Top UI/UX Designs in 2021

Insight into the latest UI/UX trends

Nena Vuckovic
4 min readDec 18, 2020
UI/UX Design Process, picjumbo.com via Pexels

With over 1.6 billion websites online, it can be challenging to make your business or project stand out and attract new customers. Developers need to be brushing up on their UX knowledge and on a constant lookout for new trends. That way, you can beat your competition while renewing the interest of your users and creating something truly extraordinary.

If you are ready, here’s our rundown of top UI/UX trends in 2021!

1. 3D Elements

It seems that some trends, such as 3D elements, are on the rise right now.

Of course, 3D isn’t a new trend, but it has rarely been seen in UI/UX design. What’s more, this trend might get even bigger in 2021 due to new VR and AR technologies that rely on hyper-realistic animations and graphics.

Some examples of sites that use 3D elements are A-0 Design, Blue Receipt, and Pitch.

2. Voice User Interface (VUI)

VUIs (voice user interfaces), popularized by Alexa or Siri (sorry Cortana) enable us to communicate and interact with a platform via speech. It’s a human-centered design solution, and it can reshape the way your customers with your platform, once implemented correctly.

If you are thinking about implementing a VUI into your platform, note that designing one is completely different from creating a graphical interface.

3. VR and AR

Could 2021 be the year in which VR, AR, and AI finally have their moment? We see more and more examples of successful VR tech that could open up new markets and shake up the world of design.

Released in 2020, the blockbuster game “Half-Life Alyx” was praised for its VR-exclusive interface. Data shows that the market for VR games could reach nearly $23 billion by 2021.

It’s rumored that Apple is developing two AR projects and that the company may release a VR headset soon. Can you imagine the avalanche of new VR apps, products, and design elements that could follow?

4. Dark Mode

In the past few years, the dark mode has become one of the most-utilized features in web/app design. It is praised for an ultra-modern look while being easy on the eyes, and on top of that, it saves a lot of battery life on mobile devices. When we first designed our CASI and Apego Wallet, we opted for dark tones.

CASI Wallet, a custodial digital wallet by The BlockBox

It’s an incredibly simple yet effective solution that has grown into a major trend. Think about it when you do your next design.

5. Mobile-First Design

With Google’s “mobile-first” algorithm update, we learned that the company prioritizes mobile searches. Google’s Bot primarily uses the mobile version of your site for indexing.

The company even stated that website traffic could suffer if the mobile version of your site has less content than the desktop version. In a nutshell, responsive design and mobile design are not optional anymore, they are a requirement.

6. UX Writing

If you know your target audience, you can base your communication style around it; in fact, it’s advisable to use humor and many other means of informal communication to improve UX.

Microcopies, aka targeting writing, captures the “vibe” of your business and make you feel authentic and real. So, in 2021, be prepared to create a highly individualized brand identity and tell your unique story through original writing.

7. Outside-the-Box Visual Tricks

The leading trends right now are realistic textures, unique color combinations, hand-drawn visuals, soft shadows, asymmetrical layouts, and floating elements; some UI/UX design trends that are big in 2020/2021 include the use of eye-catching bold fonts, full-screen visuals, and blended graphics/images. Those techniques can set the right tone and look for your platform.

What Is the Best UI/UX Design Trend in 2021?

There are a few other trends that we haven’t looked into so far. Some include minimalistic UI, over-the-top product photos, abstract data visualization, logging in without passwords, air gesture controls, custom navigation, etc. Right now, it’s hard to tell which trend will take over the UI/UX scene, but the ones we’ve mentioned are certainly the biggest contenders.

Read more about the latest technology trends from The BlockBox below:

Which trend did you like the most? Let us know and get in touch with us to learn about the latest design trends!

--

--