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I am currently working a UI project and I have to create a payment form for it. In one of the stories the user needs to be able to use his already inputed profile information as the personal information on the form.

I am debating using a checkbox vs. a toggle. (see image below)

I have read several topics on this, and the opinions seem split. A checkbox could be more affordable because the input required is direct while a toggle is ambiguous (drag or tap). At the same time toggles provide user with the sensation of instant feedback when used (taken from their real world experience) while checkboxes do not.

On this post I can find useful information on both 1st and 2nd answer but not a straight answer.

My target is very broad, this is a website for cultural and language exchange where people might not be so tech-savvy. Considering the context would toggles be pro usability for both mobile and desktop scenarios?

UI Example

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  • What happens when I start typing the information, halfway I decide to switch to "my profile information" but then decide not to use the profile information? Do I get the previously typed (incomplete) data?
    – Mike
    Mar 31, 2017 at 13:35
  • @Mike well then you're just asking for a difficult time ;)
    – maxathousand
    Mar 31, 2017 at 13:45
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    @maxathousand - no if the toggle or checkbox gets replaced with a button-ish function "fill data from my profile" which will overwrite any already entered data with no possibility to revert. "Keep it simple"
    – Mike
    Mar 31, 2017 at 13:50
  • @Mike if using the toggle, would you advise disabling the input fields once they're populated with the existing data?
    – maxathousand
    Mar 31, 2017 at 13:53
  • @Mike you bring up a interesting point. After toggling he wouldn't, shouldn't be able to further edit the data used to fill.
    – Bruno Charters
    Mar 31, 2017 at 13:56

1 Answer 1

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I think it is neither. Toggles should toggle things on and off, the same as checkboxes, and I think you need to trigger a one-time action, for which a button would be much more appropriate.

In general, depending on what you want to achieve, you can go two ways:

If a toggle or checkbox is used, User should not be able to further edit data.

This is because using a checkbox would be switching between some information that is already stored somewhere and entering it manually. From logical point of view, there is no interstate: it is either this or that, and it would require and interstate if you allowed them to edit the data, making the checkbox state "semi-true".

Therefore, you should use a button saying e.g. [Fill in with my profile data] if you want information to be filled in based on the profile data and allow users to further edit it.

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  • 1
    Additionally, you can use "fill with data from my profile" button, which not only pre-fills the fields with already available data but gives the user the possibility to edit them if needed.
    – Mike
    Mar 31, 2017 at 13:52
  • Thanks, @Mike - this is exactly what I meant. I forgot to mention the text on the button. Improving :)
    – Dominik Oslizlo
    Mar 31, 2017 at 13:58
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    This is what I was looking for. I think I was going down the wrong path here. I will discuss this with the client but I think it is great advice and also provides clearer feedback to the user.
    – Bruno Charters
    Mar 31, 2017 at 14:00
  • @DominikOslizlo What if it is a single use toggle? And upon toggling, it disappears with the label and the form becomes pre-filled but editable. Would this have the same effect as button or does this make zero sense from a usability perspective?
    – Bruno Charters
    Mar 31, 2017 at 14:22
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    @BrunoCharters - a toggle should not disappear, it should allow Users to switch it back & forth. I believe that you are facing an implementation issue or dependence, though. So, navigating between all the non-optimal decisions (forgive me everyone!) as a temporary option I would use a switch and change it to unchecked whenever User changes a single bit of data extracted from profile. Or I would do as you say, but again: temporarily. Then I would go for the one I described as fast as possible. Checkout is the one of the places where you can lose a lot of monetisation, it should be done right.
    – Dominik Oslizlo
    Mar 31, 2017 at 15:05

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