How can you use navigation drawers effectively in mobile UI?

1 Benefits of navigation drawers

Navigation drawers offer several advantages for mobile UI design. They can help you save screen space, organize complex navigation structures, and create a consistent user experience across different devices and orientations. Navigation drawers can also accommodate dynamic content, such as user profiles, notifications, or settings, that can change depending on the context or user preferences. Moreover, navigation drawers can support accessibility features, such as voice control or gesture navigation, by providing clear labels and actions for each menu item.

2 Drawbacks of navigation drawers

Despite their benefits, navigation drawers also have some limitations and drawbacks that you should be aware of. For example, navigation drawers can reduce discoverability, as users may not be aware of the hidden menu or its contents. Navigation drawers can also create confusion, as users may not know where they are in the app or how to navigate back to the previous screen. Navigation drawers can also conflict with other gestures, such as swipe to go back or swipe to refresh, that users may expect from your app. Furthermore, navigation drawers can introduce complexity, as you need to handle different states, transitions, and interactions for the menu and the content.

4 Examples of navigation drawers

To demonstrate the effectiveness of navigation drawers in mobile UI, let's take a look at some examples of popular apps that use this pattern. For instance, Gmail utilizes a navigation drawer to provide access to different email accounts, labels, settings, and other features. The drawer icon changes to the user's profile picture when it is opened and the active account and label are highlighted in the menu. The app bar displays the current screen title and a search icon. Similarly, Spotify uses a navigation drawer to give users access to different music categories such as home, browse, radio, and library. The drawer icon changes to a close icon when opened, with the active category being highlighted in the menu. The app bar shows the app name and a settings icon. Google Maps also uses a navigation drawer to provide access to different map modes such as explore, commute, saved, and contribute. When opened the drawer icon changes to an arrow icon and the active mode is highlighted in the menu. The app bar shows the user's location and a search icon.

5 Alternatives to navigation drawers

Navigation drawers are not the only solution for mobile UI navigation; depending on your app's goals, content, and audience, you may want to consider other alternatives. For example, bottom navigation bars are horizontal menus that display three to five destinations at the bottom of the screen. They are easy to reach but limited in space and depth. Tabs are another option - they can display two to six destinations at the top or left of the screen and support swipe gestures, icons, and labels. Lastly, sidebars are vertical menus that display two to six top-level destinations at the left or right of the screen. They are spacious and flexible but less discoverable than other options. Consider these alternatives when deciding which mobile UI pattern is best for your needs.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?