Why Toggle Buttons Are Confusing

Not all buttons perform actions. Sometimes they’re used to change states on an app. These are known as toggle buttons. They present two or more options in a single control and allow users to change states instantly. Problems identifying the active state can arise if you don’t design them correctly.

Inverted Vs. Direct Color Scheme

The challenge with toggle buttons is making the current state obvious. Users often have trouble identifying the active state when the visual cue isn’t clear. This confusion causes them to select the wrong option and activate an unintended state.

Confusion happens when the visual cue used to indicate the current state is an inverted color scheme. This style is typical on toggle buttons, but not optimal. It isn’t clear to users that the darker button signifies the active state. Many of them mistake the lighter button for the selected option because it also has an “on” appearance.

Inverted colors are problematic because they make the buttons too distinct from each other. When the buttons look different, it’s hard to tell which one is given emphasis when users compare them. Toggle buttons need to have a similar style so users can compare the buttons and spot the active variant. They’ll then assign the active variant as the selected option. Without a baseline for…