Design for Network Failures
Performance & Reliability · offline
Updated 2026-07-28
- Assume connections will fail. Every important action needs a plan for failure.
- Show clear network states:
- Offline.
- Connecting.
- Retrying.
- Completed.
- Preserve user work:
- Save drafts.
- Queue actions when possible.
- Avoid losing input.
- Explain what failed and what happens next.
- A reliable interface is not one that never fails. It is one that helps users recover when failure happens.
Related guides
UX Handbook