watchos-design-guidelines

Evaluate watchOS UI designs against Apple's Human Interface Guidelines.

486|29|Updated Feb 1, 2026

Search Tags:#HIG #UI guidelines #complications #watchOS #Digital Crown #Apple Watch

Ready to run

npx skills add https://github.com/ehmo/platform-design-skills --skill watchos-design-guidelines-ehmo

💬 Prompt for ChatGPT / Claude Chat▼

Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: watchos-design-guidelines
Source: https://github.com/ehmo/platform-design-skills/tree/main/skills/watchos
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/ehmo/platform-design-skills --skill watchos-design-guidelines-ehmo

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve?

This Skill codifies Apple Watch Human Interface Guidelines into actionable rules to help designers and engineers build compliant, glanceable watchOS experiences.

Core Features & Use Cases

Glanceable Design: Ensure key data is legible within 2 seconds on small screens.
Digital Crown & Navigation: Align interactions with Digital Crown and shallow navigation patterns.
Complications & Notifications: Design effective watch face complications and concise notifications.
Always On Display & Workouts: Address dimmed states and workout UI constraints.
Reference & Validation: Provide structured rules and checklists to validate watchOS UI against HIG.

Quick Start

Audit a watchOS app against the guidelines by running through the sections in SKILL.md: verify glanceability, Crown interactions, and complication behavior. For example, ensure primary information is visible without scrolling and that a complication can launch the app to relevant content.

Frequently Asked Questions about watchos-design-guidelines

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema

How do I design a glanceable watchOS app interface?▼

Glanceable watchOS design requires primary information to be legible within two seconds on small screens without scrolling. This skill provides actionable rules to validate UI layouts against Apple's Human Interface Guidelines for quick readability.

What are the Apple Watch Human Interface Guidelines for Digital Crown navigation?▼

Apple Watch HIG requires shallow navigation patterns that align with Digital Crown interactions for scrolling and zooming. This skill evaluates UI designs to ensure navigation depth and Crown input behaviors comply with standard watchOS patterns.

How do I validate watch face complications against Apple's design rules?▼

Validating watch face complications involves checking that they launch the app directly to relevant content and display concise data. This skill provides structured checklists to audit complication behavior and visual design against watchOS HIG.

Can I use this skill to audit Always On Display and workout UI constraints?▼

Yes, this skill audits Always On Display dimmed states and workout UI constraints based on watchOS HIG. It evaluates whether your app maintains appropriate visual hierarchy and legibility during low-power and active workout scenarios.

What is the best way to check if my watchOS notifications meet HIG standards?▼

Checking watchOS notification HIG standards requires verifying that alerts are concise and actionable on small screens. This skill codifies those rules into structured validation steps to ensure your notifications comply with Apple Watch guidelines.