Itqualityassurance
- What are top aligned labels?
- Should form labels be on top or left?
- When to use floating labels?
- Are floating labels good?
What are top aligned labels?
Top aligned labels are faster and easier to fill out than left and right aligned labels. This is because top aligned labels only need half as many visual fixations. Top aligned labels also allow users to move down the form in one visual direction. Left and right aligned labels require two visual directions to fill out.
Should form labels be on top or left?
Takeaway: If you want users to scan a form quickly, put labels above the fields. The layout will be easier to scan because the eye will move straight down the page. However, if you want users to read carefully, put labels to the left of the fields.
When to use floating labels?
Floating Labels: No Room for Hints
An informative hint can help users out when they're unsure of the proper input. Floating labels don't leave much room for hints because the label occupies the placeholder space.
Are floating labels good?
They have poor contrast
Like placeholder text, floating labels have low contrast to differentiate it but low contrast text is hard-to-read. Depending on the design, when the label floats outside of the field, its colour will need to change. Otherwise the text will be lost against the background colour.
