On December 5, 2025, China’s National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) released the Guidelines for Design Patent Applications Involving Graphical User Interfaces (涉及图形用户界面的产品外观设计专利申请指引). Per CNIPA, “this guide aims to guide innovators to accurately understand the rules governing GUI-related product design by introducing it’s characteristics, application document requirements, and typical cases of GUI-related design, thereby improving the quality of GUI patent application drafting and responses and promoting the high-quality development of the design patent system.”
Excerpts follow. The full text is available here (Chinese only).
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The circumstances under which a design patent will not be granted, as stipulated in Section 7.4 of Chapter 3 of Part I of the Examination Guidelines, mainly include the following related to graphical user interfaces:
- Designs consisting solely of geometric shapes and patterns commonplace within the product’s field.
- Game interfaces and patterns displayed on display devices unrelated to human-computer interaction. For example, electronic screen wallpapers, power-on/off screens, and the text and graphic layout of website pages unrelated to human-computer interaction.
- Partial designs that cannot form a relatively independent area or constitute a relatively complete design unit on the product.
According to the above-mentioned regulations, design patent applications involving graphical user interfaces, like general design patent applications, must be based on a product, must be a new design, and must be related to human-computer interaction; they cannot be game interfaces. If protection is sought for a partial design of a graphical user interface, it must form a relatively independent area and constitute a relatively complete design unit.
Industrial design refers to the appearance design of a product, and its carrier must be a product. The carrier for industrial design involving graphical user interfaces (GUIs) must also be a product, such as a mobile phone, computer, tablet, VR glasses, projection equipment, home appliances, automobiles, and instruments.
As shown in Figure 1.1, the icon is a simple graphic design and does not use any product as a carrier; therefore, it is not subject to protection under industrial design patents.
As shown in Figure 1.2, the icon controlling the graphical user interface of an electronic device uses the electronic device as a carrier. Clicking the icon allows the electronic device to perform corresponding functions, and therefore falls under the protection of industrial design patents.
Product designs involving graphical user interfaces (GUIs) cannot be designs composed of geometric shapes and patterns commonplace in the relevant field.
As shown in Figure 1.3, the GUI for unlocking a mobile phone using a numeric keypad is a common design, and the GUI design consists only of common circular numeric keys and standard font text in a conventional layout. Therefore, this design is clearly not a new design.
Requests for protection of partial designs must also meet the requirements for new designs. As shown in Figure 1.4, the dial pad of a telephone GUI on an electronic device, the partial design for which protection is sought consists only of common circular numeric keys, English letters, and the asterisks (*) and # symbols in a conventional layout. Its position and proportion within the overall product are also common designs. Therefore, this partial design is clearly not a new design.
Since neither of the above two designs is clearly a new design, they are not subject to design patent protection.
The product design protected by the design patent involving the graphical user interface should be an interface design related to human-computer interaction. The interaction can be achieved through input devices such as keyboards, or through clicking, touching, swiping, gestures, voice, etc.
The mobile phone screen wallpaper shown in Figure 1.5, the mobile phone boot screen shown in Figure 1.6, and the mobile phone software welcome screen shown in Figure 1.7 are all designs displayed on display devices that are unrelated to human-computer interaction and are not subject to design patent protection.
As shown in Figure 1.8, the graphical user interface of a computer’s tourism webpage is a simple graphic layout. It is a pattern displayed on a display device that is not related to human-computer interaction and is not an object protected by a design patent.
When applying for a design patent for a part of a graphical user interface, the part of the design for which protection is sought must also be related to human-computer interaction.
For design patent applications concerning a portion of a graphical user interface, the claimed portion of the design must visually form a relatively independent area and constitute a relatively complete design unit.
As shown in Figure 1.9, the information display box of the course management graphical user interface of an electronic device has a right side that is clearly arbitrarily cropped or segmented, failing to constitute a relatively complete design unit and therefore not falling under the scope of design patent protection.
The overall appearance and partial appearance design of a game interface are not subject to design patent protection.
As shown in Figure 1.10, the game interface of the electronic device clearly contains game scene images and is therefore not subject to design patent protection.
As shown in Figure 1.11, the function settings window of the game interface of the electronic device, although its protected partial appearance design is a function settings module within the game interface and does not protect the game scene images, is still considered a game interface overall. Therefore, the requested partial appearance design is also not subject to design patent protection.
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The product name should include the specific purpose of the graphical user interface (GUI), the words “graphical user interface,” and the product to which the GUI is applied, such as “robot with motion-controlled graphical user interface” and “mobile payment graphical user interface for mobile phones.”
The product name must not omit the product to which the GUI is applied and its specific purpose, nor should it be too general or overly specific. For example, “graphical user interface for making calls” lacks the product to which the GUI is applied; “graphical user interface for electronic device software” and “graphical user interface for mobile phones” lack specific purpose; and “graphical user interface for operating electronic devices” and “interactive graphical user interface for mobile phones” are overly general in their purpose.
If protection is sought for a dynamic GUI, the word “dynamic” should also be added to the product name. If protection is sought for a partial design of the GUI, the name of that partial design should also be included in the product name. If the GUI can be used on any electronic device, the product to which it is applied can be written as “electronic device.”
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If the area of the graphical user interface (GUI) is difficult to determine from the view, it should be described in the brief description.
As shown in Figure 2.2, the GUI for displaying the product detection time of a tablet computer cannot be determined from the view alone whether the GUI area is a solid-lined rectangle or a dashed-lined rectangle. Therefore, the brief description should state that “the solid-lined rectangle in the main view is the display screen area.”
For text in a graphical user interface, it can be expressed as is, or the position and layout of the text can be indicated by “×”. However, text that clearly expresses the necessary information must be retained and cannot be indicated by “×”.
As shown in Figure 2.3, in the network settings graphical user interface of an electronic device, some necessary text information in Figure (1) should be expressed as is and cannot be indicated by “×”. If it is changed to all “×” in Figure (2), the specific purpose of the graphical user interface and human-computer interaction will be unclear.
For product design involving a graphical user interface (GUI), a brief description should include the product name, the product’s purpose, the purpose of the GUI, design highlights, and images or photographs that best illustrate the design highlights. The purpose of the GUI should correspond to the purpose stated in the product name. If protection is requested for a portion of the GUI’s design, the purpose of that portion should also be specified. The design highlights should include the GUI.
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The product name should specify the specific purpose of the graphical user interface (GUI), the product it is applied to, and the words “Graphical User Interface.”
Design drawings or photographs should include, in addition to orthographic views of the product involving the GUI, views clearly illustrating the product design, such as six-view orthographic views and perspective views.
The brief description should highlight the key design features of the GUI and the product to which it is applied.
For example, a mobile phone with a GUI featuring a camera mode selection, as shown in Figure 2.5, focuses on the GUI design and the phone’s design. Design drawings or photographs and a brief description can be submitted as follows.
GUI design showing rear view, right view, main view, left view, bottom view, and top view.
【Brief Description】 1. Product Name: Mobile Phone with Graphical User Interface for Shooting Mode Selection.
2. Intended Use: For communication and system operation.
3. Purpose of the Graphical User Interface: For selecting shooting modes.
4. Key Design Features: The graphical user interface and the shape of the mobile phone.
5. Image or Photograph Best Demonstrating Design Features: Front View.
The product name should specify the specific purpose of the graphical user interface (GUI), the product to which it is applied, and the words “graphical user interface.”
Design drawings or photographs should at least include a frontal projection view of the product involving the GUI, clearly demonstrating the GUI design.
The brief description should state that the design focus is solely on the GUI.
For example, a mobile phone with a GUI for selecting shooting modes, as shown in Figure 2.6, whose design focus is solely on the GUI, can submit design drawings or photographs and a brief description as follows.
【Brief Description】 1. Product Name: Mobile Phone with Graphical User Interface for Shooting Mode Selection.
2. Intended Use: For communication and system operation.
3. Purpose of the Graphical User Interface: For selecting shooting modes.
4. Key Design Features: The graphical user interface is the only key design feature.
5. Image or Photograph that best illustrates the key design features: Front view.
For product designs where the design focus is solely on the graphical user interface (GUI), applicants may submit an application as a partial design. Submitting a partial design application includes views of the product with or without the GUI.
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The product name should specify the specific purpose of the GUI, the product to which it is applied, and the words “GUI”.
The design drawings or photographs should include an orthographic projection view of the product involving the GUI, with the product drawn in dashed lines to clearly show the position and proportion of the GUI within the product.
The brief description should state that the design focus is solely on the GUI.
For example, the timing GUI of a smartwatch shown in Figure 2.7, where the design focus is solely on the GUI, and protection is requested for the complete GUI, design drawings or photographs and a brief description may be submitted as follows.
【Brief Description】
1. Product Name: Timekeeping Graphical User Interface for Smartwatch.
2. Purpose of Product: For timekeeping, program operation, and communication.
3. Purpose of Graphical User Interface: For displaying time, activity data, date, and weather.
4. Design Highlights: The graphical user interface is the sole focus.
5. Image or Photograph Best Demonstrating Design Highlights: Front View.
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For graphical user interfaces that can be applied to any electronic device, an application can be submitted without the product to which the graphical user interface is applied.
The product name should specify the purpose of the graphical user interface, the term “electronic device,” and the words “graphical user interface.”
Design drawings or photographs should only include views of the graphical user interface.
The product’s purpose in the brief description can be summarized as “an electronic device,” and should also include the purpose of the graphical user interface, stating that the design focus is solely on the graphical user interface. Specific names or types of electronic devices do not need to be listed in the brief description.
As shown in Figure 2.9, for the graphical user interface of an electronic device, to request protection of the complete graphical user interface, you can submit design images or photographs and a brief description as follows.
【Brief Description】 1. Product Name: Graphical User Interface for Photography in an Electronic Device.
2. Intended Use of the Product: An electronic device.
3. Intended Use of the Graphical User Interface: For photography.
4. Key Design Elements: The graphical user interface is the sole element of this design.
5. Image or Photograph Best Demonstrating the Key Design Elements: Front View.
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As shown in Figure 2.10, a photograph of the parameter setting module of the GUI of an electronic device is requested. Protection of a portion of the GUI can be sought by submitting design drawings or photographs and a brief description as follows.
【Brief Description】 1. Product Name: Parameter Setting Module for Graphical User Interface of Electronic Device for Photography.
2. Intended Use of the Product: An electronic device.
3. Intended Use of the Graphical User Interface: For photography.
4. Intended Use of the Scope of Protection: For setting photography parameters.
5. Key Design Features: The solid-line drawn portion of the graphical user interface.
6. Image or Photograph that best illustrates the key design features: Front view.
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A dynamic graphical user interface (GUI) refers to a graphical user interface that presents continuously changing patterns after a user interacts with it. These changes are typically continuous, non-random, and directional.
Product names for dynamic GUIs must include the word “dynamic,” such as “Dynamic GUI for Mobile Phone Charging Information” or “Dynamic GUI for Document Display on Electronic Devices.”
For dynamic GUIs, applicants should submit a view of the surfaces involved in the initial state of the GUI as the main view. They may also submit views of keyframes of the GUI as a change-state diagram. The submitted views should uniquely identify the complete change process of the dynamic GUI. The view names of the change-state diagrams should be labeled according to the chronological order of the dynamic changes.
As shown in Figure 2.11, a dynamic GUI for charging information on an electronic device can be submitted with design drawings or photographs and a brief description as follows.
【Brief Description】 1. Name of the product: Dynamic Graphical User Interface for Charging Information of Electronic Device.
2. Intended use of the product: An electronic device.
3. Purpose of the graphical user interface: Dynamically displaying the charging status of an electronic device.
4. Key design features of the product: The graphical user interface alone.
5. Image or photograph that best illustrates the key design features: Front view.
6. Human-computer interaction method of the graphical user interface: When the device is located in a wireless charging area, the graphical user interface changes sequentially in the order of the front view and the changing state diagrams 1-5.
According to the requirements of the State Intellectual Property Office, the applicant may submit video files demonstrating the dynamic graphical user interface change process.
Chapter 3 Circumstances under which an application can be submitted as a single application
For multiple similar designs that include a graphical user interface, in addition to the requirement that no more than 10 similar designs may be included in a single application, two conditions must also be met: first, the products to which each design is applied must belong to the same product; and second, the other designs among the multiple designs must be similar to the basic design.
