Designing Empty States That Help
An empty screen is a first impression. Small changes turn a dead end into the start of something.
1 min read
Every product has screens that start empty: an inbox with no messages, a dashboard with no data, a search with no results. They are often designed last, yet they are the first thing a new user sees.
Three kinds of empty
- First use: nothing has been created yet.
- User cleared: everything has been completed or deleted.
- No results: a search or filter came back with nothing.
Each one needs a different message, so treating them all the same is the most common mistake.
What a good empty state does
- Explains what belongs here in one short sentence.
- Offers the next step with a single, obvious action.
- Matches the moment: encouraging on first use, celebratory when a list is cleared, helpful when a search fails.
Small details that matter
Keep illustrations light so they do not push the action below the fold. For search, repeat the query back and suggest a broader one. For dashboards, show what the chart will look like once data arrives.
An empty state is not a gap in the design. It is an invitation, and it deserves the same care as every other screen.
