design-empty-states

An empty state in UX design is the UI shown when a screen has zero content, such as during first-time onboarding, no-results searches, or permission-restricted views. You need it to prevent users from hitting dead ends by explaining what belongs there.

To design empty state UI copy that prevents dead ends, create an actionable headline and short description explaining what should appear, paired with a clear primary call-to-action button. This guides users toward the next step instead of leaving them stranded.

A good empty state provides an actionable headline, descriptive context, and a clear primary button, while a poor empty state fails users with dead ends, negative framing, or generic illustrations. Evaluating these failure modes helps refine zero-content screens.

To adapt empty state designs for different UI workflows, generate context-aware copy for first-time experiences, cleared-content views, no-results searches, no-access states, and error-as-empty cases. Each scenario requires a tailored primary call-to-action to guide recovery.

Yes, you can include optional secondary info in your zero-content screen design alongside the required primary call-to-action. Secondary guidance, such as links to learn more or templates, provides additional recovery paths without distracting from the main action.

A no-results search state shows a blank screen because it lacks an actionable headline, descriptive copy, and a primary call-to-action. Fix this empty state by adding context-aware guidance that explains the zero-content result and suggests a clear next step.