Components

Button

HTML
React

<button
  data-module="govuk-button"
  class="govuk-button"
>
  Save and continue
</button>

<Button>Save and continue</Button>

Props

Name	Type	Description
id	other	'id' attribute to place on the base HTML element
classBlock	other	Block name override in BEM style classes applied to all elements
classModifiers	other	BEM style modifiers to apply to the base HTML element
className	other	Extra classes to apply to the base HTML element
start	other
download	other
href	other
hrefLang	other
media	other
ping	other
target	other
type	other
referrerPolicy	other
defaultChecked	other
defaultValue	other
suppressContentEditableWarning	other
suppressHydrationWarning	other
accessKey	other
autoCapitalize	other
autoFocus	other
contentEditable	other
contextMenu	other
dir	other
draggable	other
enterKeyHint	other
hidden	other
lang	other
nonce	other
slot	other
spellCheck	other
style	other
tabIndex	other
title	other
translate	other
radioGroup	other
role	other
about	other
content	other
datatype	other
inlist	other
prefix	other
property	other
rel	other
resource	other
rev	other
typeof	other
vocab	other
autoCorrect	other
autoSave	other
color	other
itemProp	other
itemScope	other
itemType	other
itemID	other
itemRef	other
results	other
security	other
unselectable	other
inputMode	other	Hints at the type of data that might be entered by the user while editing the element or its contents
is	other	Specify that a standard HTML element should behave like a defined custom built-in element
aria-activedescendant	other	Identifies the currently active element when DOM focus is on a composite widget, textbox, group, or application.
aria-atomic	other	Indicates whether assistive technologies will present all, or only parts of, the changed region based on the change notifications defined by the aria-relevant attribute.
aria-autocomplete	other	Indicates whether inputting text could trigger display of one or more predictions of the user's intended value for an input and specifies how predictions would be presented if they are made.
aria-braillelabel	other	Defines a string value that labels the current element, which is intended to be converted into Braille.
aria-brailleroledescription	other	Defines a human-readable, author-localized abbreviated description for the role of an element, which is intended to be converted into Braille.
aria-busy	other
aria-checked	other	Indicates the current "checked" state of checkboxes, radio buttons, and other widgets.
aria-colcount	other	Defines the total number of columns in a table, grid, or treegrid.
aria-colindex	other	Defines an element's column index or position with respect to the total number of columns within a table, grid, or treegrid.
aria-colindextext	other	Defines a human readable text alternative of aria-colindex.
aria-colspan	other	Defines the number of columns spanned by a cell or gridcell within a table, grid, or treegrid.
aria-controls	other	Identifies the element (or elements) whose contents or presence are controlled by the current element.
aria-current	other	Indicates the element that represents the current item within a container or set of related elements.
aria-describedby	other	Identifies the element (or elements) that describes the object.
aria-description	other	Defines a string value that describes or annotates the current element.
aria-details	other	Identifies the element that provides a detailed, extended description for the object.
aria-disabled	other	Indicates that the element is perceivable but disabled, so it is not editable or otherwise operable.
aria-dropeffect	other	Indicates what functions can be performed when a dragged object is released on the drop target.
aria-errormessage	other	Identifies the element that provides an error message for the object.
aria-expanded	other	Indicates whether the element, or another grouping element it controls, is currently expanded or collapsed.
aria-flowto	other	Identifies the next element (or elements) in an alternate reading order of content which, at the user's discretion, allows assistive technology to override the general default of reading in document source order.
aria-grabbed	other	Indicates an element's "grabbed" state in a drag-and-drop operation.
aria-haspopup	other	Indicates the availability and type of interactive popup element, such as menu or dialog, that can be triggered by an element.
aria-hidden	other	Indicates whether the element is exposed to an accessibility API.
aria-invalid	other	Indicates the entered value does not conform to the format expected by the application.
aria-keyshortcuts	other	Indicates keyboard shortcuts that an author has implemented to activate or give focus to an element.
aria-label	other	Defines a string value that labels the current element.
aria-labelledby	other	Identifies the element (or elements) that labels the current element.
aria-level	other	Defines the hierarchical level of an element within a structure.
aria-live	other	Indicates that an element will be updated, and describes the types of updates the user agents, assistive technologies, and user can expect from the live region.
aria-modal	other	Indicates whether an element is modal when displayed.
aria-multiline	other	Indicates whether a text box accepts multiple lines of input or only a single line.
aria-multiselectable	other	Indicates that the user may select more than one item from the current selectable descendants.
aria-orientation	other	Indicates whether the element's orientation is horizontal, vertical, or unknown/ambiguous.
aria-owns	other	Identifies an element (or elements) in order to define a visual, functional, or contextual parent/child relationship between DOM elements where the DOM hierarchy cannot be used to represent the relationship.
aria-placeholder	other	Defines a short hint (a word or short phrase) intended to aid the user with data entry when the control has no value. A hint could be a sample value or a brief description of the expected format.
aria-posinset	other	Defines an element's number or position in the current set of listitems or treeitems. Not required if all elements in the set are present in the DOM.
aria-pressed	other	Indicates the current "pressed" state of toggle buttons.
aria-readonly	other	Indicates that the element is not editable, but is otherwise operable.
aria-relevant	other	Indicates what notifications the user agent will trigger when the accessibility tree within a live region is modified.
aria-required	other	Indicates that user input is required on the element before a form may be submitted.
aria-roledescription	other	Defines a human-readable, author-localized description for the role of an element.
aria-rowcount	other	Defines the total number of rows in a table, grid, or treegrid.
aria-rowindex	other	Defines an element's row index or position with respect to the total number of rows within a table, grid, or treegrid.
aria-rowindextext	other	Defines a human readable text alternative of aria-rowindex.
aria-rowspan	other	Defines the number of rows spanned by a cell or gridcell within a table, grid, or treegrid.
aria-selected	other	Indicates the current "selected" state of various widgets.
aria-setsize	other	Defines the number of items in the current set of listitems or treeitems. Not required if all elements in the set are present in the DOM.
aria-sort	other	Indicates if items in a table or grid are sorted in ascending or descending order.
aria-valuemax	other	Defines the maximum allowed value for a range widget.
aria-valuemin	other	Defines the minimum allowed value for a range widget.
aria-valuenow	other	Defines the current value for a range widget.
aria-valuetext	other	Defines the human readable text alternative of aria-valuenow for a range widget.
dangerouslySetInnerHTML	other
onCopy	other
onCopyCapture	other
onCut	other
onCutCapture	other
onPaste	other
onPasteCapture	other
onCompositionEnd	other
onCompositionEndCapture	other
onCompositionStart	other
onCompositionStartCapture	other
onCompositionUpdate	other
onCompositionUpdateCapture	other
onFocus	other
onFocusCapture	other
onBlur	other
onBlurCapture	other
onChange	other
onChangeCapture	other
onBeforeInput	other
onBeforeInputCapture	other
onInput	other
onInputCapture	other
onReset	other
onResetCapture	other
onSubmit	other
onSubmitCapture	other
onInvalid	other
onInvalidCapture	other
onLoad	other
onLoadCapture	other
onError	other
onErrorCapture	other
onKeyDown	other
onKeyDownCapture	other
onKeyPress	other
onKeyPressCapture	other
onKeyUp	other
onKeyUpCapture	other
onAbort	other
onAbortCapture	other
onCanPlay	other
onCanPlayCapture	other
onCanPlayThrough	other
onCanPlayThroughCapture	other
onDurationChange	other
onDurationChangeCapture	other
onEmptied	other
onEmptiedCapture	other
onEncrypted	other
onEncryptedCapture	other
onEnded	other
onEndedCapture	other
onLoadedData	other
onLoadedDataCapture	other
onLoadedMetadata	other
onLoadedMetadataCapture	other
onLoadStart	other
onLoadStartCapture	other
onPause	other
onPauseCapture	other
onPlay	other
onPlayCapture	other
onPlaying	other
onPlayingCapture	other
onProgress	other
onProgressCapture	other
onRateChange	other
onRateChangeCapture	other
onResize	other
onResizeCapture	other
onSeeked	other
onSeekedCapture	other
onSeeking	other
onSeekingCapture	other
onStalled	other
onStalledCapture	other
onSuspend	other
onSuspendCapture	other
onTimeUpdate	other
onTimeUpdateCapture	other
onVolumeChange	other
onVolumeChangeCapture	other
onWaiting	other
onWaitingCapture	other
onAuxClick	other
onAuxClickCapture	other
onClick	other
onClickCapture	other
onContextMenu	other
onContextMenuCapture	other
onDoubleClick	other
onDoubleClickCapture	other
onDrag	other
onDragCapture	other
onDragEnd	other
onDragEndCapture	other
onDragEnter	other
onDragEnterCapture	other
onDragExit	other
onDragExitCapture	other
onDragLeave	other
onDragLeaveCapture	other
onDragOver	other
onDragOverCapture	other
onDragStart	other
onDragStartCapture	other
onDrop	other
onDropCapture	other
onMouseDown	other
onMouseDownCapture	other
onMouseEnter	other
onMouseLeave	other
onMouseMove	other
onMouseMoveCapture	other
onMouseOut	other
onMouseOutCapture	other
onMouseOver	other
onMouseOverCapture	other
onMouseUp	other
onMouseUpCapture	other
onSelect	other
onSelectCapture	other
onTouchCancel	other
onTouchCancelCapture	other
onTouchEnd	other
onTouchEndCapture	other
onTouchMove	other
onTouchMoveCapture	other
onTouchStart	other
onTouchStartCapture	other
onPointerDown	other
onPointerDownCapture	other
onPointerMove	other
onPointerMoveCapture	other
onPointerUp	other
onPointerUpCapture	other
onPointerCancel	other
onPointerCancelCapture	other
onPointerEnter	other
onPointerLeave	other
onPointerOver	other
onPointerOverCapture	other
onPointerOut	other
onPointerOutCapture	other
onGotPointerCapture	other
onGotPointerCaptureCapture	other
onLostPointerCapture	other
onLostPointerCaptureCapture	other
onScroll	other
onScrollCapture	other
onWheel	other
onWheelCapture	other
onAnimationStart	other
onAnimationStartCapture	other
onAnimationEnd	other
onAnimationEndCapture	other
onAnimationIteration	other
onAnimationIterationCapture	other
onTransitionEnd	other
onTransitionEndCapture	other
forceExternal	other	Whether to force the link to be treated as external (useful for internal links that are NOT handled by the application)

When to use this component

Use the button component to help users carry out an action like starting an application or saving their information.

How it works

Write button text in sentence case, describing the action it performs. For example:

‘Start now’ at the start of the service
‘Sign in’ to an account a user has already created
‘Continue’ when the service does not save a user’s information
‘Save and continue’ when the service does save a user’s information
‘Save and come back later’ when a user can save their information and come back later
‘Add another’ to add another item to a list or group
‘Pay’ to make a payment
‘Confirm and send’ on a check answers page that does not have any legal content a user must agree to
‘Accept and send’ on a check answers page that has legal content a user must agree to
‘Sign out’ when a user is signed in to an account

You may need to include more or different words to better describe the action. For example, ‘Add another address’ and ‘Accept and claim a tax refund’.

Align the primary action button to the left edge of your form.

Default buttons

Use a default button for the main call to action on a page.

Avoid using multiple default buttons on a single page. Having more than one main call to action reduces their impact, and makes it harder for users to know what to do next.

HTML
React

<button
  data-module="govuk-button"
  class="govuk-button"
>
  Save and continue
</button>

<Button>Save and continue</Button>

Start buttons

Use a start button for the main call to action on your service’s start page. Start buttons do not submit form data, so they use a link tag rather than a button tag.

Start now

HTML
React

<a
  data-module="govuk-button"
  draggable="false"
  role="button"
  class="govuk-button govuk-button--active govuk-button--start"
  href="#"
>
  Start now
  <svg
    class="govuk-button__start-icon"
    xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"
    width="17.5"
    height="19"
    viewBox="0 0 33 40"
    aria-hidden="true"
    focusable="false"
  >
    <path
      fill="currentColor"
      d="M0 0h13l20 20-20 20H0l20-20z"
    ></path>
  </svg>
</a>

<StartButton href="#" />

Secondary buttons

Use secondary buttons for secondary calls to action on a page.

Pages with too many calls to action make it hard for users to know what to do next. Before adding lots of secondary buttons, try to simplify the page or break the content down across multiple pages.

HTML
React

<button
  data-module="govuk-button"
  class="govuk-button govuk-button--secondary"
>
  Find address
</button>

<Button classModifiers="secondary">
  Find address
</Button>

You can also group default and secondary buttons together.

Warning buttons

Warning buttons are designed to make users think carefully before they use them. They only work if used very sparingly. Most services should not need one.

HTML
React

<button
  data-module="govuk-button"
  class="govuk-button govuk-button--warning"
>
  Delete account
</button>

<Button classModifiers="warning">
  Delete account
</Button>

Only use warning buttons for actions with serious destructive consequences that cannot be easily undone by a user. For example, permanently deleting an account.

When letting users carry out an action like this, it’s a good idea to include an additional step which asks them to confirm it.

In this instance, use another style of button for the initial call to action, and a warning button for the final confirmation.

Do not only rely on the red colour of a warning button to communicate the serious nature of the action. This is because not all users will be able to see the colour or will understand what it signifies. Make sure the context and button text make clear what will happen if the user selects it.

Buttons on dark backgrounds

Use the govuk-button--inverse modifier class to show white buttons on dark backgrounds – for example, in headers, custom components, and patterns with darker backgrounds.

Make sure all users can see the button – the white button and background colour must have a contrast ratio of at least 3:1.

HTML
React

<div class="govuk-panel govuk-panel--interruption">
  <div class="govuk-panel__body">
    <button
      data-module="govuk-button"
      class="govuk-button govuk-button--inverse"
    >
      Create an account
    </button>
  </div>
</div>

<Panel classModifiers="interruption">
  <Button classModifiers="inverse">
    Create an account
  </Button>
</Panel>

Disabled buttons

Disabled buttons have poor contrast and can confuse some users, so avoid them if possible.

Only use disabled buttons if research shows it makes the user interface easier to understand.

HTML
React

<button
  aria-disabled="true"
  data-module="govuk-button"
  disabled=""
  class="govuk-button"
>
  Disabled button
</button>

<Button disabled>Disabled button</Button>

Grouping buttons

Use a button group when two or more buttons are placed together.

HTML
React

<div class="govuk-button-group">
  <button
    data-module="govuk-button"
    class="govuk-button"
  >
    Save and continue
  </button>
  <button
    data-module="govuk-button"
    class="govuk-button govuk-button--secondary"
  >
    Save as draft
  </button>
</div>

<ButtonGroup>
  <Button>Save and continue</Button>
  <Button classModifiers="secondary">
    Save as draft
  </Button>
</ButtonGroup>

Any links within a button group will automatically align with the buttons.

Cancel

HTML
React

<div class="govuk-button-group">
  <button
    data-module="govuk-button"
    class="govuk-button"
  >
    Continue
  </button>
  <a class="govuk-link govuk-link--active" href="#">
    Cancel
  </a>
</div>

<ButtonGroup>
  <Button>Continue</Button>
  <A href="#">Cancel</A>
</ButtonGroup>

Stop users from accidentally sending information more than once

IMPLEMENTME

Sometimes, users double click buttons because they:

have used operating systems where they have to double click items to make them work
are experiencing a slow connection which means they are not given feedback on their action quickly enough
have motor impairments such as hand tremors which cause them to click the button involuntarily

In some cases, this can mean their information is sent twice.

For example, the GOV.UK Notify team discovered that a number of users were receiving invitations twice, because the person sending them was double clicking the ‘send’ button.

If you are working in production and research shows that users are frequently sending information twice, you can configure the button to ignore the second click.

HTML
React

<button
  data-module="govuk-button"
  data-prevent-double-click="true"
  class="govuk-button"
>
  Confirm and send
</button>

<Button data-prevent-double-click="true">
  Confirm and send
</Button>

This feature will prevent double clicks for users that have JavaScript enabled, however you should also think about the issue server-side to protect against attacks.

In the case of slow connections, aim to give the user information about what’s happening, for example, by showing a loading spinner or a modal, before using data-prevent-double-click.

Submit buttons

Unofficial

When your button is a part of a form you will probably want to use a submit button.

HTML
React

<button
  data-module="govuk-button"
  type="submit"
  class="govuk-button"
>
  Save and continue
</button>

<SubmitButton>Save and continue</SubmitButton>

Hyperlinks

Unofficial

When your button is not part of a form you will probably want it to be a hyperlink by providing a href prop.

New search

HTML
React

<a
  data-module="govuk-button"
  draggable="false"
  role="button"
  class="govuk-button govuk-button--active govuk-button--secondary"
  href="#"
>
  New search
</a>

<Button href="#" classModifiers="secondary">
  New search
</Button>