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Apple has removed the default use of icons beside every menu item in Golden Gate, reversing an approach introduced with macOS Tahoe. The report says Apple’s updated Human Interface Guidelines now use Tahoe’s menu design as an example of what not to do, though details of the change and its scope are not provided.
Apple has removed icons from every menu item by default in Golden Gate, reversing a menu design introduced with macOS Tahoe, according to a report by Jim Nielsen. The report also says Apple’s revised Human Interface Guidelines point to Tahoe’s icon-heavy menus as an example of what not to do on macOS, making the shift relevant both to the interface and to Apple’s guidance for designers.
Nielsen’s report says Tahoe shipped with an icon beside every menu item, a choice he had criticized in an earlier post. In Golden Gate, that default is gone. The report describes this as a reversion, but does not explain whether icons are removed entirely, appear only in selected cases, or remain available through an option.
The report also attributes a change in design advice to Apple’s Human Interface Guidelines. It says the guidelines specifically identify Tahoe’s menu treatment as an example of what not to do on macOS. Nielsen says John Gruber wrote about the reversal in June, although the source material does not provide further details of Gruber’s account or specify the date of Apple’s guideline change.
Nielsen’s central point is that the reversal gives critics a different argument: rather than saying Apple has traditionally avoided icons in menus, designers can point to Apple having tried the approach and then changed course. That is Nielsen’s interpretation of the design decision, not a stated explanation from Apple. The source material does not include a comment from the company.
A Reversal Designers Can Point To
The reported change matters to people who design or use macOS menus because it suggests Apple no longer treats an icon beside every menu command as the default. Menus are used to locate actions quickly; changing their visual treatment can affect how dense they feel and how easily people scan them. The source does not offer usability measurements or explain Apple’s reasoning, so those effects should not be treated as established findings.
For interface designers, the reported guideline language carries weight beyond this one operating-system change. Apple’s guidance can shape decisions in third-party apps, especially when developers look to its platform conventions. If the report accurately describes the updated guidance, the shift gives developers support for using fewer menu icons rather than feeling obliged to add one to each command.
Nielsen argues that a design reversal is more persuasive evidence than a long-standing preference: Apple adopted the pattern, lived with it, then changed its guidance. That framing may influence discussions of menu design, but it does not establish that every icon use was a mistake or that Apple has prohibited icons altogether.
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From Tahoe to Golden Gate
The relevant sequence in Nielsen’s account is straightforward: Tahoe introduced icons across menu items; the approach drew criticism, including from Nielsen; and Golden Gate reportedly removes that default. The report describes Apple’s guideline change as part of the same reversal. It does not provide a full release timeline, technical documentation, or screenshots, so the precise implementation cannot be independently described from the supplied material.
Nielsen also references John Gruber’s June writing about the change. The source says Apple’s new Human Interface Guidelines call out Tahoe’s menu approach, but does not quote the guideline text. The distinction matters: the report offers an account of what Apple’s guidance says, while readers do not have the exact passage here to assess its wording or qualifications.
The development is framed as a correction rather than a newly introduced visual feature. Nielsen’s earlier argument that Apple itself did not put icons in every menu item lost force when Tahoe adopted that pattern. He now sees the reversal as a stronger example of learning through design experience. That is his assessment of the significance, not an official explanation of Apple’s decision.
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The supplied report does not include an official Apple statement explaining why the default changed, when the change was made, or whether it is available in a released version of Golden Gate. It also does not clarify whether Golden Gate removes icons from all menus, restricts them to certain command types, or gives developers and users control over their use.
The reported Human Interface Guidelines update is not quoted in full, and the source material provides no link or excerpt that would establish the wording and scope of the advice. It is therefore unclear whether Apple’s guidance rejects icons in every menu item specifically, discourages them more broadly, or discusses the Tahoe implementation as one example among others. No usability data or user research is included to explain the decision.
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What Golden Gate Will Clarify
The next useful evidence will be Apple’s Golden Gate release materials, interface documentation, and the complete Human Interface Guidelines passage. Those sources could clarify when the new default took effect, whether the change applies system-wide, and what exceptions Apple recommends. They could also show whether menu icons remain available as an optional design choice.
Until those details are available, the confirmed scope should remain limited to what Nielsen reports: Golden Gate no longer puts an icon beside every menu item by default, and Apple’s guidance reportedly identifies Tahoe’s approach as an example to avoid. Apple’s rationale and the practical effects on users and app developers remain unconfirmed.
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Key Questions
What changed in Golden Gate?
According to Jim Nielsen’s report, Golden Gate removes the default icon beside every menu item that appeared in macOS Tahoe. The report does not specify every menu or the exact implementation.
Did Apple ban icons from menus?
The source does not say that. It describes a change to icons appearing on every item by default and says Apple’s guidelines criticize Tahoe’s approach. Whether icons remain appropriate in selected cases is unclear.
What do Apple’s design guidelines reportedly say?
Nielsen says Apple’s Human Interface Guidelines identify Tahoe’s menu treatment as an example of what not to do on macOS. The supplied report does not include the full guideline wording.
Why does the reversal matter to app designers?
If the report accurately describes the updated guidance, developers have a platform example supporting menus without an icon beside every command. Apple has not provided a rationale in the source material, and no effects on usability are measured there.
Has Apple explained why it changed the design?
No explanation from Apple is included in the supplied report. The reason for the reversal, its exact timing, and whether users can customize the setting remain unclear.
Source: hn
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