10 UI/UX Trends in 2020 That You Need to Watch Out for!
By: Vladimir Mendoza
Tags: Apps, UX, Design, Mobile, UI

The way we use mobile phones is changing. Today, the internet is moving from a desktop-based platform to a mobile-first platform. In the US alone, smartphones take a massive share of 70% of digital usage. Out of which, a majority of it is native smartphone apps.

Focus is on UI/UX, with designers experimenting with different options to amplify the apps’ experience and user journey. Furthermore, as our digital screens progress in size, design teams are looking for scalable trends to maintain usability.

So what is trending for UI/UX in 2020?

2020 has been a remarkable year for digital. With people adjusting to lockdown policies, digital penetration in the mobile landscape saw a massive increase, particularly in mobile apps.

Understanding that the spike in the early months of 2020 is only going to keep increasing with time, let’s take a look at the top 10 trends in UI/UX design that emerged in 2020.

1. Button-less design

The entire display for the content. Source Nature Encyclopedia App

It has been a while since we had physical buttons on smartphones. With thinner bezels and edge-to-edge displays, we also near the end of digital buttons.

Designers are providing prominence to the content so that the users have the entire space dedicated to the app.

Gestures are the new standard, with designers focusing on integrating swipe gestures into mobile applications and leaving all that space for the app to have free-flowing content.

2. Dark mode is the new standard!

Facebook rolled out its dark mode for iOS earlier this year

Dark mode is to be one of the biggest UI/UX trends in 2020. Tech giants Facebook, Instagram, and Apple rolled out their alternate dark mode theme to their users earlier this year.

The move became an instant hit with users who responded positively in support of the alternative theme.

So, what is it that makes everyone go crazy for dark mode?

It produces a modern, sleek, sophisticated feel

Results in less eye-strain to the user

Enables users to focus on the critical design elements

Conserves battery power on mobile devices

Later this year, Google followed suit with their dark mode theme for most of their apps, such as Google Docs, Google Photos, and YouTube.

Now, designers are working tirelessly to make sure that their applications provide a dark theme option.

3. Password-less Log-in

Face ID is becoming an increasingly popular option for authentication. Source Xongo Lab on Dribble

Definitely, by now, you will have at least 4 to 5 user accounts that you use daily for social media, shopping, travel, and food. Remembering all of these passwords and entering them is a hassle, even if you only enter them once.

But now, mobile users will no longer need to enter a password to log in to an application or to process a payment.

The latest development in UX design for 2020 is leaning towards password-less authentication while onboarding or returning to applications.

Most mobile apps now use other ways to authenticate users’ identities with the use of biometric recognition, fingerprint scanning, and facial recognition.

These options are seen as more secure when compared to traditional passwords and can save time while making the user experience seamless.

As of this year, mobile phone giants Apple, Samsung, and Google have these security options integrated into their hardware, and mobile app design teams will be looking to utilize these options in their applications.

4. Bottom Navigation

The navigation buttons are slowly making their way on to the bottom. Photo by Alejandro Ausejo

Phones are getting bigger, and we cannot do anything about it. From an average 3.5 inch screen in 2009, today, phone displays are edging past the 6-inch mark. The newly released iPhone 12 Pro Max has a screen size of 6.7 inches.

With the ever-rising augmentation in screen sizes, UI designers have the challenge of making their designs more compatible with the natural movement of the thumb.

The massive increase in screen size has prompted users’ multi-tasking to surge, and naturally, designers are focusing on shifting the navigation towards the bottom of the screen.

The bottom navigation relies heavily on swipe-up gestures, eliminating the need for users to reach out to the topmost of the device while using it in one hand. This top-bottom shift is already in place in leading apps.

5. Personalized Apps

Apps surface personalized content according to your behavior. Photo by Humble designer

Open any of your favorite shopping apps on your phone. You will notice that it displays items or goods according to your preferences and choices. What you see and when you see it is entirely based on the information collected by the app, about you. Your previous purchases, searches, and sometimes even your location can determine your experience on shopping apps.

Personalized feeds extend beyond shopping use cases. Music streaming, video streaming, and social media apps also provide personalized experiences inside their apps.

A personalized experience is a must-have UI/UX trend in 2020. Integrating machine learning mechanisms can allow user content to be tailored according to their needs. An onboarding questionnaire is a fantastic way to bridge the gap for newly adopted users.

These custom experiences come with many perks as well. Generally personalized feeds increase time spent on apps, and specifically, custom shopping experiences lead to increased purchases.

6. Gradients are coming back!

Vibrant color gradients are making their comeback. Photo by Himanshu Phanda

Nobody cared too much for gradients until 2020. In fact, most designers still cringe when they hear the word “gradient” as most are still battling the after taste of iOS 7 in 2013. But, gradients are making a comeback to the design arena, and they are here to stay!

Today, designers use gradients as a way to build positivity and compliment brand identities.

For a long time, the use of gradients was a big no-no in the design industry because it was an outdated trend of the ’90s (we all remember the word art on MS word with the flashy gradients!).

Blended colors bring out quality outputs and go beyond the limitations of the flat color palette. Flat design has dominated the design field for a while, but gradients are giving more creative freedom to designers and have proven to be a much more versatile tool to use.

7. Voice Integration

Voice integration is the next in line. Source AppInventiv

We live in a time where voice search and voice interactions are at their highest point of development. Google Assistant, Siri, and Alexa dominate the AI-controlled technologies and are calling the shots in user experience design.

Voice search is growing, and according to statistics, 41% of adults use voice search at least once a day to get their work done.

According to ComScore, by the end of the year, more than half of smartphone users are expected to use the voice search option as a primary means of interaction.

These numbers predict the dominance of voice in the future, and app designers are already taking action to transform mobile user interfaces in order to adapt to voice technologies.

It is a big step, but future users value convenience, and voice search provides them this option. They are going to expect the same offering across the platforms that they use daily.

8. Digital Illustrations

Illustrations can help bring an app to life. Photo by Craftwork Studio

One of the biggest UI/UX design trends in 2020 has been the transition of power back to art.

2020 saw new trends in digital illustrations bringing out a much more humane approach to the graphics.

These digital illustrations have made their way into mobile applications as well, where we see bold and fun depictions on app interfaces. Designers made brave choices experimenting with different color choices in UI design, and it was successful. Many design marketplaces offer illustration kits that are incorporated across all mediums, from websites to apps.

Today, you will find interactions on apps accompanied by simple micro animations and illustrations. Several styles and techniques are embedded in the app interface building a powerful emotional impact on the user.

9. Animations 2.0

Users are 35% more likely to wait for load screens with animations. Photo by 古装戏Geoffrey

Animations are always a treat. They improve user experience, and the interactions are a great form of expression, especially when users are waiting for things to load.

UI designers have integrated these animations into their designs, creating an innovative UI/UX trend in 2020.

Short animations with UI decorations and micro-interactions are now an industry requirement for any app in 2020.

Animations also have that aesthetic appeal to the end-user, resulting in a much more personal and enduring connection with a brand. Most companies have their brand colors, company elements, and mascots integrated into their animations. By doing this, the brand builds awareness with the end-user, even without the user realizing the association.

10. Design for the Differently Abled

Voice command tools are introduced on apps to make technology accessible for everyone. Source UX Planet

Today, UI/UX design is human-centered. It means that we design for everyone and do not discriminate. Human-centered design has made UI and UX designers consider the disabled and the differently-abled in their design journey.

Designers have understood that people with disabilities are not a grey area, and they too need access to effective design without any hindrance.

A UI/UX trend in 2020 aims at developing effective options for those who have disabilities in hearing, seeing, or speaking.

For example, apps have introduced numerous options such as on-screen text reading, voice command tools, and vibration-based responses.

This way, nobody is left behind.

The bigger picture…

2020 has been a rollercoaster ride for everyone. With several new approaches, designers are focused on implementing effective design for all. This year, we saw some new UI/UX design trends emerge as a response to the ever-changing user needs.

Buttonless interfaces will be the future, and people are going to welcome the password-less login options without hesitation. The rise of A.I. Voice Assistants will usher a new era of auditory design principles and guidelines while making technology more inclusive.

The permanent values of designing for humans will never fade away. Yet the world is constantly changing, and who knows, these trends can also take a shift in the next few months.

Design can bridge the gap between chaos and order.