Toggle refers to the act of switching from one view, setting, or function to another. It implies that there are only two possible options and that a user is switching between them, and usually these options are on or off for a specific preference. Toggling also usually only requires the user to click a button or press a simple combination of keys.
What is a toggle switch?
A toggle switch is one that has only two positions. For example, light switches that turn a light on or off are technically considered toggle switches. On computer keyboards, the Caps Lock key is a toggle switch that controls the input case of the keys being pressed. If the Caps Lock is already on, then pressing the Caps Lock key turns it off. If the Caps Lock is off, then pressing the Caps Lock key turns it on.
Toggle in software
In a range of software applications, a toggle is usually found in the form of a checkbox. Some of examples of a software toggle include:
- Selecting parameters to filter a list of items or results.
- Tapping and holding a touchscreen to switch between an edited and unedited view of a photograph in a photo editing software.
- Using keyboard commands to enable bold font formatting in a word processing application.
