Apple’s new TipKit will help developers teach people how to use apps

Apple has unveiled a new set of developer tools that will make it easier for users to get familiar with mobile apps by showing them tips on how to get started. As a rule, developers are forced to create their own onboarding, training materials or use third-party libraries . Now, with the advent of Apple’s TipKit, they will have the opportunity to use a native solution.

According to the documentation, the new TipKit framework will include templates that will match Apple’s own system apps. Of course, they can be customized to match the look and feel of a developer’s own app. In addition, according to Apple, developers will be able to control when and where their tips appear. This means that prompts will not necessarily be used only at login. Developers will also be able to show hints when users start exploring a new section of the app, or customize them to trigger certain rules.

In the latter case, this will allow developers not to bother with the advice of experienced users, including those who have already learned, for example, how certain functions in the application work. Developers can also specify when to show a tooltip, such as after a user has visited a certain section of the app or used a certain feature multiple times. The developer can then show the user a tooltip that will help them access more advanced options or perhaps reveal a hidden feature as the user continues to explore the application.

In addition, developers will be able to adjust the frequency of prompts so as not to overwhelm users. With TipKit, developers can spread out their guides over several days to gradually introduce returning users to the full functionality of the app, instead of bombarding them with tips all at once. And because TipKit is a framework developed by Apple, rules and configurations will easily sync across all of a user’s devices, meaning users won’t have to see the same tips when using the app on an iPad after they’ve already been shown on an iPhone.

It looks like Apple itself will be using TipKit to bring built-in tips to its own apps like FaceTime, Photos, and Messages in iOS 17, according to images shared by the developers. This will make browsing tips more consistent across the platform, helping to educate users and reduce confusion.