platform-guideline 3 linked patterns checked
Apple Human Interface Guidelines: Undo and redo
Frames undo and redo as system-supported ways to reverse actions, supporting safe exploration and recovery.
Read with a purpose
What this source can teach
Use this source to understand a platform convention and the setting it was designed for.
- Start with the original. Open the source and find the guidance or example relevant to your task.
- Trace the connection. Use the claim notes below to see how this site applies the source to specific patterns.
- Check the setting. Compare the source's platform, people, and constraints with your own decision.
Pattern Decisions This Source Supports
| Pattern | Supported decision | Required contract | Claim note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fake undo | Flag this anti-pattern when an Undo control does not restore the exact object, value, order, relationship, permission, selection, and visible status it claims to reverse. | The system captures reversible state before applying the action, not after users request undo. | Apple undo and redo guidance provides the positive recovery contract for real reversal. |
| Redo | Choose redo when the user has just undone a reversible operation and may need to reapply it. | Redo is unavailable until an undo places an operation on the redo stack. | Apple frames undo and redo as expected reversal mechanisms that support recovery and safe exploration. |
| Undo | Choose undo when the product can restore the exact prior state without data loss or unrecoverable side effects. | The undo affordance appears after the action completes and names what will be restored. | Apple frames undo and redo as expected reversal mechanisms that support recovery and safe exploration. |
Comparisons supported by this source
- Fake undo vs undo vs toast notification vs restore from trash vs destructive action confirmation vs autosave recovery
Apple undo and redo guidance supports undo as a reliable reversal contract rather than a decorative recovery label.
- Redo vs undo vs draft state vs command palette
Apple frames undo and redo as expected reversal mechanisms that support safe exploration and recovery.
- Undo vs confirmation dialog
Apple frames undo and redo as system-supported reversal mechanisms that help people recover and explore safely.
Evidence Role
This source is treated as platform-guideline evidence. Its value comes from the specific claims and setting described above.
Publisher: Apple. Last checked: .