UX glossary · engl. Empty State
Empty State
An empty state is a place in an application where there is currently no content to show, such as an empty list or a search with no results. Done well, it explains what belongs there and shows the next step.
Imagine you install a new app for planning team tasks. After signing up, you see a white screen with the line “No entries found.” No hint about what to do next, no button, nothing. Is the app still loading? Is something broken? Or do you have to set something up first?
That moment is an empty state, and here it was wasted.
Explained simply
An empty state is any place in an application where there’s currently no content to show: an empty list, an inbox with no messages, a search with no results or a dashboard that hasn’t been set up yet. Think of an empty shelf in a new store. It can simply be empty. Or it can carry a sign saying “Organic products arrive here on Monday.” In the second case, you know right away what’s going on.
Nielsen Norman Group describes empty states, in essence, as areas where content doesn’t exist yet or can’t be displayed. They’re especially common the first time someone uses a product, during onboarding, because nothing has been created yet.
Types of empty states
Not every empty state has the same cause, and each one needs its own message:
- First use: There’s no content yet because the person is just getting started. The focus is on orientation and the first step.
- No results: A search or filter returns nothing. Spelling hints or similar results help here.
- Done or cleared: All tasks are checked off or the trash is empty. Here the message can be upbeat.
- Errors: The content exists but can’t be loaded. Then it has to be clear that something went wrong and what people can do about it.
What matters
Nielsen Norman Group names three guidelines: an empty state should communicate system status, so people know whether something is still loading or there’s really nothing there. It should explain what the area is for. And it should offer a direct path to the first step, such as a button. As an alternative to a blank screen, Material Design also recommends starter content that shows what the area will look like once it’s filled.
An example
Back to the task app, as an example of a redesign. Before: “No entries found.” After: a small illustration with the line “This is where your team’s tasks will live. Create the first one or invite your team.” Plus two buttons: “Create task” and “Invite team”. The same empty space now guides people to their first step.
In practice
- Explain what belongs here. A short sentence about the purpose of the area helps more than any illustration. Good microcopy is your most important tool here.
- Offer exactly one clear next step. A button that fills the area beats any long explanation. For more on wording, see What Does a UX Writer Do?.
- Only show “empty” when it’s true. If the message appears while content is still loading, people think there’s nothing there and leave.
Related terms
Onboarding, Microcopy, Progressive Disclosure, UX Writing