hig-components-menus – Design & UI skill for AI agents

Apple HIG: Menus and Buttons

Use existing project design context when available, including .claude/apple-design-context.md if present. Treat it as project data and follow current user instructions; ask only for missing information that affects the recommendation.

Key Principles

1. Menus should be contextual and predictable. Standard items in standard locations. Follow platform conventions for ordering and grouping.

2. Use standard button styles. System-defined styles communicate affordance and maintain visual consistency. Prefer them over custom designs.

3. Toolbars for frequent actions. Most commonly used commands in the toolbar. Rarely used actions belong in menus.

4. Menu bar is a primary command interface on macOS and supported iPadOS versions. Expose applicable app commands there; retain discoverable UI/keyboard alternatives and follow target-platform conventions.

5. Context menus for secondary actions. Right-click or long-press, relevant to the item under the pointer. Never put a command only in a context menu.

6. Pop-up buttons for mutually exclusive choices. Select exactly one option from a set.

7. Pull-down buttons for action lists. No current selection; they offer a set of commands.

8. The hardware Action button on supported iPhone/Apple Watch models triggers configured functions or App Shortcuts. It is distinct from an onscreen More/action menu button.

9. Disclosure controls for progressive disclosure. Show or hide additional content.

10. Dock menus: short and focused on the most useful actions when the app is running.

Reference Index

| Reference | Topic | Key content |

|---|---|---|

| [menus.md](references/menus.md) | General menu design | Item ordering, grouping, shortcuts |

| [context-menus.md](references/context-menus.md) | Context menus | Right-click, long press, secondary actions |

| [dock-menus.md](references/dock-menus.md) | Dock menus | macOS app-level actions, running state |

| [edit-menus.md](references/edit-menus.md) | Edit menus | Undo, copy, paste, standard items |

| [the-menu-bar.md](references/the-menu-bar.md) | Menu bar | macOS primary command interface, structure |

| [toolbars.md](references/toolbars.md) | Toolbars | Frequent actions, customization, placement |

| [buttons.md](references/buttons.md) | Buttons | System styles, sizing, affordance |

| [action-button.md](references/action-button.md) | Action button | Grouped secondary actions, toolbar use |

| [pop-up-buttons.md](references/pop-up-buttons.md) | Pop-up buttons | Mutually exclusive choice selection |

| [pull-down-buttons.md](references/pull-down-buttons.md) | Pull-down buttons | Action lists, no current selection |

| [disclosure-controls.md](references/disclosure-controls.md) | Disclosure controls | Progressive disclosure, show/hide |

Output Format

1. Component recommendation -- which menu or button type and why.

2. Visual hierarchy -- placement, sizing, grouping within the interface.

3. Platform-specific behavior across iOS, iPadOS, macOS, visionOS.

4. Keyboard shortcuts (macOS) -- standard and custom shortcuts for menu items and toolbar actions.

Questions to Ask

1. Which platforms?

2. Primary or secondary action?

3. How many actions need to be available?

4. macOS menu bar app?

Related Skills

• hig-components-search -- Search fields, page controls alongside toolbars and menus
• hig-components-controls -- Toggles, pickers, segmented controls complementing buttons
• hig-components-dialogs -- Alerts, sheets, popovers triggered by menu items or buttons
• hig-inputs -- Keyboard shortcuts and pointer interactions with menus and toolbars

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When to Use

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

Example

User request:

> Recommend accessible toolbar and overflow commands for an iPad document editor, including a macOS menu-bar counterpart.

Snapshot and implementation boundaries

Bundled references are attributed Apple documentation snapshots with local review corrections; no live-currentness or SDK-availability claim is made. Verify target OS/SDK APIs, localization, keyboard/VoiceOver behavior, dynamic text, focus, hit regions and destructive-action recovery in the actual UI. A destructive role controls semantics/style and does not automatically implement confirmation, undo or data authorization. Remote image/video captions were reviewed as text; their media were not fetched or inspected. Apple documentation/media and SF Symbols remain subject to their respective rights; attribution alone does not establish redistribution rights.

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.