# Tin Toy — Metal shaders made easy

> Real-time Metal shader creation and preview tool for iOS and iPadOS. (iPhone/iPad app by Adrian Russell.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tin-toy/id6737349612 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Adrian Russell](https://appshunter.io/developer/909640424)
- Category: Developer Tools, Graphics & Design
- Price: Free
- Rating: 4.00/5 from 1 App Store ratings · 1 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 18.0 · 47 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2025-05-30
- Data updated: 2026-08-26
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tin-toy/id6737349612/reviews.md

## What is Tin Toy?

Tin Toy is your creative canvas for real-time graphics. Inspired by ShaderToy, and designed natively for iOS & iPadOS, Tin Toy lets you write and preview Metal shaders with a seamless, modern interface.

Whether you're a graphics enthusiast, game developer, or curious creative, Tin Toy gives you powerful tools to bring your shaders to life.


Real-Time Metal Shaders
Write fragment shaders in a built-in code editor, or your code editor of choice, and see the results instantly.


Flexible Buffer Management
View each shader buffer individually or all at once. Feed shaders with custom inputs like:
 * Images
 * Video
 * Live camera feed
 * Mouse & keyboard (if attached to device)
  

Snapshot, Record & Share
Capture still frames or record high-quality videos of your shaders in action with a click.
Self contained document bundles include the shaders and all its buffer assets for easy sharing and collaboration.


Built-In Debugging Tools
Capture frames and inspect them using Xcode for pixel-perfect debugging.


Perfect for:
* Learning Metal shader programming
* Rapid prototyping of visual effects
* Creating generative art


100% Free
No ads. No upsells.

## Key features

- Real-time Metal shader writing
- Instant preview of results
- Custom input buffers (images, video, camera)
- Snapshot and record shader output
- Built-in debugging tools
- Shareable document bundles

## Recent user reviews (1 of 1)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tin-toy/id6737349612/reviews.md

### 4/5 — Great, but…

*2025-11-17*

Other free shader apps pale in comparison to this. Custom images and videos? 4 different buffers? Completely off the charts.

However for some reason, the shader doesn’t seem to update/change through time. I don’t know if this might be a bug or my device is just really buggy, but I hope this gets fixed. Thanks.

Edit: Seems like this bug only occurs on iPad. I haven’t tested Mac yet, but iPhone definitely works for me.

## Frequently asked questions about Tin Toy

### What is Tin Toy?

Tin Toy is a free application for iOS and iPadOS that allows users to write and preview real-time Metal shaders. It's inspired by ShaderToy and provides a modern interface for graphics creation.

### Is Tin Toy free to use?

Yes, Tin Toy is 100% free to use. The app explicitly states 'No ads. No upsells.'

### What devices does Tin Toy support?

Tin Toy is supported on Mac, iPhone, and iPad devices, offering flexibility for users across the Apple ecosystem.

### Can I share my shader creations with others using Tin Toy?

Yes, Tin Toy allows you to capture still frames or record videos of your shaders. It also creates self-contained document bundles that include shaders and their assets for easy sharing and collaboration.

### Does Tin Toy have ads?

No, Tin Toy is ad-free. The developer has stated 'No ads. No upsells.'

### How does Tin Toy help with debugging shaders?

Tin Toy includes built-in debugging tools that allow you to capture frames and inspect them using Xcode. This feature aids in achieving pixel-perfect debugging for your shaders.

### What kind of inputs can I use with shaders in Tin Toy?

Tin Toy offers flexible buffer management, allowing you to feed shaders with custom inputs such as images, video, live camera feeds, and even mouse and keyboard input if attached to the device.

### When was Tin Toy last updated?

Tin Toy was last updated on October 27, 2025, with version 1.0.2.

## Version history (last 4 releases)

### 1.0.3 — 2026-08-19

* Improved accessibility
* View your shaders with live facial tracking
* Bug fixes

### 1.0.2 — 2025-10-27

* UI updates for iOS 26
* Added support for menu bar for iPadOS 26
* Add experiment setting for toggling front/rear camera for camera texture
* Improved UI for advanced rendering/recording experiment feature
* Improvements to error messages in code editor

### 1.0.1 — 2025-07-28

Fixes to camera capture
Visual and performance improvements

### 1.0 — 2025-07-16

No release notes.

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-26.*