Designing Apps for Tablets and Stylus Input

Many apps treat the tablet as a stretched phone: the same single column, now surrounded by empty space. People who choose a tablet expect more – more context on screen, precise input and layouts that adapt as they rotate the device.

Use the space for context, not just bigger content

A second pane for details, a persistent sidebar or a preview next to a list lets people work without constantly navigating back and forth. Keep line lengths comfortable; a wider screen is not a reason for 140-character lines.

Treat the stylus as a first-class input

Pencil users want low latency, palm rejection and pressure that feels natural. Offer shortcuts such as a double tap to switch tools, and never hide essential actions behind hover states that a stylus cannot trigger.

“The best tablet apps feel like a desk: everything you need within reach, nothing in the way.”

— Leo Martins, Product Designer, Inkwell

Design both orientations on purpose

Landscape and portrait deserve their own layouts. Test split view and slide-over modes too, where your app may only get a third of the screen.

Keep touch targets generous

Fingers still matter on a tablet. Keep targets at least 44 points and leave space around destructive actions so a resting hand never triggers them.