The toggle is a piece of wood or plastic sewn into something, such as a coat or bag, and pushed through a loop or hole to fasten it.
A toggle is also a switch that controls two functions, such as changing the speed of a game or turning on/off an airplane’s lights.
Often, toggles are confusing to users because they lack the context of other interface elements like checkboxes or radio buttons. Because they are so visually distinct from other elements, they need to communicate their current state explicitly to the user by relying on color (like green or red) to signify active/passive or on/off states. This can be a problem for users with cognitive issues, especially those with color blindness or deafblindness, who may have a hard time distinguishing colors or understanding the meaning of a toggle’s current state.
Because of this, it is best to avoid using toggles where possible in order to prevent confusion and increase accessibility. However, there are situations where toggles can be used if you maintain consistency in their design and use clear labels to convey their current state. Additionally, toggles should be responsive to the environment so that they reposition themselves as needed, and provide visual cues for change in their state. Finally, if your toggle is in a place where it can cause significant UI changes when flipped (such as the header of an article or a search button) it is wise to test the toggle with all settings and views affected by it flipped on. This will help ensure that any legacy or future behavior is not unintentionally disabled when the toggle is flipped on for release.
