Mobile App Onboarding Screen Design
Onboarding is the first 60 seconds in an application. Most users who delete an application on the first day do so in this window. The reason is almost always the same: unclear what to do next, or unclear why this application is needed at all.
What Works and What Doesn't
The classic onboarding of three slides with illustrations "Fast," "Convenient," "Reliable"—does not work. The user will scroll through them blindly and tap "Start." Such onboarding provides neither understanding of the product nor a first valuable action.
Working patterns:
Progressive disclosure—show features as the user encounters them. Do not explain everything at once. First screen—key action, everything else—later.
Benefit-focused, not feature-focused—"Track expenses in 10 seconds" instead of "Our application has a transaction categorization feature."
Minimal onboarding until first value—if the user can try the application without registration, do not force registration on the first screen.
Permission requests in context—do not ask for geolocation access on the second onboarding screen. Request it when the feature is needed—then the user understands why.
Types of Onboarding Screens
For different products—different approaches: welcome slides with key values, interactive setup wizard (fitness apps: goal selection, activity level), empty state with call-to-action ("Add your first task"). The choice depends on the product.
We design in Figma with real content—not lorem ipsum. Onboarding with placeholder text does not give the right feeling during testing.
Timeline
Design of onboarding (3–5 screens) with states and animation notes—1 business day.