What are toggle switch UX best practices?

Deep dive

To ensure a toggle switch enhances the UX of an enterprise app rather than complicates it, designers should follow specific guidelines. These best practices help make toggle UX design intuitive, accessible, and effective for managing binary settings.

1. Provide immediate feedback

When someone flips a toggle switch, the change should take effect right away. This immediate feedback helps users feel confident that their action was successful.

ClickUp shows changes immediately after enabling or disabling AI feature:

2. Use clear, action-oriented labels

Labels should state what happens when the toggle is on.

In Notion, it’s clear for users that after enabling this feature their timezone will be set automatically:

3. Incorporate accessible indicators

Include text like "On" and "Off" near a switch. This improves the UX of a toggle switch and helps everyone, including those with visual impairments, know the toggle's status.

4. Design with high contrast

Choose colors for toggles that clearly show whether they’re on or off.

5. Avoid overdesigning

Overdesigning can lead to confusion. Stick to straightforward classic designs that focus on function rather than form and creativity.

The idea of checkbox switches is interesting, but it can often confuse some users:

Source

6. Manage loading and errors

If a toggle action takes time or fails, let users know with visual signals. This way, they’re not left wondering if their action worked.

🤝 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!

• Toggle-Switch Guidelines by Alita Joyce

• Toggle Switch: 5 Simple Design Tips For Better Design by Nick Babich

📚 Keep exploring 

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

• The Confusing State of Toggle Switches by UX Movement

• Why toggle switches suck (and what to do instead) by Adam Silver