Where are rounded buttons most effective in a design?
TL;DR
- Rounded buttons are most effective in creating a friendly, simple, and engaging user experience.
- They excel in grid layouts like photo galleries and product listings, saving space and directing attention to content.
- They are ideal for prominent call-to-action (CTA) buttons, such as "Buy Now" or "Sign Up," by effectively drawing user attention.
- Fully rounded buttons work well as standalone elements in interfaces with ample space, ensuring primary interactions are clearly distinguishable.
- They simplify navigation by making important actions more visually distinct.
- Fully rounded buttons can confuse as sometimes can look like tags, struggle with nested options, and look unsuited in stacked layouts.
Detailed answer
Rounded buttons work best when you aim for a friendly, simple, and engaging user experience. Here are some key areas where they are particularly effective:
Grids and lists
Rounded corners work well in grid layouts, such as photo galleries or product listings, because they save space and direct attention to the content rather than the component itself. This makes interactions feel more inviting and less cluttered.
Call-to-action buttons
Fully rounded buttons are ideal for prominent call-to-action elements. They stand out effectively, drawing users' attention to critical actions like "Buy Now" or "Sign Up." For example, Spotify uses fully rounded green buttons to highlight actions like "Play," making them unmistakable and encouraging user engagement.
Standalone elements
In interfaces with ample space, fully-rounded buttons can be very effective. They are particularly useful when the button needs to be a standalone element that attracts immediate attention. This approach is often seen in mobile and web applications where primary interactions need to be clearly distinguishable.
Simplifying navigation
As already mentioned, rounded buttons can help simplify navigation by making important actions more visually distinct. This is especially useful in interfaces with a lot of interactive elements, ensuring that users can easily find and use key functions without confusion.
Related reading: Do rounded buttons perform a better usability?
When rounded buttons might not work
Confusion with tags
Fully rounded buttons can sometimes look like tags, confusing whether they are interactive elements or filters.
Nested options
Fully rounded buttons can struggle with displaying nested options effectively. The clickable area for nested options can be too small, leading to usability issues.
Stacked layouts
Stacking fully rounded buttons in tables or cards can make them look unsuited and overly prominent. Alternatives include using no-border buttons or only showing button options on hover to maintain focus on the main content.
What challenges might a designer face when implementing fully rounded buttons in an interface?
When implementing rounded buttons, consider the following challenges and best practices:
- Ensure that the rounded corners don't clip or obscure the button label or icon.
- Maintain sufficient padding within the button to prevent content from touching the edges.
- Test different corner radius sizes to find the right balance between visual appeal and usability.
- Consider using a consistent corner radius across buttons and other UI elements for a cohesive look.
- Verify that rounded buttons meet accessibility guidelines, such as minimum touch target size and color contrast.
❓Questions designers should ask themselves
By asking the right questions, designers can question their decisions, find areas to improve, make sure nothing is overlooked, and reduce mistakes, leading to better, more thoughtful designs.
- What is the primary action I want the user to take with this button?
- How does the rounded button align with the overall visual style of the application or website?
- Will the rounded button stand out appropriately among other elements on the screen?
- Does the rounded button enhance the user experience by making the interface more approachable and friendly?
- In what context is the rounded button being used (e.g., call-to-action, form submission), and does its shape support that context effectively?
- Have I considered the impact of the rounded button on accessibility, such as ensuring sufficient size and contrast?
- Does the rounded button maintain consistency with other design elements and buttons within the same user interface?
- Are there scenarios where a different button shape (e.g., rectangular) might provide better clarity or emphasis for the user?
- How do users interact with rounded buttons in usability tests or user feedback, and what insights have I gathered from this?
- Have I assessed the performance of rounded buttons in various devices and screen sizes, ensuring they remain effective and responsive?
⚠️ Common mistakes to avoid
Learning from your mistakes is important, but many problems can indeed be predicted and avoided. Based on Cieden's collective expertise, we're sharing the most common ones.
- Overusing rounded buttons until they lose their impact and don't stand out.
- Not making it clear that rounded buttons are interactive, which can confuse users.
- Using rounded buttons inconsistently throughout the app, which can make the experience feel disconnected.
- Prioritizing looks over functionality, which can hurt usability.
- Skipping user testing and relying only on design assumptions about rounded buttons.
🤝 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!
- Make sense of rounded corners on buttons by Shan Shen
- The Rounded User Experience by Sandhya Subramaniyan
- Rounded CTA buttons drive more clicks by Thomas McKinlay
- Common UI mistakes and how to do it right by Spaceberry
📚 Keep exploring
Never stop growing. Explore resources thoughtfully handpicked by Cieden’s designers.
- How do I select the appropriate shapes for my design? by Karyna Khmelyk
- What does a rounded interface mean? by Karyna Khmelyk
- Why Rounded Corners Are Easier on the Eyes by Anthony