The Ultimate Guide to Tab Design: Anatomy, Types, and Tips
Effective navigation is one of the foundations of a well-designed product!
When the information architecture is clear, users can understand where they are, where they can go next, and how to accomplish their tasks without friction. However, as interfaces grow more complex and include multiple types of content, cognitive load increases, and the user experience quickly breaks down.
Tabs offer a simple yet powerful way to manage this issue! By organizing related content into clear, scannable sections, they help maintain structure and reduce excessive scrolling. This is why tabs have become a fundamental navigation pattern in modern products—whether in SaaS dashboards, settings panels, mobile apps, or content-rich websites.
In this guide, we break down the essentials of tab design: what they are, their core anatomy, the different types, when to use tabs and tips to consider when designing tabs for your product.
Exploring tab design: their core anatomy, the different types, when to use tabs and tips to consider when designing tabs for your product.