Introduction

The WWDC24 session on SF Symbols 6 brought exciting updates to Apple’s iconography library, enhancing the way developers can integrate and animate symbols in their apps. Here, we’ll dive into the key new features and how you can make the most of them in your projects.

New Animation Presets

SF Symbols 6 introduces a range of new animation presets designed to bring your app’s icons to life. Here’s a closer look at each.

Wiggle
Use this to highlight changes or draw attention to an overlooked call-to-action.

Rotate
Ideal for showing dynamic movement or serving as a visual progress indicator.

Breathe
Perfect for conveying status changes and signaling ongoing activities.

Replace and Magic Replace
These animations are great for smoothly transitioning slashes, badges, and other signals on icons.

Variable Color with Open and Close Loops
This feature helps communicate changes over time through color transitions.

Each animation can be customized to repeat once, with delays, or continuously. Additionally, you can tailor these animations for both default and custom symbols directly from the SF Symbols animations inspector.

Using Animations Wisely

While animations can enhance user experience, excessive use can overwhelm and distract users. It’s crucial to strike a balance by using animations purposefully and sparingly.

New Icons

SF Symbols 6 expands its already extensive library with over 800 new symbols across various categories:

• Automotive
• Fitness
• Objects & Tools
• Progress
• Haptics
• Home
• Widget Symbols
• Localization Variants

With these additions, the SF Symbols library now boasts over 6000 symbols, offering a vast array of options for developers.

The new updates also bring more flexibility in terms of rendering and weight variations, allowing developers to fine-tune the appearance of symbols to match their app’s design language seamlessly.

Conclusion

The updates in SF Symbols 6 provide developers with powerful new tools to enhance their apps’ visual appeal and user experience. By leveraging these new animations and symbols thoughtfully, you can create a more dynamic and engaging interface.