whats new in UIKit?

Asked on 06/16/2025

2 searches

Tailscan

This post is brought to you by Tailscan, the best devtool for Tailwind CSS.

Want to sponsor? We'd love to chat →

In the "What's New in UIKit" sessions at WWDC, several enhancements and new features were introduced for UIKit across different iOS versions:

  1. iOS 18 Enhancements:

    • Document Launch Experience: Redesigned for document-based apps to showcase their identity with full control over launch views and support for template document creation.
    • Tabs and Sidebar Updates: Major updates to tabs and sidebars, including new fluid transitions.
    • Automatic Trait Tracking: Easier handling of traits with automatic tracking and invalidation.
    • UIUpdateLink: A new feature for implementing complex animations requiring periodic UI updates, similar to CA display link but with more features.

  2. iOS 26 Enhancements:

    • New Design System: Introduction of "Liquid Glass," a new material that is translucent and dynamic, updating the look and feel of system materials and controls.
    • SwiftUI Interoperability: Improved integration with SwiftUI, including support for Swift observable objects and new animation options.
    • Menu Bar on iPadOS: Introduction of a menu bar similar to macOS, providing quick access to app functionality.
    • Architectural Improvements: Built-in support for Swift observable objects and new APIs for better menu bar construction.

For more detailed information, you can watch the sessions What's new in UIKit (2024) and What's new in UIKit (2025).

Provide feedback
What’s new in UIKit

What’s new in UIKit

Explore everything new in UIKit, including tab and document launch experiences, transitions, and text and input changes. We’ll also discuss better-than-ever interoperability between UIKit and SwiftUI animations and gestures, as well as general improvements throughout UIKit.

What’s new in UIKit

What’s new in UIKit

Modernize your app with the latest APIs in UIKit, including enhanced menu bar support, automatic observation tracking, a new UI update method, and improvements to animations. We’ll also cover how you can include SwiftUI scenes in your UIKit app and explore SF Symbols, HDR color pickers, and more.

Build a UIKit app with the new design

Build a UIKit app with the new design

Update your UIKit app to take full advantage of the new design system. We’ll dive into key changes to tab views, split views, bars, presentations, search, and controls, and show you how to use Liquid Glass in your custom UI. To get the most out of this video, we recommend first watching “Get to know the new design system” for general design guidance.