Microcopy
The small pieces of text that do most of the work: labels, hints, empty states, errors and confirmations.
Definition
Microcopy is the functional text embedded in an interface. It is usually written last, changed most often, and responsible for a disproportionate share of whether a design works.
Craft convention. True because the industry converged on it. Breaking it costs familiarity, not correctness.
Rewrites that carry weight
| Weak | Better | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Submit | Create account | Names the outcome rather than the mechanism. |
| Error | Your card was declined | Says what actually happened. |
| No results | No results for "blue chairs" | Confirms the query and points at the cause. |
| Learn more | How refunds work | Describes the destination, and works out of context for screen readers. |
| Are you sure? | Delete 12 files permanently? | States the consequence and the scope. |
| Something went wrong | We could not save your changes. Retry? | Gives a next action. |
Rules
- Label buttons with the verb of what happens next.
- Write in the second person and the active voice.
- Front-load the important word, since people scan the first two or three words of a label.
- Be specific about numbers, names and outcomes.
- Write error messages that could be read aloud to a customer without embarrassment.
- Keep terminology identical across the interface, help centre, emails and support scripts.
Sources
Where a source establishes something narrower than the popular reading of it, the note says so.
Microcopy: The Complete Guide
K. Yifrah, 2017
Continue from here
Each link says what the connection is, so you can tell a principle from an alternative from a thing people mix this up with.
Applies when you are designing
Principles behind this
The reasoning this solution is an application of.
- Curse of KnowledgeCognitive bias
- Framing EffectCognitive bias
- Help and DocumentationHeuristic
- Help Users Recognise, Diagnose and Recover From ErrorsHeuristic
- Match Between System and the Real WorldHeuristic
- User Control and FreedomHeuristic
- Parkinson's LawLaw
- Peak-End RuleLaw
- Mental ModelsMental model
- Deceptive PatternsPrinciple
Practical example
A worked decision where this was the deciding factor.
- Building Trust on a Payment ScreenCase study
Short definition
The one-paragraph version, for when that is all you need.
- Information ScentTerm
- MicrocopyTerm
- Plain LanguageTerm
- Voice and ToneTerm
Related concept
Connected closely enough to change how you apply this.
- Labels and InstructionsAccessibility
- UI to UX WritingAI workflow
- ButtonComponent
- LinkComponent
- ConfirmationPattern
- Empty StatesPattern
- NotificationsPattern
- Button and Action LabelsUX writing
- Content DesignUX writing
- Empty State CopyUX writing
- Error MessagesUX writing
- Form Labels and Help TextUX writing
- Inclusive LanguageUX writing
- Loading and Progress CopyUX writing
- Notification CopyUX writing
- Onboarding CopyUX writing
- Permission RequestsUX writing
- Tooltips and Inline HelpUX writing
- Voice and ToneUX writing