iOS 26 Design Guide
A comprehensive guide to designing and developing for Apple's latest mobile platform. Master the new interface paradigms and features.
Expanded Dynamic Island
Enhanced functionality and third-party app integration with the Dynamic Island across all iPhone 16 models.
Liquid Glass UI
A refined design language with transparent, glossy interfaces and fluid animations.
AI-Powered Features
Apple Intelligence integration across the system with on-device processing for privacy.
Customizable Lock Screen
More widgets, interactive elements, and personalization options for the lock screen.
What's New in iOS 26
User Interface
Fluid animations with physics-based responses
Enhanced transparency effects with dynamic blur
Refined typography and spacing system
Redesigned control center with customizable modules
Adaptive color schemes that respond to wallpaper and time of day
Functionality
App Library improvements with smart categorization
Enhanced multitasking with split view on all devices
Focus modes now have contextual awareness
Cross-app drag and drop for all content types
Redesigned notification system with priority filtering
Privacy & Security
Enhanced private browsing with additional protections
On-device processing for sensitive information
App privacy reports with more detailed insights
End-to-end encryption for more service types
Advanced phishing protection across the system
Design Guidelines
Visual Design
Learn how to apply iOS 26's new visual language to your app interfaces, including Liquid Glass effects, typography updates, and UI component changes.
Learn MoreInteraction Patterns
Understand the new gesture-based interactions, animation guidelines, and feedback mechanisms to create fluid, engaging experiences.
Learn MoreSystem Integration
Discover how to integrate with iOS 26's new features, including Dynamic Island, Lock Screen widgets, and Focus filters.
Learn MoreVisual Design
Liquid Glass UI
iOS 26 introduces Liquid Glass, a design language characterized by transparent, glossy interfaces that create depth while maintaining clarity. The effect simulates glass materials with appropriate reflectivity, refraction, and edge treatments.
Key Characteristics
- • Variable transparency based on context
- • Subtle edge highlighting to define boundaries
- • Environmental reflection and color adaptation
- • Physics-based interactions that respond to user input
- • Depth hierarchy through layering and blur intensity
Implementation Guidelines
- • Use system materials where available
- • Apply appropriate blur intensity (10-20px)
- • Consider content beneath glass elements
- • Maintain sufficient contrast for text
- • Respond to dark/light mode appropriately
Liquid Glass UI Examples
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Typography
iOS 26 continues to use SF Pro as its system font, with refinements to weights and spacing to enhance readability and hierarchy.
Typography Updates
- • Increased default size for body text
- • Refined line heights for better readability
- • Enhanced dynamic type scaling
- • New text styles for Liquid Glass interfaces
Best Practices
- • Use system text styles whenever possible
- • Test legibility across all dynamic type sizes
- • Consider text contrast against glass surfaces
- • Maintain consistent hierarchy within your app
Interaction Patterns
Fluid Animations
iOS 26 places greater emphasis on animation that feels natural and responds to user input with physics-based behavior, creating a more engaging and intuitive experience.
Animation Principles
- • Spring-based animations with natural elasticity
- • Responsive feedback that acknowledges user input
- • Continuity between states to maintain context
- • Spatial awareness in navigation transitions
- • Appropriate timing based on action complexity
Technical Parameters
Animation Examples
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Gesture Patterns
iOS 26 expands on existing gesture patterns with more nuanced interactions that respond to pressure, velocity, and directionality.
New Gestures
- • Multi-stage swipes
- • Pressure-sensitive taps
- • Directional holds
- • Velocity-based actions
- • Corner activation
System Interactions
- • Enhanced Dynamic Island
- • Expanded Control Center
- • Interactive Notifications
- • Contextual Quick Actions
- • Active Lock Screen
Accessibility
- • Alternative activation methods
- • Adjustable timing settings
- • Enhanced voice control
- • Gesture customization
- • Reduced motion options
System Integration
iOS 26 offers new opportunities for apps to integrate with system features and provide a more cohesive experience. Here are the key areas to consider for your app.
Dynamic Island
Dynamic Island has been expanded to support more interactive experiences and deeper integration with third-party apps. Now available across all iPhone 16 models, it offers new display formats and interaction patterns.
Key Features
- • Expanded view states
- • Interactive controls
- • Multi-app coordination
- • Live activity updates
- • Context-aware content
- • Fluid animations
Lock Screen Widgets
iOS 26 expands Lock Screen widget capabilities with more interactive elements, greater customization, and enhanced visual treatments that integrate with the Liquid Glass design language.
Implementation Guidelines
- • Follow Liquid Glass styling
- • Design for all widget sizes
- • Support light and dark appearances
- • Ensure glanceable information
- • Use tasteful animations
- • Implement interactive elements
- • Update content appropriately
- • Consider battery impact
Apple Intelligence Integration
iOS 26 brings Apple Intelligence capabilities to apps through a set of APIs that enable on-device machine learning features while preserving user privacy.
Available Capabilities
- • Natural language understanding
- • Image recognition and analysis
- • Contextual suggestions
- • Personalized experiences
- • Predictive features
Integration Best Practices
- • Process sensitive data on-device
- • Be transparent about AI features
- • Provide user control over AI usage
- • Use intelligence to simplify, not complicate
- • Ensure fallbacks for unsupported devices
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