How to Make Your iOS App Feel 10x Better Than the Default Experience: 5 Advanced Design Tips

If you've ever wondered how some apps just feel more polished, engaging, and fun to use compared to the standard iOS apps, you're not alone. Chris, a seasoned app developer who builds productivity apps, recently shared some advanced design techniques that elevate his apps far beyond the default Apple experience. In this post, we'll break down his top 5 actionable tips to help you make your app stand out with a premium, enjoyable feel.

1. Add Life with Interactions & Animations

Most default iOS apps are quite static — tabs switch instantly, and animations are minimal or absent. Chris suggests embracing animations to make your app feel more dynamic and dimensional. For example, in his budgeting app Luna, switching between tabs involves a smooth sliding animation instead of an instant switch.

Even more impressive are custom animation sequences, like in his app Ellie, where the send button rotates into a checkmark, the background expands, and text fades with spring effects during AI task dictation. These small touches create a satisfying, premium experience that users subconsciously appreciate.

Pro tip: Complex animations can be intimidating, but breaking them down into smaller components and using AI coding tools like Claude Code can streamline the process. Instead of asking for a full animation at once, request sub-animations step-by-step (e.g., rotate arrow to checkmark, fade text).

2. Use Custom Illustrations to Add Personality

Empty states are often overlooked, typically showing just plain text like “No tasks today.” Chris recommends going beyond that by adding custom illustrations or animations to these screens. His app Lily, a meeting assistant, features a ghost mascot that appears in various playful poses depending on the app state (searching, taking notes, drinking coffee).

Thanks to AI tools like ChatGPT, you can generate countless mascot variations once you have a base illustration. Chris advises commissioning an artist if possible — his girlfriend Cecilia designed his mascot — but AI-generated art can also work well with the right creative prompts.

Next level: Animate these custom illustrations using tools like Rive to add even more vibrancy and engagement to your app.

3. Enhance Tactile Experience with Haptic Feedback

Physical feedback through subtle vibrations can make tapping your app more satisfying and fun. Interestingly, Apple’s own apps use haptics sparingly, possibly for battery or accessibility reasons, but Chris encourages using them thoughtfully.

In Luna, almost every button press has haptic feedback, with varied intensity depending on the action — lighter feedback for frequent taps like entering transactions, and stronger feedback for more significant interactions like changing tabs.

Key insight: When done right, haptics can make users want to interact more, adding an addictive, tactile layer to your app's experience.

4. Choose the Right Icons and Stay Consistent

Icons are a subtle but powerful design element. While the default SF Symbols are fine, they’re common and generic. Chris emphasizes spending time selecting an icon pack that matches your app’s vibe. He uses Hero Icons (the thin version) for a clean, minimal look in Luna.

The style of your icons (thin, filled, complex) sends a message about your app’s personality, so choose carefully and stay consistent throughout your interface. Mixing styles can make your app feel less polished.

Also, consider using different icon styles to indicate different states. For example, Luna uses thin icons for inactive tabs and heavier filled icons for active tabs, adding subtle but effective visual depth beyond just changing colors.

5. Elevate Your Design Taste Through Constant Inspiration

Good design isn’t a one-time skill — it’s developed over time by continuously exposing yourself to great work. Chris recommends:

• Following talented designers on Twitter to see fresh ideas and bookmark inspiring designs.
• Using Mobbin, a comprehensive design resource with thousands of app screenshots, to browse real-world examples of layouts, icons, and UI patterns.

By regularly scrolling through Mobbin or similar platforms, you naturally develop a better design sense, recognize patterns you like, and make smarter design choices in your own apps. It’s also a useful tool to answer specific design questions like “Which icon style fits my app?”

Final Thoughts

Creating an app that feels better than the default iOS experience isn’t about one big change — it’s about layering many small, thoughtful details together. From nuanced animations and custom illustrations to tactile haptics and carefully chosen icons, these elements add up to a premium, fun, and polished user experience.

If you’re building an app—whether it’s a finance tool like Luna or a productivity assistant like Ellie—applying these tips can make your app genuinely stand out. For those interested in the foundational design process, Chris also has videos covering mood boarding and wireframing to complement these advanced techniques.

About the Author

Chris builds productivity apps and shares his design and development insights regularly on Instagram and TikTok. If you want to dive deeper into app design or stay updated with practical tips, be sure to follow him and subscribe to his channel.

By investing effort in these small but impactful design strategies, you can elevate your app's feel well beyond the basics and create an experience users truly enjoy. Happy designing!