Architecture
- Group settings by category (Account, Notifications, Appearance, Privacy, Billing)
- Use a sidebar or tab navigation for categories
- Search within settings for large apps
- Show current values without opening each setting
Rules
- Sensible defaults. Most users never change settings. The defaults ARE the product for 80% of users.
- Save automatically where possible (toggles, selects). "Save" buttons only for text inputs and multi-field forms.
- Confirm destructive changes. Deleting account, revoking access, changing email.
- Show consequences. "Turning this off means you won't receive..." not just a toggle.
- Undo where possible. Deactivate instead of delete. Grace periods before permanent actions.
Common Mistakes
- Burying important settings (notification preferences, privacy)
- Settings that require a restart to take effect (without telling the user)
- No way to reset to defaults
- Settings pages that look different from the rest of the product
- Toggle switches with unclear on/off states