15 App Design Trends For 2023: From Flat Design to Personalization

App design is ever-changing and ever-evolving. Over the past few years, we have seen many shifts in mobile app design, from bright, bold designs to minimalist muted color palettes, from dark mode to a mixture of white space and high contrast. So what’s trending in app design as we move into 2023?

From flat design to personalization, here are the most exciting app design trends for 2023 and how designers can integrate them into their work. 

While flat design has been around for a few years, it’s still one of the most popular app design trends. Characterized by simple shapes, bright colors, and minimalistic illustrations, flat design is often used to create user-friendly interfaces that are easy to navigate.

Flat design tends to be more popular with younger users as it’s more modern and stylish. However, regardless of the target audience, designers can use it for any app. That said, it is also something that has become almost an expectation in mobile app design, so if you’re not using it, you may want to consider doing so.

Minimalism is another popular app design trend that has been around for a few years. This design trend focuses on functionality, often using clean lines and simple shapes. Minimalistic design is great for creating user-friendly interfaces that are easy to navigate.

Minimalistic design is particularly effective for business or fashion apps, as it conveys a sense of professionalism and sophistication. If you are targeting a business audience, then a minimalistic design is something to consider. 

Hot tip: it’s imperative for app designers to ensure they’re backing up data and progress as they go. This is especially important for first-time developers.

Material design is a newer app design trend that has been gaining popularity. Material design uses bold colors, shadows, and animations. This type of design creates rich, immersive user experiences.

Material design is particularly popular with younger users, as it’s fun and interactive. Using material design sparingly is advised, as too much of it can make an app look cluttered and busy. 

Responsive design is another big trend for app and web design in 2023 and beyond. Responsive design ensures an app looks good on all devices, regardless of screen size. Responsive design is essential for creating a consistent user experience, as it ensures users can access your app no matter their device.

Responsive design is something that all apps should consider as users continue accessing apps from various devices. If your app isn’t responsive, you risk alienating a large portion of your potential user base.

Augmented reality (AR) is a newer technology that is gaining traction in the app world. AR allows users to view digital information in the real world. For example, you could use AR to view a 3D model of a product before you buy it or to see how a piece of furniture would look in your home. Similarly, virtual reality (VR) allows users to view digital information in a completely immersive environment. 

AR is still in its early stages, but it has a lot of potential for the future of app design. As AR and VR technology becomes more refined, we will likely see more and more apps incorporating it into their design. Some examples of VR already being incorporated into app design over the last couple of years include Google Earth and Facebook’s Oculus Rift.

User-generated content (UGC) is created by users rather than brands or businesses. UGC can take many forms, such as reviews, ratings, comments, posts, and photos.

UGC is a valuable asset for any business, as it can help to promote your products or services. Moreover, UGC is more trustworthy than traditional marketing content, as it comes from real people rather than a company. Incorporating UGC into your app design can be a great way to build trust with your users. It can also ensure that your app remains fresh and up-to-date as users continue to add new content.

Personalization is another growing trend in app design. It involves tailoring the user experience to each user based on their specific needs and preferences. Personalization can take many forms, such as providing personalized recommendations, customizing the app interface, or providing targeted content.

Personalization is important because it helps to create a more engaging and relevant user experience. When an app is personalized, users are more likely to use it regularly. As such, personalization can be a great way to increase user retention.

The use of chatbots has become omnipresent in both app and web design over the last few years. Chatbots are computer programs that mimic human conversation. App designers can use them to provide customer support, answer FAQs, or promote products and services.

Chatbots are a valuable tool for any business, as they can help to improve customer satisfaction and increase sales. They’re also available 24/7, so they can assist even when your human employees are unavailable.

Cybersecurity is becoming increasingly important as the world becomes increasingly digitized. This app design trend involves incorporating security measures into your app design to protect your users’ data, including improved encryption and authentication.

Some common cybersecurity measures you can incorporate into your app design include two-factor authentication, encryption, and secure storage. Incorporating these measures into your app can help to ensure that your users’ data is always safe and secure.

It’s essential to make your app accessible to as many people as possible, regardless of their abilities or disabilities. Thanks to new rules and regulations, many businesses are now required to make their apps accessible.

There are many ways to make your app more accessible. Some useful accessibility features include text-to-speech, closed captioning, and high contrast mode. These features can help to ensure that your app can be used by everyone, regardless of their abilities.

Voice-based assistants, such as Amazon’s Alexa and Google Assistant, are becoming more popular in app design. Voice-based assistants can perform various tasks, such as setting alarms, playing music, and adding items to a shopping list.

Incorporating a voice-based assistant into your app can be a great way to improve user experience. Voice-based assistants make it easier and faster for users to perform tasks, which can help to save time and increase efficiency.

Gradients have become a widespread, popular trend across various facets of design. Trendy, aesthetically pleasing, and key to creating a winning visual identity, gradients are a type of color transition that adds depth and dimension to your app interface. You can also use them to develop a sense of movement and energy.

Gradients are versatile tools that can create a subtle background, highlight particular accents, or even make a bold statement. No matter how you use them, gradients are sure to add interest and appeal to your app design.

Neumorphism combines elements of skeuomorphism and flat design. This trend involves using shadows and lighting effects to create a three-dimensional effect. Neuromorphic interfaces often have a soft, slightly blurred appearance.

This trend is popular because it can add depth and dimension to your app interface. Neuromorphic interfaces are also easy to use and navigate, as they provide users with visual cues that help them to understand where they need to go.

Dark mode is another popular trend in app design. Dark mode is a setting enabled on many devices, including phones, computers, and tablets which inverts the color scheme of your app, making the background dark and the text light.

Many people prefer dark mode because it can help to reduce eye strain. Dark mode can also be helpful in low-light conditions, such as when you use your app in bed at night. No matter the reason, dark mode is almost an obligatory part of UX right now.

The use of 3D design and animation continues to define app design. Designers use 3D animation to create realistic, lifelike images or add a sense of movement and dynamic to your app interface. 3D animation is a powerful tool that can help to make your app more engaging and visually appealing. 

One of the best things about 3D design is its versatility. The uses for 3D illustration are wide and varied, with the style also featured in magazines, product design and advertising campaigns. On the other hand, 3D illustration is also regularly used for websites, billboards, flyers, animations and even interactive content, to give assets a modern and creative flare. 

These are just a few of the many popular app design trends for 2023. No matter what your app design goals may be, there’s something for everyone.

Building an app that is both visually appealing and user-friendly can be a challenge. However, by keeping these app design trends in mind, you can be sure that your app will be ahead of the curve. To get started, head over to Envato Elements for all your app design needs.

Saket Aggarwal is an engineer turned B2B SaaS content strategist and technical writer who helps companies streamline their product marketing efforts, create manuals/SOPs, build demand generation, and increase leads. He loves developing online learning and blogging about testing new tech for that purpose.