hig-components-controls

name	hig-components-controls
description	Apple HIG guidance for selection and input controls including pickers, toggles, sliders, steppers, segmented controls, combo boxes, text fields, text views, labels, token fields, virtual...
risk	unknown
source	community
date_added	2026-02-27

Apple HIG: Selection and Input Controls

Check for .claude/apple-design-context.md before asking questions. Use existing context and only ask for information not already covered.

Key Principles

1. Clear current state. Users must always see what is selected. Toggles show on/off, segmented controls highlight the active segment, pickers display the current selection.

2. Prefer standard system controls. Built-in controls provide consistency and accessibility. Custom controls introduce a learning curve and may break assistive features.

3. Toggles for binary states. On or off. In Settings-style screens, changes take effect immediately. In modal forms, changes commit on confirmation.

4. Segmented controls for mutually exclusive options. 2-5 items, roughly equal importance, short labels.

5. Sliders for continuous values. When precise numeric input is not critical. Provide min/max labels or icons for range endpoints.

6. Pickers for long option lists. Too many options for a segmented control. Works well for dates, times, structured data.

7. Steppers for small, precise adjustments. Increment/decrement in fixed steps. Display current value next to the stepper with reasonable min/max bounds.

8. Text fields for short, single-line input. Text views for multi-line. Configure keyboard type to match expected input (email, URL, number).

9. Combo boxes: text input + selection list. macOS. Type a value or choose from a predefined list when custom values are valid.

10. Token fields: discrete values as visual tokens. macOS. For email recipients, tags, or collections of discrete items.

11. Gauges and rating indicators display values. Gauges show a value within a range. Rating indicators show ratings (often stars). Display-only; use interactive variants for input.

Reference Index

Reference	Topic	Key content
controls.md	General controls	States, affordance, system controls
toggles.md	Toggles	On/off, immediate effect
segmented-controls.md	Segmented controls	2-5 options, equal weight
sliders.md	Sliders	Continuous range, min/max labels
steppers.md	Steppers	Fixed steps, bounded values
pickers.md	Pickers	Dates, times, long option sets
combo-boxes.md	Combo boxes	macOS, type or select, custom values
text-fields.md	Text fields	Short input, keyboard types, validation
text-views.md	Text views	Multi-line, comments, descriptions
labels.md	Labels	Placement, VoiceOver support
token-fields.md	Token fields	macOS, chips, tags, recipients
virtual-keyboards.md	Virtual keyboards	Email, URL, number keyboard types
rating-indicators.md	Rating indicators	Star ratings, display-only
gauges.md	Gauges	Level indicators, range display

Output Format

1. Control recommendation with rationale and why alternatives are less suitable.
2. State management -- how the control communicates current state and whether changes apply immediately or on confirmation.
3. Validation approach -- when to show errors and how to communicate rules.
4. Accessibility -- labels, traits, hints for VoiceOver.

Questions to Ask

1. What type of data? (Boolean, choice from fixed set, numeric, free-form text?)
2. How many options?
3. Which platforms? (Combo boxes and token fields are macOS-only)
4. Settings screen or inline form?

Related Skills

• hig-components-menus -- Buttons and pop-up buttons complementing selection controls
• hig-components-dialogs -- Sheets and popovers containing forms
• hig-components-search -- Search fields sharing text input patterns
• hig-inputs -- Keyboard, pointer, gesture interactions with controls
• hig-foundations -- Typography, color, layout for control styling

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When to Use

This skill is applicable to execute the workflow or actions described in the overview.