Help & feedback

Help content provides answers to user questions and concerns.


Use & placement

Using help content

Help content provides answers to common questions about your app. Users can submit comments, report bugs, and ask questions that are not already answered by...

Help content provides answers to common questions about your app. Users can submit comments, report bugs, and ask questions that are not already answered by the help content.


Common locations

Help content should be easy for users to find. It can be placed in various points in your navigation. It usually appears in a navigation...

Help content should be easy for users to find. It can be placed in various points in your navigation. It usually appears in a navigation drawer or overflow menu under the label “Help” or “Send feedback.”

Placement

It is easier to find Help content in both the navigation drawer and app bar or only in the app bar. It is less easy to find Help content when it is only in the navigation drawer or overflow menu.

  • If your app is complex and has a navigation drawer, place a link to “Help” both in the navigation drawer and the app bar.
  • If your app is complex and does not have a navigation drawer, place a link to “Help” in the app bar.
  • If your app is not complex, place “Help” in a navigation drawer or overflow menu only.

Navigation Drawer

“Help” should be the last item in the navigation drawer, with “Send feedback” directly above it. Anytime “Sign out” appears in a navigation drawer, it...

“Help” should be the last item in the navigation drawer, with “Send feedback” directly above it.

Anytime “Sign out” appears in a navigation drawer, it should be the last item in the list.

The navigation drawer showing “Help” and “Send feedback”

Overflow menu

“Help” and “Feedback” (or “Send feedback”) should be placed in the overflow menu when there is no navigation drawer.

DoOverflow menu showing “Help” and “Send feedback”

App bar

To provide help for urgent issues, such as payments and refunds, place a Help icon in the app bar. Desktop apps may also place a...

To provide help for urgent issues, such as payments and refunds, place a Help icon in the app bar. Desktop apps may also place a Help icon in the app bar, as there is more space in the desktop UI.

Help icon promoted in the app bar

Help screen

The help screen can include a “Send feedback” button for users to report issues or send comments. Content viewed less often (such as “About,” “Privacy,”...

The help screen can include a “Send feedback” button for users to report issues or send comments.

Content viewed less often (such as “About,” “Privacy,” and “Terms of service”) may be placed in an action overflow menu.

A help screen with frequently asked questions and answers and an action button to send feedback

Icons

Help

DoTo indicate Help content, use the icon for Help.
Don'tDon’t use icon variations, such as those with speech bubbles or outlines.

Send feedback

DoTo indicate where users can send feedback, use the Material Design icon for feedback.
Don'tDon’t use icon variations, such as chat or bug icons.

Help Tooltips

When a brief description can help provide context, you can display a help tooltip. Help icons provide helper text on hover, tap, or click.

When a brief description can help provide context, you can display a help tooltip. Help icons provide helper text on hover, tap, or click.

DoTo indicate a help tooltip is available, use the Material Design Help outline icon.
Don'tDon’t use icon variations or icons with speech bubbles or outlines.

Writing

Make it easy to read

Make content clear and easy to scan by formatting text with bold headings, lists, tables, and space between paragraphs. When referring to elements that users...

Make content clear and easy to scan by formatting text with bold headings, lists, tables, and space between paragraphs.

When referring to elements that users need to select, such as buttons or links, you can bold their names when referring to them.

Headings help organize an article’s content. They help readers scan the page to quickly find the information they need.

Give key information

Keep explanations as short as possible, without giving details that aren’t relevant to typical usage.

Use simple language

Avoid using technical terms in help content where possible.

Show images

When providing step-by-step instructions, show relevant images or icons to explain what the user needs to do.

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