--- name: hig-components-system description: 'Apple HIG guidance for system experience components: widgets, live activities, notifications, complications, home screen quick actions, top shelf, watch faces, app clips, and app shortcuts.' risk: safe source: community date_added: '2026-02-27' --- # 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](references/widgets.md) | Widgets | Glanceable info, sizes, deep linking, timeline | | [live-activities.md](references/live-activities.md) | Live Activities | Real-time tracking, Dynamic Island, Lock Screen | | [notifications.md](references/notifications.md) | Notifications | Attention, actions, grouping, content | | [complications.md](references/complications.md) | Complications | Watch face data, families, budgeted updates | | [home-screen-quick-actions.md](references/home-screen-quick-actions.md) | Quick actions | Haptic Touch, common tasks, SF Symbols | | [top-shelf.md](references/top-shelf.md) | Top shelf | Featured content, showcase | | [app-clips.md](references/app-clips.md) | App Clips | Instant use, lightweight, focused task, NFC/QR | | [watch-faces.md](references/watch-faces.md) | Watch faces | Custom complications, face sharing | | [app-shortcuts.md](references/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 --- *Built by [Raintree Technology](https://raintree.technology) ยท [More developer tools](https://raintree.technology)* ## 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.