How to create user-friendly accordion UI design?

Deep dive

An accordion, sometimes referred to by other names like arrow toggle, collapse, collapsible sections, details, disclosure, expandable, or expander, is a UI component designed to hide content while keeping it accessible to users. Its primary purpose is to organize and reveal information progressively, ensuring users can focus on relevant details without being overwhelmed.

The content within an accordion UI design can vary widely depending on the use case. It might include plain text, checkboxes, tables, forms, charts, or even interactive elements like buttons.

What is accordion anatomy?

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1. Title: The text label that identifies the content of the section and serves as the primary trigger for expansion or collapse.

2. Trailing icon: A visual indicator, such as a caret or arrow, that indicates the current state and serves as an additional trigger.

When to use accordion UI design in enterprise apps?

Use an accordion in enterprise UI when:

• Organizing content into manageable sections (e.g., filters, navigation menus, or detailed descriptions).

• Screen space is limited, such as on dashboards or sidebars.

• Progressive disclosure of secondary or supplementary information is necessary.

What are the advantages of using accordion UI?

• Space-saving design: Keeps interfaces clean and organized by displaying content only when needed, which helps avoid clutter.

• Improved focus: Reduces cognitive load by allowing users to concentrate on one section of content at a time, making it easier to process information.

• Logical grouping: Organizes related content together, making it easy for users to find and access the information they need.

• Enhanced readability: Increases the ease of reading, especially on mobile devices, by presenting content in a more digestible format that’s optimized for smaller screens.

What states can an accordion UI component have?

• Collapsed: In this state, the accordion section is closed, and its content is hidden. Typically, a visual indicator, such as a chevron or plus icon, signals that the section can be expanded.

• Expanded: When a section is expanded, its content becomes visible. The visual indicator often changes to reflect this state, such as rotating the chevron or changing the plus icon to a minus.

• Hovered: When a user hovers over an accordion header, it may change visually to indicate interactivity, such as changing color or displaying a subtle shadow.

• Focused: For accessibility, it's important to provide a clear visual cue when an accordion header is focused, such as a border or background change.

• Disabled: A disabled accordion section should appear inactive, often through reduced opacity or a grayed-out appearance, indicating that it cannot be interacted with.

Multi-active vs. single active: Which expansion method to choose?

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• Single-active: For workflows where users need to focus on one section at a time (e.g., multi-step forms).

• Multi-active: For cases where comparing or referencing multiple sections is helpful (e.g., dashboards).

What is the most expected accordion icon?

In accordion design, users generally expect a downward-pointing arrow or caret, which rotates to show state changes: downward for collapsed and upward/rightward for expanded.

Options include:

• Caret: A small, subtle indicator; downward for collapsed, upward for expanded.

• Arrow: Typically points right when collapsed and rotates downward when expanded.

• Plus/Minus: Clear for state changes but can be confusing when “+” doesn’t imply expansion.

• Foil: A less common alternative, often seen in specialized UI designs.

• None: Some designs opt for no icon, relying on text or other visual cues for interaction.

What should trigger the expansion: the entire accordion section or just the icon?

• Entire header: Ideal for touch devices and general usability.

• Icon-only: Suitable when the header includes other interactive elements like links or buttons.

Should I use an automatically collapsible accordion in UI design?

• Yes: For single-active accordions to reduce cognitive load.

• No: For multi-active accordions where users may need multiple sections open at once.

What are the usability issues with an accordion in UI design?

1. Hidden content may lead to users missing critical information.

2. Overloading sections with too much content or interaction can overwhelm users.

3. Poor indicators or unclear headers make it hard for users to understand the accordion's function or content.

When to avoid accordion UX in the interface?

1. Critical information: Don’t hide important data or actions behind accordions, as users need fast, easy access to key tasks.

2. Complex workflows: Avoid accordions in complex processes—use step-by-step navigation instead to guide users clearly.

3. Performance issues: For large datasets, accordions can slow down the app; consider alternatives like pagination or lazy loading.

4. Mobile space constraints: On small screens, consider collapsible panels or bottom navigation instead of accordions to improve usability.

5. Cluttered interfaces: In busy dashboards, avoid adding accordions that can increase cognitive load. Focus on streamlining key tasks.

Accordions or tabs: Which component works better?

Choosing between accordions and tabs depends on the type of content and user goals.

Use tabs when:

• You need to organize content into distinct sections.

• Quick access to multiple sections is necessary.

• The number of sections is under 7 for better navigation.

Use accordions when:

• You want to save space and display content in a compact way.

• The content is hierarchical or has different levels of detail.

• Your users prefer progressive disclosure, revealing content as needed.

What are the best accordion UX design practices? 

1. Use clear triggers

Ensure that clickable areas, such as headers, icons (e.g., caret), or "more" buttons, are easily identifiable and indicate the expanded/collapsed state.

2. Allow scrollable content

If accordion content exceeds the available space, make it scrollable vertically. 

3. Ensure accessibility

Implement smooth keyboard navigation (Tab to focus, Enter/Space to toggle). Follow WCAG guidelines for contrast and ensure screen reader support is in place for all interactive elements.

4. Design for responsiveness

Ensure that an accordion UI element responds smoothly to clicks and maintains fast, intuitive animations when expanding or collapsing. Accordions should maintain a fixed width but adapt neatly across different screen sizes within the desktop environment.

5. Organize content effectively

Keep accordion sections concise and break down large sections into smaller, manageable chunks. Utilize helper elements like badges, subtitles, or additional icons for clarity, but avoid overloading the UI.

What to consider for mobile accordion UI design?

1. Use clear triggers

Triggers (headers, icons, or buttons) should be large enough to be easily tappable. Clearly indicate whether content is expanded or collapsed, using a simple, intuitive design.

2. Ensure content scrolls vertically

Horizontal scrolling should be avoided on mobile to enhance readability and prevent awkward interactions.

3. Ensure accessibility

Similar to desktop, ensure smooth keyboard navigation (for assistive technology) and follow WCAG accessibility guidelines. Pay special attention to mobile-specific needs like touch gestures.

4. Focus on smooth interactions

Ensure smooth animations when expanding/collapsing content, making sure transitions are fast and don't affect performance. Mobile users expect fast, responsive interactions with minimal delays.

🤝 Credits

Our content combines the knowledge of Cieden’s designers with insights from industry influencers. Big thanks to all the influencers for sharing awesome content!

• Accordions on Desktop: When and How to Use by Huei-Hsin Wang

• UI cheat sheet: Accordions by Tess Gadd

📚 Keep exploring 

Never stop growing. Explore resources thoughtfully handpicked by Cieden’s designers.

• Accordion Icons: Which Signifiers Work Best? by Page Laubheimer and Raluca Budiu 

• Accordions Are Not Always the Answer for Complex Content on Desktops by Hoa Loranger