SwiftUI Gestures

Comprehensive guide to SwiftUI gesture recognition with composition patterns, state management, and accessibility integration.

When to Use This Skill

• Implementing tap, drag, long press, magnification, or rotation gestures
• Composing multiple gestures (simultaneously, sequenced, exclusively)
• Managing gesture state with GestureState
• Creating custom gesture recognizers
• Debugging gesture conflicts or unresponsive gestures
• Making gestures accessible with VoiceOver
• Cross-platform gesture handling (iOS, macOS, visionOS)

Example Prompts

These are real questions developers ask that this skill is designed to answer:

1. "My drag gesture isn't working - the view doesn't move when I drag it. How do I debug this?"

→ The skill covers DragGesture state management patterns and shows how to properly update view offset with @GestureState

2. "I have both a tap gesture and a drag gesture on the same view. The tap works but the drag doesn't. How do I fix this?"

→ The skill demonstrates gesture composition with .simultaneously, .sequenced, and .exclusively to resolve gesture conflicts

3. "I want users to long press before they can drag an item. How do I chain gestures together?"

→ The skill shows the .sequenced pattern for combining LongPressGesture with DragGesture in the correct order

4. "My gesture state isn't resetting when the gesture ends. The view stays in the wrong position."

→ The skill covers @GestureState automatic reset behavior and the updating parameter for proper state management

5. "VoiceOver users can't access features that require gestures. How do I make gestures accessible?"

→ The skill demonstrates .accessibilityAction patterns and providing alternative interactions for VoiceOver users

---

Choosing the Right Gesture (Decision Tree)

What interaction do you need?

├─ Single tap/click?
│  └─ Use Button (preferred) or TapGesture
│
├─ Drag/pan movement?
│  └─ Use DragGesture
│
├─ Hold before action?
│  └─ Use LongPressGesture
│
├─ Pinch to zoom?
│  └─ Use MagnificationGesture
│
├─ Two-finger rotation?
│  └─ Use RotationGesture
│
├─ Multiple gestures together?
│  ├─ Both at same time? → .simultaneously
│  ├─ One after another? → .sequenced
│  └─ One OR the other? → .exclusively
│
└─ Complex custom behavior?
   └─ Create custom Gesture conforming to Gesture protocol

---

Pattern 1: Basic Gesture Recognition

TapGesture

❌ WRONG (Custom tap on non-semantic view)

Text("Submit")
  .onTapGesture {
    submitForm()
  }

Problems:

• Not announced as button to VoiceOver
• No visual press feedback
• Doesn't respect accessibility settings

✅ CORRECT (Use Button for tap actions)

Button("Submit") {
  submitForm()
}
.buttonStyle(.bordered)

When to use TapGesture: Only when you need tap data (location, count) or non-standard tap behavior:

Image("map")
  .onTapGesture(count: 2) { // Double-tap for details
    showDetails()
  }
  .onTapGesture { location in // Single tap to pin
    addPin(at: location)
  }

---

DragGesture

❌ WRONG (Direct state mutation in gesture)

@State private var offset = CGSize.zero

var body: some View {
  Circle()
    .offset(offset)
    .gesture(
      DragGesture()
        .onChanged { value in
          offset = value.translation // ❌ Updates every frame, causes jank
        }
    )
}

Problems:

• View updates on every drag event (60-120 times per second)
• No way to reset to original position
• Loses intermediate state if drag cancelled

✅ CORRECT (Use GestureState for temporary state)

@GestureState private var dragOffset = CGSize.zero
@State private var position = CGSize.zero

var body: some View {
  Circle()
    .offset(x: position.width + dragOffset.width,
            y: position.height + dragOffset.height)
    .gesture(
      DragGesture()
        .updating($dragOffset) { value, state, _ in
          state = value.translation // Temporary during drag
        }
        .onEnded { value in
          position.width += value.translation.width // Commit final
          position.height += value.translation.height
        }
    )
}

Why: GestureState automatically resets to initial value when gesture ends, preventing state corruption.

---

LongPressGesture

@GestureState private var isDetectingLongPress = false
@State private var completedLongPress = false

var body: some View {
  Text("Press and hold")
    .foregroundStyle(isDetectingLongPress ? .red : .blue)
    .gesture(
      LongPressGesture(minimumDuration: 1.0)
        .updating($isDetectingLongPress) { currentState, gestureState, _ in
          gestureState = currentState // Visual feedback during press
        }
        .onEnded { _ in
          completedLongPress = true // Action after hold
        }
    )
}

Key parameters:

• minimumDuration: How long to hold (default 0.5 seconds)
• maximumDistance: How far finger can move before cancelling (default 10 points)

---

MagnificationGesture

@GestureState private var magnificationAmount = 1.0
@State private var currentZoom = 1.0

var body: some View {
  Image("photo")
    .scaleEffect(currentZoom * magnificationAmount)
    .gesture(
      MagnificationGesture()
        .updating($magnificationAmount) { value, state, _ in
          state = value.magnification
        }
        .onEnded { value in
          currentZoom *= value.magnification
        }
    )
}

Platform notes:

• iOS: Pinch gesture with two fingers
• macOS: Trackpad pinch
• visionOS: Pinch gesture in 3D space

---

RotationGesture

@GestureState private var rotationAngle = Angle.zero
@State private var currentRotation = Angle.zero

var body: some View {
  Rectangle()
    .fill(.blue)
    .frame(width: 200, height: 200)
    .rotationEffect(currentRotation + rotationAngle)
    .gesture(
      RotationGesture()
        .updating($rotationAngle) { value, state, _ in
          state = value.rotation
        }
        .onEnded { value in
          currentRotation += value.rotation
        }
    )
}

---

Pattern 2: Gesture Composition

Simultaneous Gestures

Use when: Two gestures should work at the same time

@GestureState private var dragOffset = CGSize.zero
@GestureState private var magnificationAmount = 1.0

var body: some View {
  Image("photo")
    .offset(dragOffset)
    .scaleEffect(magnificationAmount)
    .gesture(
      DragGesture()
        .updating($dragOffset) { value, state, _ in
          state = value.translation
        }
        .simultaneously(with:
          MagnificationGesture()
            .updating($magnificationAmount) { value, state, _ in
              state = value.magnification
            }
        )
    )
}

Use case: Photo viewer where you can drag AND pinch-zoom at the same time.

---

Sequenced Gestures

Use when: One gesture must complete before the next starts

@State private var isLongPressing = false
@GestureState private var dragOffset = CGSize.zero

var body: some View {
  Circle()
    .offset(dragOffset)
    .gesture(
      LongPressGesture(minimumDuration: 0.5)
        .onEnded { _ in
          isLongPressing = true
        }
        .sequenced(before:
          DragGesture()
            .updating($dragOffset) { value, state, _ in
              state = value.translation
            }
            .onEnded { _ in
              isLongPressing = false
            }
        )
    )
}

Use case: iOS Home Screen — long press to enter edit mode, then drag to reorder.

---

Exclusive Gestures

Use when: Only one gesture should win, not both

var body: some View {
  Rectangle()
    .gesture(
      TapGesture(count: 2) // Double-tap
        .onEnded { _ in
          zoom()
        }
        .exclusively(before:
          TapGesture(count: 1) // Single tap
            .onEnded { _ in
              select()
            }
        )
    )
}

Why: Without .exclusively, double-tap triggers both single and double tap handlers.

How it works: SwiftUI waits to see if second tap comes. If yes → double tap wins. If no → single tap wins.

---

Pattern 3: GestureState vs State

When to Use Each

Use Case	State Type	Why
Temporary feedback during gesture	@GestureState	Auto-resets when gesture ends
Final committed value	@State	Persists after gesture
Animation during gesture	@GestureState	Smooth transitions
Data persistence	@State	Survives view updates

Full Example: Draggable Card

struct DraggableCard: View {
  @GestureState private var dragOffset = CGSize.zero // Temporary
  @State private var position = CGSize.zero          // Permanent

  var body: some View {
    RoundedRectangle(cornerRadius: 12)
      .fill(.blue)
      .frame(width: 300, height: 200)
      .offset(
        x: position.width + dragOffset.width,
        y: position.height + dragOffset.height
      )
      .gesture(
        DragGesture()
          .updating($dragOffset) { value, state, transaction in
            state = value.translation

            // Enable animation for smooth feedback
            transaction.animation = .interactiveSpring()
          }
          .onEnded { value in
            // Commit final position with animation
            withAnimation(.spring()) {
              position.width += value.translation.width
              position.height += value.translation.height
            }
          }
      )
  }
}

Key insight: GestureState's third parameter transaction lets you customize animation during the gesture.

---

Pattern 4: Custom Gestures

When to Create Custom Gestures

• Need gesture behavior not provided by built-in gestures
• Want to encapsulate complex gesture logic
• Reusing gesture across multiple views

Example: Swipe Gesture with Direction

struct SwipeGesture: Gesture {
  enum Direction {
    case left, right, up, down
  }

  let minimumDistance: CGFloat
  let coordinateSpace: CoordinateSpace

  init(minimumDistance: CGFloat = 50, coordinateSpace: CoordinateSpace = .local) {
    self.minimumDistance = minimumDistance
    self.coordinateSpace = coordinateSpace
  }

  // Value is the direction
  typealias Value = Direction

  // Body builds on DragGesture
  var body: AnyGesture<Direction> {
    DragGesture(minimumDistance: minimumDistance, coordinateSpace: coordinateSpace)
      .map { value in
        let horizontal = value.translation.width
        let vertical = value.translation.height

        if abs(horizontal) > abs(vertical) {
          return horizontal < 0 ? .left : .right
        } else {
          return vertical < 0 ? .up : .down
        }
      }
      .eraseToAnyGesture()
  }
}

// Usage
Text("Swipe me")
  .gesture(
    SwipeGesture()
      .onEnded { direction in
        switch direction {
        case .left: deleteItem()
        case .right: archiveItem()
        default: break
        }
      }
  )

---

Pattern 5: Gesture Velocity and Prediction

Accessing Velocity

@State private var velocity: CGSize = .zero

var body: some View {
  Circle()
    .gesture(
      DragGesture()
        .onEnded { value in
          // value.velocity is deprecated in iOS 18+
          // Use value.predictedEndLocation and time

          let timeDelta = value.time.timeIntervalSince(value.startLocation.time)
          let distance = value.translation

          velocity = CGSize(
            width: distance.width / timeDelta,
            height: distance.height / timeDelta
          )

          // Animate with momentum
          withAnimation(.interpolatingSpring(stiffness: 100, damping: 15)) {
            applyMomentum(velocity: velocity)
          }
        }
    )
}

Predicted End Location (iOS 16+)

DragGesture()
  .onChanged { value in
    // Where gesture will likely end based on velocity
    let predicted = value.predictedEndLocation

    // Show preview of where item will land
    showPreview(at: predicted)
  }

Use case: Springy physics, momentum scrolling, throw animations.

---

Pattern 6: Accessibility Integration

Making Custom Gestures Accessible

❌ WRONG (Gesture-only, no VoiceOver support)

Image("slider")
  .gesture(
    DragGesture()
      .onChanged { value in
        updateVolume(value.translation.width)
      }
  )

Problem: VoiceOver users can't adjust the slider.

✅ CORRECT (Add accessibility actions)

@State private var volume: Double = 50

var body: some View {
  Image("slider")
    .gesture(
      DragGesture()
        .onChanged { value in
          volume = calculateVolume(from: value.translation.width)
        }
    )
    .accessibilityElement()
    .accessibilityLabel("Volume")
    .accessibilityValue("\(Int(volume))%")
    .accessibilityAdjustableAction { direction in
      switch direction {
      case .increment:
        volume = min(100, volume + 5)
      case .decrement:
        volume = max(0, volume - 5)
      @unknown default:
        break
      }
    }
}

Why: VoiceOver users can now swipe up/down to adjust volume without seeing or using the gesture.

Keyboard Alternatives (macOS)

Rectangle()
  .gesture(
    DragGesture()
      .onChanged { value in
        move(by: value.translation)
      }
  )
  .onKeyPress(.upArrow) {
    move(by: CGSize(width: 0, height: -10))
    return .handled
  }
  .onKeyPress(.downArrow) {
    move(by: CGSize(width: 0, height: 10))
    return .handled
  }
  .onKeyPress(.leftArrow) {
    move(by: CGSize(width: -10, height: 0))
    return .handled
  }
  .onKeyPress(.rightArrow) {
    move(by: CGSize(width: 10, height: 0))
    return .handled
  }

---

Pattern 7: Cross-Platform Gestures

iOS vs macOS vs visionOS

Gesture	iOS	macOS	visionOS
TapGesture	Tap with finger	Click with mouse/trackpad	Look + pinch
DragGesture	Drag with finger	Click and drag	Pinch and move
LongPressGesture	Long press	Click and hold	Long pinch
MagnificationGesture	Two-finger pinch	Trackpad pinch	Pinch with both hands
RotationGesture	Two-finger rotate	Trackpad rotate	Rotate with both hands

Platform-Specific Gestures

var body: some View {
  Image("photo")
    .gesture(
      #if os(iOS)
      DragGesture(minimumDistance: 10) // Smaller threshold for touch
      #elseif os(macOS)
      DragGesture(minimumDistance: 1) // Precise mouse control
      #else
      DragGesture(minimumDistance: 20) // Larger for spatial gestures
      #endif
        .onChanged { value in
          updatePosition(value.translation)
        }
    )
}

---

Common Pitfalls

Pitfall 1: Forgetting to Reset GestureState

❌ WRONG

@State private var offset = CGSize.zero // Should be GestureState

var body: some View {
  Circle()
    .offset(offset)
    .gesture(
      DragGesture()
        .onChanged { value in
          offset = value.translation
        }
    )
}

Problem: When drag ends, offset stays at last value instead of resetting.

Fix: Use @GestureState for temporary state, or manually reset in .onEnded.

---

Pitfall 2: Gesture Conflicts with ScrollView

❌ WRONG (Drag gesture blocks scrolling)

ScrollView {
  ForEach(items) { item in
    ItemView(item)
      .gesture(
        DragGesture()
          .onChanged { _ in
            // Prevents scroll!
          }
      )
  }
}

Fix: Use .highPriorityGesture() or .simultaneousGesture() appropriately:

ScrollView {
  ForEach(items) { item in
    ItemView(item)
      .simultaneousGesture( // Allows both scroll and drag
        DragGesture()
          .onChanged { value in
            // Only trigger if horizontal swipe
            if abs(value.translation.width) > abs(value.translation.height) {
              handleSwipe(value)
            }
          }
      )
  }
}

---

Pitfall 3: Using .gesture() Instead of Button

❌ WRONG (Reimplementing button)

Text("Submit")
  .padding()
  .background(.blue)
  .foregroundStyle(.white)
  .clipShape(RoundedRectangle(cornerRadius: 8))
  .onTapGesture {
    submit()
  }

Problems:

• No press animation
• No accessibility traits
• Doesn't respect system button styling
• More code

✅ CORRECT

Button("Submit") {
  submit()
}
.buttonStyle(.borderedProminent)

When TapGesture is OK: When you need tap location or multiple tap counts:

Canvas { context, size in
  // Draw canvas
}
.onTapGesture { location in
  addShape(at: location) // Need location data
}

---

Pitfall 4: Not Handling Gesture Cancellation

❌ WRONG (Assumes gesture always completes)

DragGesture()
  .onChanged { value in
    showPreview(at: value.location)
  }
  .onEnded { value in
    hidePreview()
    commitChange(at: value.location)
  }

Problem: If user drags outside bounds and gesture cancels, preview stays visible.

✅ CORRECT (GestureState auto-resets)

@GestureState private var isDragging = false

var body: some View {
  content
    .gesture(
      DragGesture()
        .updating($isDragging) { _, state, _ in
          state = true
        }
        .onChanged { value in
          if isDragging {
            showPreview(at: value.location)
          }
        }
        .onEnded { value in
          commitChange(at: value.location)
        }
    )
    .onChange(of: isDragging) { _, newValue in
      if !newValue {
        hidePreview() // Cleanup when cancelled
      }
    }
}

---

Pitfall 5: Forgetting coordinateSpace

❌ WRONG (Location relative to view, not screen)

DragGesture()
  .onChanged { value in
    // value.location is relative to the gesture's view
    addAnnotation(at: value.location)
  }

Problem: If view is offset/scrolled, coordinates are wrong.

✅ CORRECT (Specify coordinate space)

DragGesture(coordinateSpace: .named("container"))
  .onChanged { value in
    addAnnotation(at: value.location) // Relative to "container"
  }

// In parent:
ScrollView {
  content
}
.coordinateSpace(name: "container")

Options:

• .local — Relative to gesture's view (default)
• .global — Relative to screen
• .named("name") — Relative to named coordinate space

---

Performance Considerations

Minimize Work in .onChanged

❌ SLOW

DragGesture()
  .onChanged { value in
    // Called 60-120 times per second!
    let position = complexCalculation(value.translation)
    updateDatabase(position) // ❌ I/O in gesture
    reloadAllViews() // ❌ Heavy work
  }

✅ FAST

@GestureState private var dragOffset = CGSize.zero

var body: some View {
  content
    .offset(dragOffset) // Cheap - just layout
    .gesture(
      DragGesture()
        .updating($dragOffset) { value, state, _ in
          state = value.translation // Minimal work
        }
        .onEnded { value in
          // Heavy work once, not 120 times/second
          let finalPosition = complexCalculation(value.translation)
          updateDatabase(finalPosition)
        }
    )
}

Use Transaction for Smooth Animations

DragGesture()
  .updating($dragOffset) { value, state, transaction in
    state = value.translation

    // Disable implicit animations during drag
    transaction.animation = nil
  }
  .onEnded { value in
    // Enable spring animation for final position
    withAnimation(.spring(response: 0.3, dampingFraction: 0.6)) {
      commitPosition(value.translation)
    }
  }

Why: Animations during gesture can feel sluggish. Disable during drag, enable for final snap.

---

Troubleshooting

Gesture Not Recognizing

Check:

1. Is view interactive? (Some views like Text ignore gestures unless wrapped)
2. Is another gesture taking priority? (Use .highPriorityGesture() or .simultaneousGesture())
3. Is view clipped? (Use .contentShape() to define tap area)
4. Is gesture too restrictive? (Check minimumDistance, minimumDuration)

// Fix unresponsive gesture
Text("Tap me")
  .frame(width: 100, height: 100)
  .contentShape(Rectangle()) // Define full tap area
  .onTapGesture {
    handleTap()
  }

Gesture Conflicts with Navigation

NavigationLink(destination: DetailView()) {
  ItemRow(item)
    .simultaneousGesture( // Don't block navigation
      LongPressGesture()
        .onEnded { _ in
          showContextMenu()
        }
    )
}

Gesture Breaking ScrollView

Use horizontal-only gesture detection:

ScrollView {
  ForEach(items) { item in
    ItemView(item)
      .simultaneousGesture(
        DragGesture()
          .onEnded { value in
            // Only trigger on horizontal swipe
            if abs(value.translation.width) > abs(value.translation.height) * 2 {
              if value.translation.width < 0 {
                deleteItem(item)
              }
            }
          }
      )
  }
}

---

Testing Gestures

UI Testing with Gestures

func testDragGesture() throws {
  let app = XCUIApplication()
  app.launch()

  let element = app.otherElements["draggable"]

  // Get start and end coordinates
  let start = element.coordinate(withNormalizedOffset: CGVector(dx: 0.5, dy: 0.5))
  let finish = element.coordinate(withNormalizedOffset: CGVector(dx: 0.9, dy: 0.5))

  // Perform drag
  start.press(forDuration: 0.1, thenDragTo: finish)

  // Verify result
  XCTAssertTrue(app.staticTexts["Dragged"].exists)
}

Manual Testing Checklist

• Gesture works on first interaction (no "warmup" needed)
• Gesture can be cancelled (drag outside bounds)
• Multiple rapid gestures work correctly
• Gesture works with VoiceOver enabled
• Gesture works on all target platforms (iOS/macOS/visionOS)
• Gesture doesn't block scrolling or navigation
• Gesture provides visual feedback during interaction
• Gesture respects accessibility settings (Reduce Motion)

---

Resources

Apple Documentation

• Composing SwiftUI Gestures
• GestureState Documentation
• Gesture Protocol

WWDC Sessions

• WWDC 2019-237: Building Custom Views with SwiftUI
• WWDC 2020-10043: Stacks, Grids, and Outlines in SwiftUI
• WWDC 2021-10018: Add Rich Graphics to Your SwiftUI App

Related Skills

• accessibility-diag — Making gestures accessible
• swiftui-performance — Optimizing gesture performance
• ui-testing — Testing gesture interactions

---

Remember: Prefer built-in controls (Button, Slider) over custom gestures whenever possible. Gestures should enhance interaction, not replace standard controls.