Topic: Design SubTopic: General
Replies
1
Boosts
0
Views
224
Activity
Mar ’26
UITabBarController with sidebar on iPadOS 18
When I create a tab group for the sidebar on iPad, the title and disclosure triangle act like a single control. Every time I tap the section title, the disclosure triangle for that section activates and hides or exposes that section's children and actions. I want the section title to behave like Photos, where tapping a section title just displays its view controller, and the disclosure triangle is a separate control that must be tapped to hide and show children and actions. I did not see any delegate methods that would let me control this behavior. Is this supported?
Replies
1
Boosts
0
Views
216
Activity
May ’25
iPad/iPhone - Display best practices….
So…I am hitting a wall here and could use some guidance towards best practice. I’ve developed an app in Xcode/SwiftUI that renders just fine on the iPhone - text, images, buttons, frames…everything is nicely centered on the screen or scrolls where and when I want. The iPad though…not so much. I’m having issues with tops and bottoms being cut off in scrollviews. These are just straight up text screens too - the ones with other elements/controls…they’re rendering fine. I’ve tried a mix of geometry, vstack, scrollview, padding, spacers…the lot of it. Nothing I seem to do works - the views do not want to fill and fit properly. And, of course, the issue becomes worse the moment you flip the iPad into landscape view. Or use the 13” models. I’d imagine others are battling these issues as well and found solutions, so I decided to hit up the brain trust.
Replies
3
Boosts
0
Views
230
Activity
Apr ’25
Getting original LocationNode from hit tested SCNNode
I would like to modify the content of a published LocationNode upon been clicked by the user. But unfortunately: func hitTest(_ point: CGPoint, options: [SCNHitTestOption : Any]? = nil) -> [SCNHitTestResult] returns an SCNNode array from which it is impossible to retrieve the original LocationNode being inserted in order to be able to modify it. Of course the solution would be to either insert the SCNNode corresponding to the inserted LocationNode in a custom class or conversely insert the identifier of the custom object as a tag of the LocationNode, in order to solve the issue. But both options seem impossible to implement. May anyone help me?
Replies
1
Boosts
0
Views
154
Activity
Apr ’25
ipados 26 and xib
hi, i have an objc ipad application that use xib with zooming for adapt to the screen (until ios18) but with ipad os 26 will be displayed wrong
Topic: Design SubTopic: General
Replies
6
Boosts
0
Views
227
Activity
Jul ’25
Repost : Analog Clock on lock screen
When we are going to have a real analog clock option on the lock screen. If an apple watch can do it surely its not that difficult. For someone who uses a clock to tell what time it isn't as opposed to what time it is, i’m constantly having to convert a digital image where the image of hands on a dial is so much easier. Surely this isnt because someone has forgotten how to read a clock
Topic: Design SubTopic: General
Replies
1
Boosts
0
Views
117
Activity
Apr ’25
AṀ / PM Display in Time ?
Hello, You are developing iOS 26. I hope you will fix the issue where the AṀ/PM is missing from the Time Display. Thanks
Topic: Design SubTopic: General
Replies
1
Boosts
0
Views
315
Activity
Jul ’25
Novice SwiftUI developer can't make network call
I'm trying to use URL structure in the foundation framework and it is failing to build, returning a nil value. Could it be trying to evaluate the string I am giving it as a variable for its argument at build time? Is there a test argument I can give URL to see if it can return a non-nil value? (of URL type)?
Topic: Design SubTopic: General
Replies
17
Boosts
0
Views
1.7k
Activity
Sep ’25
Ios26 beta 3 concerns about liquid glass design
With the new ios 26 beta 3 helps some stabillty and performance issues but most of the liquid glass has been removed or made very frosty look; and it defeats the whole purpose of a big redesign, and even thought the changes are because of readability and contrast complaints it should not take away liquid glass design. I think apple should consider adding a toggle or choice to choose if they would want a more frosted look or a more liquid glass look the the original plan.
Topic: Design SubTopic: General Tags:
Replies
1
Boosts
1
Views
276
Activity
Jul ’25
New in SF Symbols 7: ipod.and.vision.pro.
Why? Why stop there? (Why not ipod.and.imacg3? applenewton.and.vision.pro?) I get why the older ipod symbols exist but these new pairings are odd. If anyone ever sees these restricted symbols in the wild, or even just someone using a Vision Pro and an iPod (Touch) together in a way that's not contrived, please do let me know!
Topic: Design SubTopic: General Tags:
Replies
1
Boosts
0
Views
814
Activity
Oct ’25
Spam 4.3 (a)
Hello everyone, I’ve reached out to Apple’s review team multiple times, but unfortunately, I haven’t received any clear or specific guidance on why my app was rejected. My app has been rejected several times with the reason “Spam” under guideline 4.3, and I still don't understand exactly which part of the app is problematic. Even after providing the necessary information about the data, I resubmitted the app, and after a few days, it quickly moved into "In Review" status, but then was rejected within seconds with the same “Spam” message. I have sent over 13 messages asking for specific feedback, and all I get are vague responses saying “It’s spam, refer to 4.3, fix your app, and resubmit.” However, when I review the guidelines, I don’t see any specific reasons for rejection that apply to my app. I’m particularly confused because my app is a VPN, and when I check the guidelines, I see that apps in categories like dating and others are saturated, but VPN apps are not. My app uses completely dedicated servers, and the IP addresses are not found in any other apps. Still, my app keeps getting rejected. If anyone has encountered a similar issue or has any insight into what might be causing this, I would greatly appreciate it if you could provide detailed guidance on what specifically needs to be changed to get the app approved. Thank you!
Topic: Design SubTopic: General
Replies
4
Boosts
1
Views
1.4k
Activity
Feb ’26