How to make optional fields more subtle to reduce its usage?

1. Is it important to clearly distinguish optional fields when designing a form?
2. Should I use required or optional field UX?
3. What is the best practice for required field indicator?
4. How do you indicate optional fields?

Is it important to clearly distinguish optional fields when designing a form?

You should always try and avoid optional fields in forms. In the case you use optional fields clearly distinguish which input fields are required. Standard UX design, is to use an asterisk (*) for required fields and the word “optional” for non-required fields.

Should I use required or optional field UX?

Therefore, a well designed form should have no optional fields, or as few as possible (UX Collective). The UX Collective advocate that you only mark the optional fields. All the other fields are assumed to be mandatory. This keeps visual noise to a minimum, makes the form more readable and therefore faster to complete.

What is the best practice for required field indicator?

Best Practice

Required fields should be indicated with either a symbol or text, not just color. When providing an indicator for a required field, it should be placed right before the form field. This allows a screen reader to read the indicator to a screen reader user right before the user activates the field.

How do you indicate optional fields?

Add (optional) at the end of the label

The best way to indicate optional is to add the word in parenthesis after the label. It's easy to read and visually connected to the label that it is referring to.