Toggle is used in everyday technology to describe a switch that has two positions — either on or off. In software, toggles are often used to enable and disable features in apps or display modes on screens. When designed well, toggles make it easier for users to update preferences, settings and other types of information. But when toggles are poorly implemented, they can cause frustration for users. Toggle switches should be clearly labeled, use standard visual design and deliver immediate results.
A common use for toggles is to let a user select whether they want to see a specific type of content. This can include things like product reviews, social media feeds or even a list of featured businesses. This type of content would usually be hidden by default but could be toggled on with a simple click to show more content or off with a simple click to hide the content again.
Another use for toggles is in experimentation or A/B testing. A toggle switch can be set up to consistently send a cohort of users down one code path or the other and allow you to measure their performance against each other.
The main reason toggles are so popular is because they offer an easy way to enable/disable features. However, using them is a slippery slope as it can quickly lead to cognitive issues for users. When toggles don’t have on/off text, they rely on other visual clues to convey their current state which can be confusing for users. For example, using a different color to represent on/off isn’t good for accessibility (see WCAG guidelines 1.4.1) and could confuse users who have red/green color blindness or other conditions that prevent them from interpreting colors accurately.
