Radio Button

Several options in a group can be selected

Use a group of checkboxes instead.

Binary Yes/No Options

For only two opposing yes/no options, use a checkbox instead.

Correct

Incorrect

5 and more options

If the options have short labels, use a segmented button. Or, if the options can be represented on an axis, such as a time delay, use a slider instead.

For other cases with 5 or more options use a drop-down list:

Correct

Incorrect

Use dropdown

Consider using a drop-down list if:

• The screen space is limited.

• The option might be used less often than other options on the screen.

• There are other drop-down lists in the same group of UI components. A radio button group is more noticeable than a drop-down list, so it will look like a more important setting.

• There is a combination of several UI components for one setting:

  

  The automatic updates setting consists of a checkbox, three lengthy-labeled options in a dropdown and a button.

Label

	A label accompanies each checkbox and is placed next to it.
	If a label is long, split it into two lines. Avoid labels that take more than two lines. See recommendations on writing concise labels below.

To implement this, use HTML formatting:

Writing guidelines

Use sentence-style capitalization.

Do not use ending punctuation.

Use the imperative form of verbs.

Do not use negation in labels as it complicates understanding.

Correct

Incorrect

Make labels short and intelligible — see Writing short and clear text.

Group label

Always start a radio button group with a group label. It explains what the options are for.

Use a checkbox or another radio button as a group label if the radio button group needs to be turned on or off.

Use a colon at the end of a group label.