A toggle switch is a

graphical control element A graphical widget (also graphical control element or control) in a graphical user interface is an element of interaction, such as a button or a scroll bar. Controls are software components that a computer user interacts with through direct m ...

that allows the user to make a choice between two mutually exclusive states (such as on/off). Originally toggle switches were used primary in

touchscreen A touchscreen (or touch screen) is a type of electronic visual display, display that can detect touch input from a user. It consists of both an input device (a touch panel) and an output device (a visual display). The touch panel is typically l ...

-based user interfaces, but they have later become commonplace in desktop and web applications. Toggle switches have a similar function as checkboxes, but unlike checkboxes, interacting with a toggle switch usually has an immediate effect on the application or system.

Usability

Early research on touchscreen interfaces has identified usability issues with toggle switches. A common problem is ambiguous state indication: for example does the label "on" indicate the current state of the switch or the resulting state after interacting with it. Communicating

affordance In psychology, affordance is what the environment offers the individual. In design, affordance has a narrower meaning; it refers to possible actions that an actor can readily perceive. American psychologist James J. Gibson coined the term ...

can also be difficult: for example should the user tap or slide the switch to change its state.

References

External links

* {{Graphical control elements Graphical control elements