Fundamentals of touch selection

Touch selection must respond instantly and feel natural. When users tap items, the interface should clearly show what's selected and what actions are possible.

Users expect various touch interactions when selecting items. Single taps select individual items. Simple drag gestures select multiple items. Adding a second finger while dragging modifies selection.

Avoid creating unique selection patterns. Using standard iOS behaviors helps users understand how selection works across all apps.

Different types of selection serve different needs:

• Quick selection. Elements respond briefly and return to normal
• Staying selected. Elements stay selected until tapped again
• Multiple choices. Users can select many items at once using standard gestures^[1]