Don’t be Fooled by Glassmorphism: Why It’s Not Always the Best Choice in UI/UX Design

‘Let’s Talk UX’ Vol. 2: Glassmorphism

As a designer, you’ve likely heard of the term “Glassmorphism” — but do you know why it’s become such a popular trend in UI/UX design? In this blog post, I want to take a closer look at Glassmorphism and explain why I believe it’s here to stay.

At its core, Glassmorphism is a design trend centered around creating a sense of depth with layered elements. It’s a subtle, yet effective way to make elements stand out, while also making them look polished and professional. To achieve this, designers use a combination of light, shadow, and transparency to create a glass-like effect. This technique is often used to emphasise buttons, navigation bars, and other interactive elements.

The Top Benefits to Using Glassmorphic Design

1. Enhanced User Experience: Glassmorphism adds a layer of depth to your UI/UX design, making it more visually appealing and easier to navigate. This helps create a better user experience and encourages users to explore your app or website.
2. Creating a Professional Look: It Creates a Professional Look: Glassmorphism is a modern design trend that looks sleek and professional. It can help make your UI/UX design stand out from the competition and give it a more polished appearance.
3. Easily Customisable: Glassmorphism is a highly customisable design trend, which makes it easy to tailor the look and feel of your UI/UX design to your specific needs. You can easily adjust the transparency levels, shadows, and other elements to create a look unique to you or your client’s branding.

Apple as an Exemplar

Apple is a company that uses Glassmorphism to great effect. Its new iCloud website is a great example of how to use this design trend to create a polished, professional look. The website uses transparent elements and subtle shadows to give its UI/UX design a modern, glass-like effect. This makes the website look sleek and sophisticated, while also making it easier to navigate.

Apple has also used Glassmorphism in its App Store page. The page uses layers and transparency to create a glass-like effect, which makes it easier to distinguish between different elements and encourages users to explore the app. Additionally, Apple has used Glassmorphism in its MacOS Big Sur operating system, which uses the same design trend to make its interface more visually appealing.

The Most Common Challenges Designers Face

1. Overuse: Too much Glassmorphism can make your design look cluttered and overwhelming. It’s important to use this design trend sparingly and only when it makes sense to do so.
2. Complexity: Glassmorphism is a complex design trend, and it can be difficult to get right. If you don’t have experience with this technique, it can be challenging to get the desired effect.
3. Low Contrast: Too much transparency can make it difficult to read text and distinguish elements from one another. This can lead to a confusing user experience, so it’s important to ensure that your design has enough contrast.

Sometimes Even the Biggest get it Wrong

One example of a company that is using Glassmorphism in a poor way is Spotify. Spotify’s usage of Glassmorphism is bad because it is too busy and cluttered. The design has too many layers, shadows, and transparent elements, which makes it hard to focus on the important elements. Additionally, there is not enough contrast between elements, which can make it difficult to read text and distinguish elements from one another.

Spotify’s Glassmorphic App Design

In conclusion, Glassmorphism is a great design trend for enhancing user experience and is likely here to stay. It can be used to create a professional look, and highly customisable design. However, it’s important to remember to use it sparingly, ensure that there is sufficient contrast, and avoid making your design overly complex. With these tips in mind, you can use Glassmorphism to create a great UI/UX design.

Signing Off

Thanks for taking the time to read this (somewhat) deep-dive into Glassmorphism as a UX/UI trend, and why I think that it’s here to stay. If you’ve found this post informative please consider giving a like or a repost. I’m very excited to see how this trend continues to evolve over time and to explore the other trends that are popping up throughout the industry. If you found this interesting check out our earlier blog on how minimalism in UX/UI designs can improve the user experience.

Author- Matt Harris (UX/ UI Designer at Empirisys)

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