Morningstar Design System

Switches

Variations Design Guidelines Code Reference Accessibility

Switches

  • HTML/CSS Available
  • Web Component Beta
  • Last Updated

    2.14.0

Switches afford a choice between one of two opposing states or options.

Variations Design Guidelines Code Reference Accessibility

Variations

With Label

Default
Hover
Active
Focus
On
Default
Logic Mode
Hover
Logic Mode
Active
Logic Mode
Focus
Logic Mode
On
Logic Mode
HTML Web Component 
<div class="mds-switch">
    <label class="mds-switch__label" for="--80123">
        <input id="--80123" type="checkbox" role="switch" class="mds-switch__input">
        <span class="mds-switch__text"> Logic Mode </span>
    </label>
</div>
<mds-switch id="switch-1"> Logic Mode </mds-switch>
Default
Hover
Default
Logic Mode
Hover
Logic Mode
HTML Web Component 
<div class="mds-switch mds-switch--disabled">
    <label class="mds-switch__label" for="--40941">
        <input id="--40941" type="checkbox" role="switch" class="mds-switch__input" disabled>
        <span class="mds-switch__text"> Logic Mode </span>
    </label>
</div>
<mds-switch disabled id="switch-6"> Logic Mode </mds-switch>

Without Label

Use when the purpose of a switch is clearly implied by its proximity to other content and controls.

Without Label
Without Label, Hover
Without Label, Active
Without Label, Focus
Without Label, On
Without Label
Logic Mode
Without Label, Hover
Logic Mode
Without Label, Active
Logic Mode
Without Label, Focus
Logic Mode
Without Label, On
Logic Mode
HTML Web Component 
<div class="mds-switch mds-switch--hide-label">
    <label class="mds-switch__label" for="--22181">
        <input id="--22181" type="checkbox" role="switch" class="mds-switch__input">
        <span class="mds-switch__text"> Logic Mode </span>
    </label>
</div>
<mds-switch hide-text id="switch-8"> Logic Mode </mds-switch>
Without Label, Disabled, Off
Without Label, Disabled, On
Without Label, Disabled, Off
Logic Mode
Without Label, Disabled, On
Logic Mode
HTML Web Component 
<div class="mds-switch mds-switch--disabled">
    <label class="mds-switch__label" for="--83664">
        <input id="--83664" type="checkbox" role="switch" class="mds-switch__input" disabled>
        <span class="mds-switch__text"> Logic Mode </span>
    </label>
</div>
<mds-switch hide-text disabled id="switch-13"> Logic Mode </mds-switch>

Switch Group

Default
Client Configuration Options
Default
Client Configuration Options Display Overview/Investment Display Account Details Display Benchmark Returns Allow Clients to Generate Reports Display Document Manager
HTML Web Component 
<fieldset class="mds-switch__group" role="group">
    <legend class="mds-switch__group-label"> Client Configuration Options </legend>
    <div class="mds-switch">
        <label class="mds-switch__label" for="--72833">
            <input id="--72833" type="checkbox" role="switch" class="mds-switch__input">
            <span class="mds-switch__text"> Display Overview/Investment </span>
        </label>
    </div>
    <div class="mds-switch">
        <label class="mds-switch__label" for="--75775">
            <input id="--75775" type="checkbox" role="switch" class="mds-switch__input">
            <span class="mds-switch__text"> Display Account Details </span>
        </label>
    </div>
    <div class="mds-switch">
        <label class="mds-switch__label" for="--63449">
            <input id="--63449" type="checkbox" role="switch" class="mds-switch__input">
            <span class="mds-switch__text"> Display Benchmark Returns </span>
        </label>
    </div>
    <div class="mds-switch">
        <label class="mds-switch__label" for="--42476">
            <input id="--42476" type="checkbox" role="switch" class="mds-switch__input">
            <span class="mds-switch__text"> Allow Clients to Generate Reports </span>
        </label>
    </div>
    <div class="mds-switch">
        <label class="mds-switch__label" for="--51875">
            <input id="--51875" type="checkbox" role="switch" class="mds-switch__input">
            <span class="mds-switch__text"> Display Document Manager </span>
        </label>
    </div>
</fieldset>
<fieldset class="mds-switch__group" role="group">
    <legend class="mds-switch__group-label"> Client Configuration Options </legend>
    <mds-switch id="switch-15"> Display Overview/Investment </mds-switch>
    <mds-switch id="switch-16"> Display Account Details </mds-switch>
    <mds-switch id="switch-17"> Display Benchmark Returns </mds-switch>
    <mds-switch id="switch-18"> Allow Clients to Generate Reports </mds-switch>
    <mds-switch id="switch-19"> Display Document Manager </mds-switch>
</fieldset>

Sizing

Sizing affects the switch size, text size, and internal spacing. The default size is medium, and you can use modifier classes or props to make the switch smaller or larger.

Small

Medium (Default)

Large

Small
Logic Mode
Logic Mode
Medium (Default)
Logic Mode
Logic Mode
Large
Logic Mode
Logic Mode
HTML Web Component 
<div class="mds-switch mds-switch--small">
    <label class="mds-switch__label" for="--25215">
        <input id="--25215" type="checkbox" role="switch" class="mds-switch__input" checked>
        <span class="mds-switch__text"> Logic Mode </span>
    </label>
</div>
<br />
<div class="mds-switch mds-switch--small mds-switch--hide-label">
    <label class="mds-switch__label" for="--60090">
        <input id="--60090" type="checkbox" role="switch" class="mds-switch__input" checked>
        <span class="mds-switch__text"> Logic Mode </span>
    </label>
</div>
<mds-switch size="small" id="switch-20" checked> Logic Mode </mds-switch>
<br />
<mds-switch size="small" id="switch-21" hide-text checked> Logic Mode </mds-switch>
  • When pairing switches and Forms, use the same size.

Use When

  • Turning on and off a feature, mode, or functionality.
  • Toggling elicits an immediate change in the UI.
  • Toggling elicits a change in background behavior without affecting the UI.

Don’t Use When

  • Requiring user action consent, such as accepting terms and conditions. Instead, use a Form checkbox.
  • Requesting multiple choices from a group of options. Instead, use a Form checkbox group.
Do use for a choice that elicits an immediate change in the UI, like enabling a disabled field.
Do use for a choice that elicits an immediate change in the UI, like enabling a disabled field.
Don‘t use a <a class="mds-link" href="/components/forms.html#checkbox">Checkbox</a>.
Don‘t use a Checkbox.
Do use for a choice that elicits a change in background functionality without affecting the UI, like disabling an email notification.
Do use for a choice that elicits a change in background functionality without affecting the UI, like disabling an email notification.
Don‘t use a <a class="mds-link" href="/components/forms.html#checkbox">Checkbox</a>.
Don‘t use a Checkbox.
Do use for turning an option on and off, such as a data formatting rule.
Do use for turning an option on and off, such as a data formatting rule.
Don‘t use a <a class="mds-link" href="/components/forms.html#checkbox">Checkbox</a>.
Don‘t use a Checkbox.

Visual Language

Do describe a switch’s functionality using a short label that doesn’t change, regardless of state.
Do describe a switch’s functionality using a short label that doesn’t change, regardless of state.
Don‘t pair two labels with a switch.
Don‘t pair two labels with a switch.

Behaviors

Do use the same label text for both the on and off state.
Do use the same label text for both the on and off state.
Don‘t change label text between states.
Don‘t change label text between states.

Editorial

  • Avoid acronyms.
  • Aim for 2 to 5 words.
  • When using a switch to control a “Mode”, make sure your modifier is specific and maps well to a user’s expectation once the switch is turned on.
    • Do: Logic Mode
    • Don't: Beast Mode

CSS

Class References

Class
Applies to
Outcome

mds-switch

<div>

At parent level, this applies base-switch styles to an element.

mds-switch--small

mds-switch

Adjusts styling to render a small switch.

mds-switch--large

mds-switch

Adjusts styling to render a large switch.

mds-switch--hover

mds-switch

Applies hover state.

mds-switch--active

mds-switch

Applies active state.

mds-switch--focus

mds-switch

Applies focus state.

mds-switch--disabled

mds-switch

Applies disabled state. To properly disable interaction with the switch, add disabled attribute to input.

mds-switch--hide-label

mds-switch

Hides label text although text is still readable by screen readers.

mds-switch__group

<fieldset>

Semantically structures a group of switches. Always include <legend> as a prelude for the switches.

mds-switch__field-group--horizontal

<div>

Apply to a parent wrapper of a fieldset to convert switches layout from vertical to horizontal.

Web Component

Props

Prop
Type
Validation
Default
Description

checked

Boolean

—

false

Sets the checked attribute of the switch’s underlying checkbox.

class

String

—

—

A space-separated list of class names that will be appended to the default mds-switch class.

disabled

Boolean

—

false

If true, applies the disabled state.

hideText

Boolean

—

false

If true, hides text, rendering the without label variation.

id

String

Required

—

The id attribute for the HTML element.

size

String

Enum: ["small", "medium", "large"]

medium

Alters the size of the switch.

text

String

Required

—

Sets the switch’s label text. Can also be passed using the default slot.
  • Use kebab-case when setting props in HTML. For example, hideText would be written as hide-text.

Slots

Default Slot

Any text passed in between the <mds-switch></mds-switch> tags will be used as the text content.

Usage Examples

Setting text, checked, and size:

<!-- Using Props -->
<mds-switch text="Switch Label" size="large" checked></mds-switch>
<!-- Using Slots -->
<mds-switch size="large" checked> Switch Label </mds-switch>

Implementation

  • Always include a label even if it is hidden from the screen, to ensure there is descriptive text present for assistive technologies.

Best Practices

  • By default, switches include a role="switch" ARIA attribute to ensure they are accurately announced via assistive technologies.
  • By default, switch groups include a role="group" on the <fieldset> wrapping grouped switches.
  • Switch can be triggered by pressing spacebar.