hig-components-system

Apple HIG: System Experiences

If the project contains .claude/apple-design-context.md, read it as project context. Do not require that file or create global configuration to use this skill. Ask only for target platform, content or constraints still missing.

Key Principles

General

1. Glanceable, immediate value. System experiences bring your app's most important content to surfaces the user sees without launching your app. Design for seconds of attention.

2. Respect platform context. A Lock Screen widget has different constraints than a Home Screen widget. A complication is far smaller than a top shelf item.

Widgets

3. Show relevant information, not everything. Display the most useful subset, updated appropriately.

4. Support multiple sizes with distinct layouts. Each size should be a thoughtful design, not a scaled version of another.

5. Deep-link on tap. Take users to the relevant content, not the app's root screen.

Live Activities

6. Track events with a clear start and end. Deliveries, scores, timers, rides. Design for both Dynamic Island and Lock Screen.

7. Stay updated and timely. Stale data undermines trust. End promptly when the event concludes.

Notifications

8. Respect user attention. Only send notifications for information users genuinely care about. Avoid low-value notifications. Promotional notifications require explicit opt-in and compliance with current platform rules; never infer consent from app installation.

9. Actionable and self-contained. Include enough context to understand and act without opening the app. Support notification actions. Use threading and grouping.

Complications

10. Focused data on the watch face. Use WidgetKit for modern complications; legacy ClockKit templates do not map one-to-one to WidgetKit layouts. Design for the smallest useful representation. Support multiple families. Budget updates wisely.

Home Screen Quick Actions

11. 3-4 most common tasks. Short titles, optional subtitles, relevant SF Symbol icons.

Top Shelf

12. tvOS showcase. Feature content that entices: new episodes, featured items, recent content.

App Clips

13. Instant, focused functionality within a strict size budget. Download and launch a small App Clip without installing the full app. Only what's needed for the immediate task, then offer full app install.

App Shortcuts

14. Surface key actions to Siri and Spotlight. Define shortcuts for frequent tasks. Use natural, conversational trigger phrases.

Reference Index

Reference	Topic	Key content
widgets.md	Widgets	Glanceable info, sizes, deep linking, timeline
live-activities.md	Live Activities	Real-time tracking, Dynamic Island, Lock Screen
notifications.md	Notifications	Attention, actions, grouping, content
complications.md	Complications	Watch face data, families, budgeted updates
home-screen-quick-actions.md	Quick actions	Haptic Touch, common tasks, SF Symbols
top-shelf.md	Top shelf	Featured content, showcase
app-clips.md	App Clips	Instant use, lightweight, focused task, NFC/QR
watch-faces.md	Watch faces	Custom complications, face sharing
app-shortcuts.md	App Shortcuts	Siri, Spotlight, voice triggers

Output Format

1. System experience recommendation -- which surface best fits the use case.
2. Content strategy -- what to display, priority, what to omit.
3. Update frequency -- refresh rate including system budget constraints.
4. Size/family variants -- which to support and how layout adapts.
5. Deep link behavior -- where tapping takes the user.

Questions to Ask

1. What information needs to surface outside the app?
2. Which platform?
3. How frequently does the data update?
4. What is the primary glanceable need?

Related Skills

• hig-components-status -- Progress indicators in widgets or Live Activities
• hig-inputs -- Interaction patterns for system experiences (Digital Crown for complications)
• hig-technologies -- Siri for App Shortcuts, HealthKit for complications, NFC for App Clips

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When to Use

Use when designing Apple system surfaces outside the main app: widgets, Live Activities, notifications, watch complications, Home Screen quick actions, tvOS Top Shelf, App Clips or App Shortcuts. Choose the target platform and OS version before applying a reference.

Example

User request:

Design a delivery-tracking Live Activity for iPhone with a clear stale state, accessible labels, privacy-safe Lock Screen content and an explicit end state.

Recommend supported presentations, source timestamps, ActivityKit update/dismissal handling and a device test matrix. Do not promise real-time delivery or start a push campaign as part of a design request.

Limitations

• Use this skill only when the task clearly matches the scope described above.
• Do not treat the output as a substitute for environment-specific validation, testing, or expert review.
• Stop and ask for clarification if required inputs, permissions, safety boundaries, or success criteria are missing.

Implementation boundaries

Imported references are snapshots with local corrections, not Apple endorsement. Confirm current SDK availability; do not interpret a historical platform summary as proof that an API is unavailable. Widgets use budgeted timelines, Live Activities use ActivityKit and system/APNs delivery limits, and neither is a guaranteed real-time monitor. Show stale/offline states and make critical information available in the app. Separate App Shortcuts phrase restrictions from the parameters an underlying App Intent accepts.

Watch-face sharing configures existing supported faces with complications; it does not grant arbitrary third-party face rendering. Use synthetic data for previews and redact sensitive information on Lock Screens, shared TVs, watch faces and Siri responses. Revalidate authentication/authorization in intent and deep-link handlers; a launch URL, notification action or widget tap does not authorize a purchase, account change or data disclosure. Sending notifications, publishing App Clips or deploying backend services requires the corresponding user task scope.