Empty States

Guide users when no content is available

What it solves

A Empty States pattern helps teams create a reliable way to turn a blank or zero-result view into a helpful next-step moment instead of a dead end. It is most useful when teams need first-use dashboards and inboxes. Compared with adjacent patterns, this pattern should reduce friction without hiding the state, rules, or recovery paths people need to keep moving.

When to use

• First-use dashboards and inboxes
• Search or filter results with zero matches
• Completed queues or cleared lists

When to avoid

• Use a quieter state when the event is too minor to interrupt the task.
• Avoid transient feedback for events users must be able to revisit later.
• Do not duplicate the same message in several channels without a hierarchy rule.

Implementation workflow

1. Confirm the pattern matches the problem and constraints before copying the example.
2. Start from the anatomy and examples in references/pattern.md, then choose the smallest viable variation.
3. Apply accessibility, performance, and interaction guardrails before layering visual polish.
4. Use the testing guidance to verify behavior across keyboard, screen reader, responsive, and failure scenarios.

Accessibility guardrails

Keyboard Interaction

• Verify that empty states can be completed using keyboard alone.
• Keep focus order logical when the pattern opens, updates, or reveals additional UI.
• Preserve a visible focus state that is still readable at high zoom.

Screen Reader Support

• Use semantic elements first, then add ARIA only where semantics alone are not enough.
• Announce state changes such as errors, loading, or completion in the right place and with the right politeness.
• Connect labels, hints, and status text with aria-describedby or structural headings when useful.

Visual Accessibility

• Do not rely on color alone to convey severity, completion, or selection state.

Common mistakes

Over-signaling everything

The Problem: When every state uses strong color, motion, and sound, people stop paying attention.

How to Fix It? Create a severity ladder and reserve the strongest treatment for the states that truly need interruption.

Mismatching timing to the job

The Problem: Short tasks feel sluggish with heavy loading UI, while long tasks feel abandoned with no progress guidance.

How to Fix It? Pick the lightest possible feedback for the wait length and keep the pattern honest about how much is known.

Skipping announcement strategy

The Problem: Screen reader users miss transient changes when live-region behavior is inconsistent or absent. How to Fix It? Define how each state is announced and test polite versus assertive updates with real assistive technology.

Related patterns

• https://uxpatterns.dev/patterns/data-display/filter-panel
• https://uxpatterns.dev/patterns/user-feedback/loading-indicator
• https://uxpatterns.dev/patterns/user-feedback/notification

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For full implementation detail, examples, and testing notes, see references/pattern.md.

Pattern page: https://uxpatterns.dev/patterns/user-feedback/empty-states