Microcopy is the set of short texts in an interface: the words on buttons, field labels, hints, confirmation messages, menu items. They are only a few words, often written at the last minute by developers, but they decide whether a person understands what will happen when they click. Good microcopy goes unnoticed; bad microcopy creates doubts, errors and support requests.
Buttons: verbs that say what happens
A button is a promise. Whoever reads it must know what will happen when they press it. Generic labels such as «OK», «Yes», «Submit» or «Confirm» only work when the context is unambiguous; otherwise a specific verb followed by its object is better.
| Generic | Specific |
|---|---|
| «Submit» | «Send quote request» |
| «OK» | «Delete 3 files» |
| «Continue» | «Go to payment» |
| «Save» | «Save draft» / «Publish» |
The difference is obvious in confirmation dialogs. Faced with «Do you want to delete the project?» and the buttons «Yes» and «No», users must reread the question to understand each one. With «Delete project» and «Cancel», the choice is clear even if you read only the buttons, which people often do.
A button that triggers a paid action should say so explicitly: «Buy and pay €29» is more honest and reassuring than a plain «Proceed».
Field labels
Form labels must be short, visible and precise. Some practical rules:
- the label always stays visible above or next to the field; placeholder text inside the field disappears as soon as you start typing and cannot replace it;
- state the expected format when it is not obvious: «Date of birth (dd/mm/yyyy)»;
- mark optional fields instead of required ones, if most fields are required: exceptions are easier to spot;
- avoid internal terms: «Customer registry code» means little to outsiders; «Customer number (top right of your invoice)» genuinely helps.
Help text
A short text under a field can prevent many errors, but use it sparingly. It is needed when:
- the data is hard to find: where to read a meter code, a card number, a case reference;
- there is a consequence to know about: «This name will be visible to other group members»;
- the requirement is not intuitive: «At least 12 characters; you can use a phrase too».
If every field has help text, nobody reads it any more. It is a sign that the form itself may need simplifying.
Confirmations and feedback
After an action, microcopy confirms what happened and, if needed, what will happen next:
- «Order received. We'll email you when it ships.»
- «Changes saved.»
- «Invitation sent to 4 people.»
The best confirmations are specific: they give numbers, names, times. «Operation completed» does not say which operation, or with what exact outcome.
Empty states
An empty state is what users see when there is no content yet: an empty document list, no messages, no search results. It is an opportunity to explain and guide. Instead of «No items», you can write «You don't have any documents yet. Upload one or drag it here», with the matching button. For a search with no results, it helps to suggest alternatives: check the spelling, use fewer filters, search for a broader term.
Consistent vocabulary
One of the most frequent causes of confusion is using different words for the same thing. If one screen talks about «projects», another about «jobs» and a third about «cases», users will wonder whether they are three different things. It pays to keep a small shared glossary, with chosen terms and terms to avoid, and to update it when a new feature is born.
Consistency also covers style: informal or formal address, whether buttons use sentence case or title case, writing numbers as digits or words. These are small choices, but together they decide whether a product feels polished or improvised.
How to check microcopy
- Read only the buttons on a screen: is it clear what each one does?
- Have someone outside the project read it and explain it in their own words.
- Check support requests: many stem from an ambiguous label.
- Check length in translations: a text that fits a button in English may not fit in German.
In short
- Buttons use specific verbs that say what will happen.
- Labels stay visible and are not replaced by placeholder text.
- Confirmations and empty states are opportunities to inform and guide.
- A shared glossary keeps vocabulary consistent across the product.
