What are the recommended design guidelines for sidebars in ipad apps?

The recommended design guidelines for sidebars in iPad apps, as presented at WWDC, include several key points:

1. Consistency Across Devices: Ensure that tabs are consistent between iPhone and iPad to allow users to navigate easily regardless of the device they are using. Avoid adding too many tabs as it can make it harder for users to locate information within your app.

2. Efficient Navigation: Sidebars help users navigate your app by providing quick access to top-level destinations, such as collections of content like folders or playlists. They are particularly useful in apps with rich hierarchies.

3. Customization: The new sidebar supports customization features that allow users to show or hide individual tabs or reorder them. This personalization can enhance the user experience by making the app more tailored to individual preferences.

4. Integration with Tab Bars: In iPadOS 18, tab bars can optionally be displayed as a sidebar. When the sidebar is hidden, it animates back into the tab bar, keeping the focus on the content. This integration allows for a more streamlined and efficient navigation experience.

5. Adopting New APIs: Existing sidebar apps can adopt new UI Tab bar controller APIs to get a combined tab and sidebar experience. This allows for quick navigation using the tab bar while providing access to deeper sections of the app through the sidebar.

6. User Personalization: Users can add their favorite tabs through drag and drop, making it easy to personalize their experience. This is particularly beneficial for content-rich apps that need to surface additional collections of content.

For more detailed information, you can refer to the session Elevate your tab and sidebar experience in iPadOS which covers the tab bar and sidebar refresh.

Relevant Sessions

• Elevate your tab and sidebar experience in iPadOS
• What’s new in UIKit
• Platforms State of the Union