At WWDC25 we launched a new type of Lab event for the developer community - Group Labs. A Group Lab is a panel Q&A designed for a large audience of developers. Group Labs are a unique opportunity for the community to submit questions directly to a panel of Apple engineers and designers. Here are the highlights from the WWDC25 Group Lab for Design.
Can you expand on how Liquid Glass helps with navigation and focus in the UI?
Liquid Glass clarifies the navigation layer by introducing a single, floating pane that acts as the primary navigation area. Buttons within this pane seamlessly morph as you move between sections, and controls can temporarily lift into the glass surface. While avoiding excessive use of glass (like layering glass on glass), this approach simplifies navigation and strengthens the connection between menus, alerts, and the elements that trigger them.
What should I do with customized bars that I might have in my app?
Reconsider the content and behavior of customized bars. Evaluate whether you need all the buttons and whether a menu might be a better solution. Instead of relying on background colors or styling, express hierarchy through layout and grouping. This is a good opportunity to adopt the new design language and simplify your interface.
What are scroll edge effects, and what options do we have for them?
Scroll edge effects enhance legibility in controls by lifting interactive elements and separating them from the background. There are two types: a soft edge effect (a subtle blur) and a hard edge effect (a more defined boundary for high-legibility areas like column sorting). Scroll edge effects are designed to work seamlessly with Liquid Glass, allowing content to feel expansive while ensuring controls and titles remain legible.
How can we ensure or improve accessibility using Liquid Glass?
Legibility is a priority, and refinements are ongoing throughout the betas. Liquid Glass adapts well to accessibility settings like Reduce Transparency, Increase Contrast, and Reduce Motion. There are two variants of glass: regular glass, designed to be legible by default, and clear glass, used in places like AVKit, which requires more care to ensure legibility. Use color contrast tools to ensure contrast ratios are met. The Human Interface Guidelines (HIG) are a living document offering best practices. The colors and materials pages are key resources.
Do you have any recommendations for convincing designers concerned with consistency across Android and Web to use Liquid Glass?
Start small and focus on high-utility controls that don't significantly impact brand experience. Native controls offer familiarity and predictability to users. Using the native controls makes sure your app feels at home on the device. Using native frameworks provides built-in accessibility support (dynamic type, reduce transparency, increase contrast). Native controls come with built-in behaviors and interactions.
Can ScrollViews include Liquid Glass within them?
You can technically put a glass layer inside a scroll view, but it can feel heavy and doesn't align with the system's intention for Liquid Glass to serve as a fixed layer. Think of the content layer as the scrolling layer, and the navigational layer as the one using Liquid Glass. If there is glass on the content layer it will collide into the navigational layer.
What core design philosophy guided the direction of iOS 26, beyond the goal of unification?
The core design philosophy involved blurring the line between hardware and software, separating UI and navigation elements from content, making apps adaptable across window sizes, and combining playfulness with sophistication. It was about making the UI feel at home on rounded screens.
Can we layer Liquid Glass elements on top of each other?
Avoid layering Liquid Glass elements directly on top of each other, as it creates unnecessary visual complexity. The system will automatically convert nested glass elements to a vibrant fill style. Use vibrant fills and labels to show control shapes and ensure legibility. Opaque grays should be avoided in favor of vibrant colors, which will multiply with the backgrounds correctly.
What will happen to apps that use custom components? Should they be adapted to the new design within the next year?
The more native components you use, the more things happen for free. Standard components will be upgraded automatically. Look out for any customizations that might clash. Think about what is the minimum viable change, where your app still feels and looks very similar to what it did. Prioritize changes in core workflows and navigational areas. There are a number of benefits to using native components including user familiarity, built-in accessibility support, and built-in behaviors and interactions.
Will Apple be releasing Figma design templates?
Sketch kits were published on Monday and can be referenced. The goal is to ensure the resources are well-organized, well-named, and easy to use. It's a high priority.
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.
Selecting any option will automatically load the page
Post
Replies
Boosts
Views
Activity
我设计了一个可以键盘输入的蓝牙HID设备,被iphone蓝牙连接后,iphone无法弹出系统键盘,我正试图寻求可以通过修改HID设备代码来解决的方案。
I am struggling with exactly how to set up SwiftData relationships, beyond the single relationship model...
Let's say I have a school. Each school offers a set of classes. Each class is taught by one teacher and attended by several students. Teachers may teach more than one class, but only at one school. Similarly students may attend more than one class, but only at one school. Classes themselves may be offered at more than one school.
Can someone create a class for School, SchoolClass, Teacher, and Student with id, name, and relationships... I have tried it unsuccessfully about 10 different ways at this point.
My most recent is below... I am struggling getting beyond a school listing in the app, and I'll cross that bridge next. I am just wondering if all the trouble I am having is because I am not smart with the class definitions. And wondering if this is to complex for SwiftData and CoreData is the requirement.
This is not a real app, just my way of really trying to get a handle on Swift Data models and Navigation.
I am very new to Swift, and will take any and all suggestions with enthusiasm! Thanks for taking the time.
import Foundation
import SwiftData
@Model
class School: Identifiable {
var id: UUID = UUID()
var name: String
var mascot: String
var teachers: [Teacher]
var schoolClasses: [SchoolClass]
init (name: String, mascot: String = "", teachers: [Teacher] = [], schoolClasses: [SchoolClass] = []) {
self.name = name
self.mascot = mascot
self.teachers = teachers
}
class SchoolClass: Identifiable {
var id: UUID = UUID()
var name: String
var teacher: Teacher?
var students: [Student] = []
init (name: String, teacher: Teacher? = nil, students: [Student] = []) {
self.name = name
self.teacher = teacher
self.students = students
}
}
class Teacher: Identifiable {
var id: UUID = UUID()
var name: String
var tenured: Bool
var school: School?
var students: [Student] = []
init (name: String, tenured: Bool = false, students: [Student] = []) {
self.name = name
self.tenured = tenured
self.students = students
}
}
class Student: Identifiable {
var id: UUID = UUID()
var name: String
var grade: Int?
var teacher: Teacher?
init (name: String, grade: Int? = nil, teacher: Teacher? = nil) {
self.name = name
self.grade = grade
self.teacher = teacher
}
}
}
App design: macos, Xcode 16.4, Sequioa 15.5, it is sandboxed
Uses: Pods->HotKey for a global hotkey which xcode says "binary compatibility can't be guaranteed"
This app is on the Apple Store and supposedly apps on the Apple Store can't use global hotkeys. Someone internally, installed it from the store and the global hotkey works just fine.
I'm concerned for two potential problems;
I need to find a hotkey library or code that is known to work with a sandbox'd Apple Store app.
Why is it working now when everything I have read says it shouldn't.
When receiving or dialing a call, the green (answer) and red (decline) icons appear blurry, and there is a black screen overlay around the icons. This makes it difficult to interact with the call interface properly.
Hi everyone,
I’m having trouble getting the new glassEffect() modifier to render correctly in SwiftUI.
No matter what I try, it just appears as a solid white background (instead of translucent glass). This happens both in Beta 1 and Beta 2.
My setup: • Mac mini (M4 chip) • macOS 26 Beta 2 (Tahoe) • Xcode 26 Beta 2 • Samsung Odyssey G9 57” monitor (super ultrawide) • Using Preview in SwiftUI, I use IOS 26 Beta 2 (not the Simulator)
Even when I use Apple’s default demo code like:
Text("Hello World") .padding() .glassEffect()
Hi everyone,
I’m having trouble getting the new glassEffect() modifier to render correctly in SwiftUI.
No matter what I try, it just appears as a solid white background (instead of translucent glass). This happens both in Beta 1 and Beta 2.
My setup:
• Mac mini (M4 chip)
• macOS 15 Beta 2 (Tahoe)
• Xcode 16 Beta 2
• Samsung Odyssey G9 57” monitor (super ultrawide)
• Using Preview in SwiftUI (not the Simulator)
Even when I use Apple’s default demo code like:
Text("Hello World")
.padding()
.glassEffect()
Hello Apple Team,
I’d like to request a feature that allows users to close all background apps at once on iPhones. Currently, closing each app individually can be time-consuming, especially when many are running.
A “Close All” button would greatly improve user experience and efficiency.
Thank you for considering this suggestion!
Is it possible to use the new variable draw feature for a custom SF Symbol without it leaving the background behind it when it is not drawn?
I am trying to make a tally icon that is drawn with the variable draw, but it doesn't look good if the tally is visible in the background before it is drawn.
In Apple Vision Pro, I want to implement a HUD page similar to the one in Medivis' SuricalAR product (i.e. the UI is fixed on the screen field of view rather than in space). How should I do it?
Hi everyone,
I’m new to macOS development and working on an app idea that needs a timeline-based editor interface, similar to what you see in Logic Pro or Final Cut.
The UI I want to build would have:
A horizontal beat ruler that follows BPM and shows beat positions
Several vertical tracks stacked below it (for things like events or markers)
Horizontal zooming and scrolling
A preview panel on the right side that stays in sync with the timeline
I’m currently trying this in SwiftUI, but I’m running into some limitations and wondering if AppKit would be a better fit, or maybe a hybrid of the two.
My questions:
Where should I start when building something like this?
What’s the best way to make the beat ruler and all track layers scroll together?
How should I handle zooming in/out and syncing the display to a BPM timeline?
Is there a clean way to integrate AppKit for the timeline view while keeping SwiftUI elsewhere?
When I first tried to create a custom SF Symbol using Affinity Designer, I encountered difficulties because of two problems which have cumulated:
SVG files created by Affinity Designer cannot be directly imported into the SF Symbols app because Affinity Designer totally recreates the content of tag <g id="Notes">, making so the file incompatible for later import into the SF Symbols app. So I had to manually fix that tag via a text editor in order to make the file compatible with the SF Symbols app.
Because I was so focused on fixing manually the SVG file, I did not see that the actual content of my SVG file did not follow all Apple recommendations. As a consequence, I have posted this question on the forum:
Struggling creating a custom SF Symbol: The provided variants are not interpolatable
Finally I have found a way to create an SVG file compatible with SF Symbols using Affinity Designer, meeting the Apple recommendations, and at last perfectly suitable for further use in Xcode.
You will find the solution in my reply to this post below which is actually a quasi copy/paste of my final own reply to my original post.
Marc
Hello Apple Developers i am here write down my experience with the IOS 26 Beta
first off i would like to say that i kind of do/don't like the new iquid glass UI/UIX Designs in some parrts of the ios like in m ust 3rd Party Apps like Uber Lyrith MJ Access Link Moblie app DoorDash VLC And Apple Music App just to name of few
since i have installed the beta i have ran into a few bugs i have alread sent to the feeback app via iphone but i'm going to write them here as will i'm not looking for troubleshoots or tech support i'm just shareing my experience with the apple community and the Apple Development/Enginer Team to fine tone for release Time
please note that i am a user with Vision impairment so please by respect to me due to my writteing issues and grammer and spelling
so here i go my first bug that i ran into on the first day was when i was listening to some music trakcs in the apple muisc app when scrolling down or up fast the app will froze for mill secend then contiune as noraml
my second bug that i ran into dureing music play was with my Crossfade settings not working on some tracks im not sure if this is due to BMP alignment or AI algorithm integration with in the software itseif but for me this takes me out of the listening experince that i have when i enjoy listening to music
My suggestion Move the AutoMix and Crossfade Settings in to the Apple Music its seif and give the user more controll over how long or how short they want the crossfade or autmix to happen dureing the ending of each tracked play also for the cross fade option is set at 12 increase this to 30 secs or more if possiable or add an BPM options for the Automix to mix in the next track via BMP for simple of my rock track is at 148 BMP the next track should be pop or kpop or rap synceing up with that same BMP speed or similar at 148 BMP my next suggestion for the Apple Music App Shameless track mode (this mode to can be Incorporated) in to the Automix Featrue this redue some music tracks that ends abruptly some MP3 tracks added outside of the Apple Music App seems to broke dureing playback
My 3rd bug that i ran in to with the Glass UI for controll Center like i stated before i am Vision impaired with the clear Glass over lapping the current UI for me this hard for me to tell what icons i am looking atside from the Voolum and Brightness Bars i am asking please make this more dark theme and make the icons brigher or add name undernearth the icons or Flip the Dark them or dan the current UI over lapping the Controlor center or add White colors with Black Arrows/icons for all Apple App that has this Glass UI in side of cause this is driving me nuts
My 4th Bug that i ran into was with the lock screen/restart/reboot ohh girl where do i began with this one let's with the notifications i don't know who through it was a good idea to have a Clear Bright UI over lapping the Notifications this is very annoying via imessage Texting cause my custom wallpaper Blends in with a white background and this is Worst
My suggestion for this is very simple darkering the background on the lock screen abit more so the text is more reader or increase the Notification bars (this is for users like myseif that use Dark mode)
My 5th Bug involves my Back ups/Restore/Corrupated < is seif explanatory when i tryed to downgrand back to Version 18.5/18.6 nothing happened so please fix this or make it a bit more easyer for users to be able to back up/Retore their Devices now i has to wait until (Tomttow morning Friday) to factory reset my phone
my conclusion since Beta Users and Developers and Engiers are Still testing please take look at my suggestion and try to bring not all but some of them in to public Release
Thank You!
Update i would like to Downgrad from IOS 26 Developer Beta back to IOS 18.5
ปุ่ม ฝ เอาไปสลับกะปุ่ม backspace น่าจะใช้สะดวกขึ้น
I'm trying out Icon Composer Version 1.0 (27.4). I imported a simple logo and sized it in the outer circle. The icon appears good in the Icon Composer. But when I export the file and use it for my app icon it seems to be missing a margin or padding that other native application icons have.
Am i supposed to be adding my own padding to these resulting icons or am I building them incorrectly? Any guidance would be appreciated. Thanks!
Hi,
Anybody knows will this occurs when using navigationStack at iOS 18.3? The navigationStack not stay at safeareas
the code as simple as that:
NavigationStack(path: $navManager.path) {
VStack {
Text("Hello")
}
.navigationDestination(for: Route.self) { route in
switch route {
....
}
}
}
.environmentObject(navManager)
.environment(logic)
Feedback id: FB16140301
Below are the steps to reproduce the bug in Contacts app.
Open Contacts app.
Now search for a contact and didSelect that contact.
Now slightly hold swipe right(from view's center leading position) as to pop the view but not fully swipe, now release the finger and you can see the back nav bar button missing and tapping the back button position also doesn't perform dismiss action.
Now do fully swipe from left to right to dismiss(pop) current view.
Here you can see the search bar missing.-> That's the bug.
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
In Apple Music I opened fullscreen for a song and I accidentally clicked some keys and the name and artist name of the song I was playing disappeared, and I can't figure out how to get it back, it temporarily comes back when I hover over the top bar but I can not get it to stay there permanently.
I’m currently using the iOS 26 Developer Beta and noticed the new icon design for the Camera app. Personally, I preferred the previous icon it looked cleaner, more elegant, and felt more in line with Apple’s signature iOS design language.
The new icon feels more like something you’d expect from Android. It lacks the minimalist, refined style that usually defines iOS icons. I understand UI evolves over time, but this change feels like a step away from what makes Apple’s design philosophy unique.
Just wanted to share this honest feedback as a long-time user and developer. Thanks for considering!