Tabs

The user wants a simple way of accessing different sections of the content.

Problem

The user wants a simple way of accessing different sections of the content.

Solution

Use tabs to make it easy to explore and switch between different views, pages and functional aspects of an app.

As a navigational pattern use it to organize content at a high level. Think of genres in a music player.

When showing more options that fit the width of the screen use scrollable tabs.

Don't nest tabs under other tabbed content. Highlight the tab that is corresponding to the visible page.

  • Scrollable Tabs
  • Navigation
  • Segmenting
Showing 3 live examples
Scrollable Tabs
  • Downloaded
  • All
  • External storage
  • Running
  • Disabled
    • Calendar26.71MB19/11/2014
    • Camera43.11MB10/11/2014
    • File Manager12.66MB9/11/2014
    • Maps46.21MB21/10/2014
    • News24.00MB20/11/2014
    • Youtube26.47MB18/10/2014
      • Calendar26.71MB09/09/2014
      • Maps46.21MB19/08/2014
      • News24.00MB17/11/2014
      • Youtube26.47MB16/11/2014
        • Clock1.52MB16/10/2014
        • File Manager12.66MB10/11/2014
        • Messages25.57MB09/11/2014
        • News24.00MB08/11/2014
          • Browser74.68MB18/11/2014
          • Calendar26.71MB17/11/2014
          • Camera43.11MB19/10/2014
          • Clock1.52MB10/10/2014
          • Contacts5.43MB11/08/2014
          • Docs32.41MB19/11/2014
          • File Manager12.66MB18/11/2014
          • Gallery1.68MB17/11/2014
          • Maps46.21MB18/11/2014
          • Phone1.28MB19/11/2014
          • Email6.65MB05/07/2014
          • Messages25.57MB06/06/2014
          • News24.00MB20/10/2014
          • Youtube26.47MB18/11/2014
            • Contacts26.71MB17/11/2014
            Scrollable Tabs
            This example should be experienced in full screen
            View in full screen
            Navigation
            • iPhone 6
            • Accessories
            • Compare
            • iOS 8
            • iCloud

            iPhone 6

            Bigger than bigger

            Accessories

            The perfect fit.
            And finish

            Make a statement. Cover every curve. Get fully charged. See all the essential Apple-designed accessories and more for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

            Compare iPhone

            Compare iPhone 6 Plus with iPhone 6
            iPhone 6 Plus
            iPhone 6
            Overview
            Available in silver, gold, and space gray, iPhone 6 Plus features an A8 chip, Touch ID, faster LTE wireless, a new 8MP iSight camera with Focus Pixels, and iOS 8.
            Available in silver, gold, and space gray, iPhone 6 features an A8 chip, Touch ID, faster LTE wireless, a new 8MP iSight camera with Focus Pixels, and iOS 8.

            The biggest iOS release ever.

            iCloud

            iCloud connects you and your Apple devices in amazing ways. It makes sure you always have the latest versions of your most important things — like documents, apps, notes, and contacts — on whatever device you are using. It lets you easily share photos, calendars, locations, and more with friends and family. It even helps you find your device if you lose it. And iCloud does it all automatically. Just like that.
            Navigation
            This example should be experienced in full screen
            View in full screen
            Segmenting
            • Pop
            • Rock
            • Jazz
            • Piano
            • Electric
                • Hello

                  Adele

                • Sorry

                  Justin Bieber

                • Hotline Bling

                  Drake

                • What Do You Mean?

                  Justin Bieber

                • The Hills

                  The Weeknd

                • Stitches

                  Shawn Mendes

                • Love Yourself

                  Justin Bieber

                • Here

                  Alessia Cara

                • Like I'm Gonna Lose You

                  Meghan Trainor Featuring John Legend

                • Same Old Love

                  Selena Gomez

                • 679

                  Fetty Wap Featuring Remy Boyz

                • Hallelujah

                  Jordan Smith

                • Gonna Know We Were Here

                  Jason Aldean

                • The Fix

                  Nelly Featuring Jeremih

                • I Know What You Did Last Summer

                  Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello

                • Me, Myself & I

                  G-Eazy x Bebe Rexha

                • Big Rings

                  Drake & Future

                • When We Were Young

                  Adele

                • My House

                  Flo Rida

                  • Ex's & Oh's

                    Elle King

                  • Renegades

                    X Ambassadors

                  • Stressed Out

                    twenty one pilots

                  • Shut Up And Dance

                    WALK THE MOON

                  • Adventure Of A Lifetime

                    Coldplay

                  • Irresistible

                    Fall Out Boy

                  • Uma Thurman

                    Fall Out Boy

                  • Everglow

                    Coldplay

                  • Let It Go

                    James Bay

                  • Someone New

                    Hozier

                  • First

                    Cold War Kids

                  • S.O.B.

                    Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats

                  • Emperor's New Clothes

                    Panic! At The Disco

                  • LA Devotee

                    Panic! At The Disco

                  • 2 Heads

                    Coleman Hell

                    • Get Up

                      Jeff Lorber Fusion

                    • When I'm With You

                      Vincent Ingala

                    • Silverado

                      Fourplay

                    • Button Legs

                      Cindy Bradley

                    • Can You Feel It

                      Rick Braun

                    • Initiate

                      Julian Vaughn

                    • All In

                      Pieces Of A Dream

                    • Forever And A Day

                      Euge Groove Featuring Althea Rene

                    • Juliet

                      Ken Navarro

                    • Gone

                      Mindi Abair And The Boneshakers

                    • Good Foot

                      Dave Koz Featuring Jeff Golub

                    • Magic Men

                      Marion Meadows Featuring Elan Trotman

                    • Because Of You

                      Gerald Albright

                    • A Better Man

                      Phil Perry

                    • Honey Girl

                      Ryan Montano

                      • Etudes Tableaux

                        Rachmaninoff

                      • Piano Sonata in C Minor, K. 457

                        Mozart

                      • Fantasie-Impromptu Op. 66

                        Chopin

                      • Prelude in G Minor Op. 23

                        Sergei Rachmaninoff

                      • Moonlight Sonata Op. 27

                        Beethoven

                      • Grande Valse Brilliante

                        Chopin

                      • Brahms

                        Brahms

                      • Sonata in B Minor

                        Liszt

                      • Diabelli Variations

                        Beethoven

                      • Goldberg Variations

                        Bach

                        • Lean On

                          Major Lazer & DJ Snake Featuring M0

                        • Where Are U Now

                          Skrillex & Diplo With Justin Bieber

                        • Roses

                          The Chainsmokers Featuring ROZES

                        • How Deep Is Your Love

                          Calvin Harris & Disciples

                        • Hey Mama

                          David Guetta Featuring Nicki Minaj, Bebe Rexha & Afrojack

                        • Daddy

                          PSY Featuring CL

                        • Dessert

                          Dawin

                        • You Know You Like It

                          DJ Snake & AlunaGeorge

                        • Hold My Hand

                          Jess Glynne

                        • Magnets

                          Disclosure Featuring Lorde

                        • Sugar

                          Robin Schulz Featuring Francesco Yates

                        • Bang My Head

                          David Guetta Featuring Sia & Fetty Wap

                        • Be Right There

                          Diplo & Sleepy Tom

                        • Something Better

                          Audien Featuring Lady Antebellum

                        • Omen

                          Disclosure Featuring Sam Smith

                        • Middle

                          DJ Snake Featuring Bipolar Sunshine

                        • Until You Were Gone

                          The Chainsmokers & Tritonal Featuring Emily Warren

                      • Fantasy
                      • Education
                      • History
                      • Sci-Fi
                      • Romance
                          • The Lord Of The Rings

                            J.R.R. Tolkien

                          • The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy

                            Douglas Adams

                          • Ender's Game

                            Orson Scott Card

                          • The Dune Chronicles

                            Frank Herbert

                          • A Song Of Ice And Fire Series

                            George R.R. Martin

                          • 1984

                          • Fahrenheit 451

                            Ray Bradbury

                          • The Foundation Trilogy

                            Isaac Asimov

                          • Brave New World

                            Aldous Huxley

                          • American Gods

                            Neil Gaiman

                          • The Princess Bride

                          • The Wheel Of Time Series

                            Robert Jordan

                          • Animal Farm

                            George Orwell

                            • Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep?

                              Philip K. Dick

                            • The Handmaid's Tale

                              Margaret Atwood

                            • The Dark Tower Series

                              Stephen King

                            • 2001: A Space Odyssey

                              Arthur C. Clarke

                            • The Stand

                              Stephen King

                            • Snow Crash

                              Neal Stephenson

                            • The Martian Chronicles

                              Ray Bradbury

                            • Cat's Cradle

                              Kurt Vonnegut

                            • The Sandman Series

                              Neil Gaiman

                            • A Clockwork Orange

                              Anthony Burgess

                            • Starship Troopers

                              Robert A. Heinlein

                            • Watership Down

                              Richard Adams

                            • Dragonflight

                              Anne McCaffrey

                              • Humans of New York: Stories

                                by Brandon Stanton

                              • The Wright Brothers

                                by David McCullough

                              • Alexander Hamilton

                                by Ron Chernow

                              • SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome

                                by Mary Beard

                              • Map: Exploring the World

                                by Victoria Clarke

                              • My Life on the Road

                                by Gloria Steinem

                              • The Witches: Salem, 1692

                                by Stacy Schiff

                              • Ardennes 1944: The Battle of the Bulge

                                by Antony Beevor

                              • Man's Search for Meaning

                                by Viktor E. Frankl

                              • Killing Jesus

                                by Martin Dugard

                              • A Short History of Nearly Everything

                                by Bill Bryson

                              • Shanghai 1937: Stalingrad on the Yangtze

                                by Peter Harmsen

                                • The Mote In God's Eye

                                  Larry NivenJerry Pournelle

                                • The Sword Of Truth Series

                                  Terry Goodkind

                                • The Road

                                  Cormac McCarthy

                                • Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell

                                  Susanna Clarke

                                • I Am Legend

                                  Richard Matheson

                                • The Riftwar Saga

                                  Raymond E. Feist

                                • The Sword of Shannara Trilogy

                                  Terry Brooks

                                • The Conan The Barbarian Series

                                  Robert E. HowardMark Schultz

                                • The Farseer Trilogy

                                  Robin Hobb

                                • The Time Traveler's Wife

                                  Audrey Niffenegger

                                • The Way Of Kings

                                  Brandon Sanderson

                                  • Bad Boy's Baby

                                    by Sosie Frost

                                  • See Me

                                    by Nicholas Sparks

                                  • Magic Stars (Grey Wolf Book 1)

                                    by Ilona Andrews

                                  • To Love Jason Thorn

                                    by Ella Maise

                                  • DARK PARADISE

                                    by Winter Renshaw

                                  • Bad For Me (A Billionaire Romance Novel)

                                    by Aubrey Dark

                                  • Roommates

                                    by Erin Leigh

                                  • Before Goodbye

                                    by Mimi Cross

                                  • Undercover Love: A Billionaire Romance

                                    by Lucy Score

                                • Fantasy
                                • Horror
                                • Animation
                                • Sci-Fi
                                • Romance
                                    • The Seven Samurai

                                      by Akira Kurosawa

                                    • Bonnie and Clyde

                                      by Arthur Penn

                                    • Reservoir Dogs

                                      by Quentin Tarantino

                                    • Airplane!

                                      by Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker

                                    • Pan's Labyrinth

                                      by Guillermo del Toro

                                    • Doctor Zhivago

                                      by David Lean

                                    • The Deer Hunter

                                      by Michael Cimino

                                    • Close Encounters of the Third Kind

                                      by Steven Spielberg

                                    • Rocky

                                      by John G. Avildsen

                                    • Memento

                                      by Christopher Nolan

                                    • Braveheart

                                      by Mel Gibson

                                    • Slumdog Millionaire

                                      by Danny Boyle

                                    • The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

                                      by Peter Jackson

                                      • Psycho

                                        by Alfred Hitchcock

                                      • Alien

                                        by Ridley Scott

                                      • Diabolique

                                        by Henri-Georges Clouzot

                                      • The Thing

                                        by John Carpenter

                                      • The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

                                        by Robert Wiene

                                      • The Exorcist

                                        by William Friedkin

                                      • Nosferatu

                                        by F.W. Murnau

                                      • Dawn of the Dead

                                        by George A. Romero

                                      • Shaun of the Dead

                                        by Edgar Wright

                                      • Rosemary's Baby

                                        by Roman Polanski

                                      • Frankenstein

                                        by James Whale

                                        • Chaar Sahibzaade

                                          by Harry Baweja

                                        • Battle of Surabaya

                                          by Aryanto Yuniawan

                                        • Spirited Away

                                          by Hayao Miyazaki

                                        • The Lion King

                                          by Roger Allers

                                        • Grave of the Fireflies

                                          by Isao Takahata

                                        • WALL·E

                                          by Andrew Stanton

                                        • Princess Mononoke

                                          by Hayao Miyazaki

                                        • Return to Treasure Island

                                          by David Cherkasskiy

                                        • Cat City

                                          by Béla Ternovszky

                                        • Toy Story 3

                                          by Lee Unkrich

                                        • Inside Out

                                          by Pete Docter

                                        • The Pinchcliffe Grand Prix

                                          by Ivo Caprino

                                        • It's Such a Beautiful Day

                                          by Don Hertzfeldt

                                          • Inception

                                            by Christopher Nolan

                                          • Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back

                                            by Irvin Kershner

                                          • The Matrix

                                            by Andy Wachowski

                                          • Interstellar

                                            by Christopher Nolan

                                          • Terminator 2: Judgment Day

                                            by James Cameron

                                          • Back to the Future

                                            by Robert Zemeckis

                                          • The Prestige

                                            by Christopher Nolan

                                          • Aliens

                                            by Alien

                                          • A Clockwork Orange

                                            by Stanley Kubrick

                                          • 2001: A Space Odyssey

                                            by Stanley Kubrick

                                          • Metropolis

                                            by Fritz Lang

                                          • PK

                                            by Rajkumar Hirani

                                          • Blade Runner

                                            by Ridley Scott

                                            • The Princess Bride

                                              by Rob Reiner

                                            • The Legend of 1900

                                              by Giuseppe Tornatore

                                            • Black Cat, White Cat

                                              by Emir Kusturica

                                            • Annie Hall

                                              by Woody Allen

                                            • Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara

                                              by Zoya Akhtar

                                            • Chungking Express

                                              by Kar Wai Wong

                                            • Before Sunrise

                                              by Richard Linklater

                                            • 3-Iron

                                              by Ki-duk Kim

                                            • Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

                                              by Richard Brooks

                                            • Barry Lyndon

                                              by Stanley Kubrick

                                            • Three Colors: Red

                                              by Krzysztof Kieslowski

                                            • Wings of Desire

                                              by Wim Wenders

                                            • In the Mood for Love

                                              by Kar Wai Wong

                                            • Roman Holiday

                                              by William Wyler

                                          Segmenting
                                          This example should be experienced in full screen
                                          View in full screen

                                          Problem

                                          The user wants a simple way of accessing different sections of the content.

                                          Solution

                                          Use tabs to make it easy to explore and switch between different views, pages and functional aspects of an app.

                                          As a navigational pattern use it to organize content at a high level. Think of genres in a music player.

                                          When showing more options that fit the width of the screen use scrollable tabs.

                                          Don't nest tabs under other tabbed content. Highlight the tab that is corresponding to the visible page.

                                          Share in SMS
                                          • SMS