Interaction states

States communicate the status of a component in response to user interaction.

Video description: A 5-second video shows three tiles of shoe images on a blue background. The computer cursor begins hover on the left image and moves to the right image where the tile is selected and a black outline appears around it. The cursor deselects the image and the outline disappears. The cursor hovers back to the image on the left.

Considerations

Subtle

State changes are lightweight and distinct.

Additives

If multiple states occur simultaneously, like selected and hover, each will be clear and obvious.

Consistent

State changes are similar across components throughout the system.

Types

Enabled

The enabled state indicates an interactive component.

Video description: A 2-second video shows a gray disabled button that reads “+ Create new”. When the cursor hovers over it an icon with a circle with a line diagonally through it appears indicating the button is not able to be interacted with.

Disabled

The disabled state indicates a component isn’t interactive. The component may become interactive when prerequisites are met.

Video description: A 2-second video shows three cta buttons. The primary cta in blue reads “Buy It Now” while the secondary buttons are in white and read “Make an offer” and “Add to cart” with a blue outline and text. The pointing hand cursor moves over each button and a hover state layer appears on each button upon hover.

Hover

The hover state indicates that a cursor is actively hovering over a component. Hover states can be combined with focused, activated, selected, or pressed states.

Video description: A 3-second video shows a tab icon animates in a tapping motion in the bottom left corner as the focus blue outline state moves between a form field, cta button, and check box in the center.

Focus

The focus state indicates that a keyboard has tabbed to a component.

Video description: A 4-second video shows three stacked buttons reading from top to bottom “Brand New”, “Seller refurbished”, and “Pre-owned”. The pointing hand cursor selects each button separately. Once selected the buttons receive the selected state layer and an outline around it.

Selected

The selected state indicates a static choice.

Video description: A 2-second video shows one blue cta button that reads “Buy It Now”. The cursor hovers over it and presses it. When selected the button scales down a bit to indicate the motion of pressing it.

Press

The press state state indicates a tap or click is occurring.

Video description: A 5-second video shows four images of a designer bag stacked in a grid. A cursor hovers over the bottom left tile and drags it up to the top left. The cursor forms a closed hand on drag and the top left image moves to the bottom and snaps into place. The closed hand then takes the top left image and drags it to the bottom left and snaps into place returning it to how it began.

Drag

The drag state occurs if an element is actively being held.

Active

The active state indicates a current destination or selection.

State layer

A state layer is a semi-transparent overlay applied to an element, acting as a visual indicator of its current state. Only one state layer can be active at a time.

Video description: A 5-second animation shows the anatomy of a greyscale tile state layer. It transitions to an isometric, exploded view. Number 1 points to “Label” on the top. Number 2 points to a middle state layer with an opacity. Number 3 points to the content layer at the bottom. It transitions back to a flat tile.

Label
State layer
Content

Color fill

For elements with a container, a state-layer is added above the content. Each state increases the opacity by 4%. Dark mode uses white (#FFF) for the interaction layer instead of black.

Four text buttons stacked in a row in light mode. The first button is hovered by a hand pointer cursor with a state layer of black 4%. The second button is focused with a blue outline and a state layer of black 4%. The third button is pressed with a state layer of back 8%. The fourth button is being dragged with a closed hand icon and a state layer of black 12% and a drop shadow.

Four text buttons stacked in a row in dark mode. The first button is hovered by a hand pointer cursor with a state layer of white 8%. The second button is focused with a blue outline and a state layer of white 8%. The third button is pressed with a state layer of white 12%. The fourth button is being dragged with a closed hand icon and a state layer of white 16%.

Graphics

Graphic elements use a heavier scrim to account for the variation in contrast and detail. Light and dark mode use black (#000).

Four image buttons stacked in a row in light mode. The image is of a watch. The first button is hovered by a hand pointer cursor with a state layer of black 12%. The second button is focused with a blue outline and a state layer of black 12%. The third button is pressed with a state layer of back 16%. The fourth button is being dragged with a closed hand icon and a state layer of black 20% and a drop shadow.

Four image buttons stacked in a row in dark mode. The image is of a watch. The first button is hovered by a hand pointer cursor with a state layer of black 12%. The second button is focused with a blue outline and a state layer of black 12%. The third button is pressed with a state layer of back 16%. The fourth button is being dragged with a closed hand icon and a state layer of black 20%.

No container

Elements that do not have a container, like links or pagination, use opacity to indicate a change in state. Light and dark mode use 60% opacity for hover states. The focused state does not receive the opacity shift.