Tabs UI design examples

Tabs let people switch between related panels without leaving the page. Each example here is a working tab list with a count badge and a disabled tab, built to the WAI-ARIA tabs pattern: arrow keys move between tabs, Home and End jump to the ends, and only the selected tab sits in the tab order. Eight styles, light and dark, with the HTML, CSS and a few lines of plain JavaScript. Every example is an original design that comes with its HTML code and a DESIGN.md of colour, type and spacing tokens, in light and dark. Free to use and adapt.

DeviceAll Web Mobile

StyleAll Minimal Editorial Brutalist Luxury Playful Corporate Retro Monochrome

Theme

16 examples

Web · minimal

Web · editorial

Web · brutalist

Web · luxury

Web · playful

Web · corporate

Web · retro

Web · monochrome

Mobile · minimal

Mobile · editorial

Mobile · brutalist

Mobile · luxury

Mobile · playful

Mobile · corporate

Mobile · retro

Mobile · monochrome

Tabs design tips

Keep tab labels to one or two words so the row does not wrap; let it scroll sideways on phones rather than shrinking the text.
Mark the selected tab with more than colour: an underline, a filled pill or a weight change.
Use tabs for peer views of the same thing. If the content is a sequence, use a stepper; if people need to compare panels, show them side by side.
Give the tab list an aria-label and keep each panel focusable (tabindex="0") so keyboard users can reach content without many Tab presses.

Questions

Should tabs switch on arrow keys or on Enter?

Automatic activation (the panel changes as focus moves) is the common choice when panels are already loaded, and it is what these examples do. If a panel is slow to load, switch to manual activation, where arrows move focus and Enter or Space shows the panel.

Can a tab be disabled?

Yes. These examples mark it aria-disabled="true", draw it faded and skip it with the arrow keys. Explain why it is unavailable somewhere nearby, for example in the panel or a tooltip.

Browse by pattern

App screens

Dashboard
Data table
Analytics charts
Login
Sign up
Forgot password
Two-factor code
Welcome
Onboarding step
Permissions request
Home
Feed
List view
Detail view
Kanban board
Calendar
File manager
Search results
Editor toolbar
AI chat assistant
Chat list
Chat thread
Video call
Image viewer
Map view
Video player
Create post
Class schedule
Booking details
Booking confirmed
Product detail
Cart
Checkout
Order confirmation
Settings
Profile
Notifications center
Team members
Roles permissions
Audit log
API keys
Integrations
Billing plans
Invoice
Paywall upgrade
Cancel subscription
Empty state
404 error
Loading skeleton
Success confirmation
AI workspace
AI settings
Version history
Approval queue
Doctor directory
Telehealth visit
Clinic home
Music player
Playlist
Portfolio home
Case study
Security dashboard
Project tracker
Course dashboard
Multi-step form wizard
Bank onboarding
Product scan
Split view (master-detail)
Canvas editor
Floor plan
Voice call
Toast / snackbar with undo
Confirm dialog (destructive)
Side drawer
Command palette
Date range picker
Form validation errors
Sign-in error
Card declined at checkout
Find a pro (home services)
Book a home-service visit
Job tracker
Account email
Order email
Shift scheduler
Leave calendar
Time-off request
Multi-location operations dashboard
Inventory stock
Savings goal
Onboarding carousel

UI components

Tabs
Cards
Pagination
Popover
Tooltip
Dropdown menu
Accordion
Radio buttons
Breadcrumbs
Toggle switch
Stepper
Sidebar navigation
Loading spinner

Website sections

Website templates

Building with an AI coding agent? Every screen here is also in the free Made Good Designs MCP server: ask Claude, Cursor or ChatGPT to search_ui_screens (e.g. “billing settings, editorial style”), get_ui_flow for a whole journey, and get_ui_screen_code to pull the HTML and DESIGN.md straight into your project.