Apple HIG: Status Components

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

Key Principles

Progress Indicators

Show progress for operations longer than a second or two.
Determinate when duration/percentage is known. A filling progress bar gives users a clear sense of remaining work. Use for downloads, uploads, or any measurable process.
Indeterminate when duration is unknown. A spinner communicates work is happening without promising a timeframe. Use for unpredictable network requests.
Prefer progress bars over spinners. Determinate progress feels faster and more trustworthy.
Place indicators where content will appear. Inline progress near the content area, not modal or distant.
Don't stack multiple indicators. Aggregate simultaneous operations into one representation or show the most relevant.

Status Bars

Don't hide the status bar without good reason. Reserve hiding for immersive experiences (full-screen media, games, AR).
Match status bar style to your content. Light or dark for adequate contrast.
Respect safe areas. No interactive content behind the status bar.
Restore promptly when exiting immersive contexts.

Activity Rings

Activity rings are for Move, Exercise, and Stand goals. Don't repurpose the ring metaphor for unrelated data.
Respect ring color conventions. Red (Move), green (Exercise), blue (Stand) are strongly associated with Apple Fitness.
Use HealthKit APIs for activity data rather than manual tracking.
Celebrate completions with animation and haptics when rings close.

Reference Index

| Reference | Topic | Key content | |---|---|---| | progress-indicators.md | Progress bars and spinners | Determinate, indeterminate, inline placement, duration | | status-bars.md | iOS/iPadOS status bar | System info, visibility, style, safe areas | | activity-rings.md | watchOS activity rings | Move/Exercise/Stand, HealthKit, fitness tracking, color |

Output Format

Indicator type recommendation with rationale (determinate vs indeterminate).
Timing and animation guidance -- duration thresholds, animation style, transitions.
Accessibility -- VoiceOver progress announcements, live region updates.
Platform-specific behavior across targeted platforms.

Questions to Ask

Is the duration known or unknown?
Which platforms?
How long does the operation typically take?
System-level or in-app indicator?

Related Skills

hig-components-system -- Widgets and complications displaying progress or status
hig-inputs -- Gestures triggering progress states (pull-to-refresh)
hig-technologies -- HealthKit for activity ring data; VoiceOver for progress announcements

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When to Use

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

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.