Apple Reverses macOS Design Choice
Apple removes menu item icons in macOS 27 Golden Gate, reversing a divisive design choice in macOS 26 Tahoe, after criticism from developers and designers
Key points
- Apple introduced menu item icons in macOS 26 Tahoe, which was widely criticized by developers and designers
- The company's own Human Interface Guidelines, published in 1992, advised against using menu item icons excessively
- In macOS 27 Golden Gate, Apple has removed many of these icons, using them only where necessary
- The change is seen as a reversal of a divisive design choice, with some developers already adopting workarounds to disable the icons
Apple has reversed a divisive design choice in macOS 26 Tahoe by removing many menu item icons in the upcoming macOS 27 Golden Gate. The introduction of these icons in Tahoe was widely criticized by developers and designers, who found them inconsistent and difficult to understand. The criticism was so strong that some developers adopted open-source code to switch the icons off by default.
The removal of the icons in Golden Gate is seen as a sign that Apple is listening to feedback from developers and designers. The company has also revised its Human Interface Guidelines to advise developers to use menu item icons 'sparingly and with purpose', reserving them for common actions, file system locations, and connected devices.
The change is significant, as it shows that Apple is willing to reverse course on a design decision that was widely criticized. It also highlights the importance of feedback from developers and designers in shaping the direction of Apple's products.
Sources
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