Checkbox vs Toggle Switch: 7 Use-Cases of Forms Design

Forms provide several controls that make it easier to collect input from users. Using the right control at right place is a challenge while designing forms.

A checkbox control has three states: unselected, selected, and indeterminate. The last state represents a situation where a list of sub-options is grouped under a parent option and sub-options are in both selected and unselected states.

The toggle switch represents a physical switch that allows users to turn things on or off, like a light switch.

Tapping a toggle switch is a two-step action: selection and execution, whereas checkbox is just selection of an option and its execution usually requires another control.

When deciding between a checkbox and toggle switch control, it is better to focus on the usage context instead of their function.

Below are few use-cases along with guidelines to decide between these two controls while designing form experience.

Case 1: Instant response

Use Toggle switch when,

• • An instant response of applied settings is required without an explicit action.

• • A setting requires an on/off or show/hide function to display the results.
  • User needs to perform instantaneous actions that do not need a review or confirmation.

Case 2: Settings confirmation

Use Checkbox when,

• • Applied settings need to be confirmed and reviewed by user before they are submitted. 

• • Defined settings require an action like Submit, OK, Next, Apply before displaying results.
  • User has to perform additional steps for changes to become effective.

Case 3: Multiple choices

Use Checkbox when,

• • Multiple options are available and user has to select one or more options from them.
  • Clicking multiple toggle switches one by one and waiting to see results after each click takes extra time.

Case 4: Indeterminate state

Use Checkbox when,

• An intermediate selection state is required when multiple sub-options are grouped under a parent option. The intermediate state will represent that multiple sub-options (but not all of them) are selected in the list.

Case 5: Clear visual state

Use Checkbox when,

• • There is a chance of getting confused with on/off state of a toggle switch. Sometimes it gets difficult to understand whether the switch is showing state or action.
  • A clear selected or unselected state needs to provide.

Case 6: Related items

Use Checkbox when,

• User has to select option(s) from a list of related items.

Use Toggle switch when,

• User is toggling independent features or behaviors.

Case 7: Single option

Use Checkbox when,

• • A single binary yes/no choice is provided.
  • Only one option can be selected or deselected and its meaning is obvious.

Use Toggle switch when,

• A single selection is required and you want to offer two options for an on/off type of decision.

Conclusion

It is important to provide right control at right place in a form to make it more user-friendly. Since forms can be very long with large number of options, it becomes tedious for user if he has to make extra clicks to fill his information. The provided use-cases and guidelines will help you to decide between checkbox and toggle switch while adding controls to your forms.

References:

• • Control and Patterns

• • When to Use a Switch or Checkbox

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