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 direc ...

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 the assembly of both an input ('touch panel') and output ('display') device. The touch panel is normally layered on the top of an electronic visual display of an information processing system. The display is ofte ...

-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 Affordance is what the environment offers the individual. American psychologist James J. Gibson coined the term in his 1966 book, ''The Senses Considered as Perceptual Systems'', and it occurs in many of his earlier essays. However, his best-kno ...

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