Too many forms are misusing placeholder text on text fields. Placeholder text is not an excuse to put anything you want in the textfield. Doing so not only presents an unprofessional impression, but it can confuse users.
Here are a few do’s and don’ts to follow when using placeholder text on your textfields. Follow them to make your forms less complex and overwhelming.
Don’t Repeat Textfield Labels
One common mistake is to repeat the label in the placeholder text. This is redundant and unnecessary because the textfield label is already visible. The label also has higher color contrast than the placeholder, which means users will rely on the label more. The placeholder text is useless and shouldn’t be there.
Repeating the label will also clutter your textfields and make users think they entered input already when they haven’t. This often occurs when users skip fields and go back to review them. They’ll look for blank fields but won’t find any because they all have placeholder text.
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