Agent skill · design visual · ehmo
ipados-design-guidelines
Apple Human Interface Guidelines for iPad. Use when building iPad-optimized interfaces, implementing multitasking, pointer support, keyboard shortcuts, or responsive layouts. Triggers on tasks involving iPad, Split View, Stage Manager, sidebar navigation, or trackpad support.
Why this skill is useful
Provides specific design patterns and guidelines for creating iPad-optimized interfaces that the AI wouldn't reliably generate on its own.
What it needs
About 10k tokens when loaded. Last updated 2026-03-19. 481 stars on the source repository.
What this skill does
iPadOS Design Guidelines Comprehensive rules for building iPad-native apps following Apple's Human Interface Guidelines. iPad is not a big iPhone -- it demands adaptive layouts, multitasking support, pointer interactions, keyboard shortcuts, and inter-app drag and drop. These rules extend iOS patterns for the larger, more capable canvas. --- 1. Responsive Layout (CRITICAL) 1.1 Use Adaptive Size Classes iPad presents two horizontal size classes: regular (full screen, large splits) and compact (Slide Over, narrow splits). Design for both. Never hardcode dimensions. 1.2 Don't Scale Up iPhone UI iPad layouts must be purpose-built. Stretching an iPhone layout across a 13" display wastes space and feels wrong. Use multi-column layouts, master-detail patterns, and increased information density in regular width. 1.3 Support All iPad Screen Sizes Design for the full range: iPad Mini (8.3"), iPad (11"), iPad Air (11"/13"), and iPad Pro (11"/13"). Use flexible layouts that redistribute content rather than simply scaling. 1.4 Column-Based Layouts for Regular Width In regular width, organize content into columns. Two-column is the most common (sidebar + detail). Three-column works for deep hierarchies (sidebar + list + detail). Avoid single-column full-width layouts on large screens. 1.5 Respect Safe Areas iPad safe areas differ from iPhone. Older iPads have no home indicator. iPads in landscape have different insets than portrait. Always use safeAreaInset and never hardcode padding for notches or indicators. 1.6 Support Both Orientations iPad apps must work well in both portrait and landscape. Landscape is the dominant orientation for productivity. Portrait is common for reading. Adapt column counts and layout density to orientation. --- 2. Multitasking (CRITICAL) 2.1 Support Split View Your app must function correctly at 1/3, 1/2, and 2/3 screen widths in Split View. At 1/3 width, your app receives compact horizontal size class. …
How to use it
Reference it in AdaL, Claude Code, Cursor or any coding agent — nothing to install:
@skills ehmo/ipados