Gestures & device / The visual dictionary
Directional pad.
A controller with up, down, left, and right directions plus selection.
Also calledD-padremote directions
01
UI illustrationSee it in context
Left
02
What it is
A controller with up, down, left, and right directions plus selection. Move a visible focus indicator between sensible neighboring targets and keep Back behavior predictable.
When to use it
Use it for TV remotes and other directional controllers.
Know the difference
A directional pad moves focus; a pointer directly targets arbitrary screen coordinates.
03
Across platforms
tvOSAndroid TV
tvOS · Android TV
Android TV and tvOS both rely on focus navigation but differ in remote hardware and additional gestures.
04
Go to the source
Primary documentation for the pattern and its platform conventions.