Save Before Quitting

Question

I'm designing a mobile app with a settings screen which allows users to save their settings or reset them. It's setup where if the users makes changes to their settings and taps to go back home, they are brought back to the home screen and a prompt appears asking if they want to save or discard what they've changed.

My concern here is that the user is automatically brought back home regardless of their choice. So whether or not they save, they're taken out of the settings screen. An alternate idea I had was that if a user tries to go back home without saving a message appears asking if they want to leave without saving. If no the user stays on the screen and has an opportunity to hit the save button. If no then they are brought home.

This breaks things down to a two step process but in my opinion would give users full control navigation wise. Should I keep what I have or should I go through with the alternate method? What am I benefiting from with the better solution?

Answer 1

Let's take a look at what other applications do

Applications on macs and windows (from what I recall for windows... been a while since I've used a windows machine) prevent the user from moving forward before they decide whether they want to save or discard changes.

The reasoning behind that is because if the user leaves the application, then a modal/message comes up asking what they want to do, will interrupt the flow for the user thus confusing them.

I suggest you stop them before leaving.

OR

You could provide an auto save feature that will completely eliminate this whole hassle (like evernote).

Answer 2

I like the idea of Microsoft has done in their office for iPad apps. It's auto save by default, but the user can turn it off. When they choose to switch it off it then enables the save button.