Progress Bar

Choose a progress bar when the user needs confidence about how much work remains.

Use

Uploads, imports, setup flows, and long tasks where the app can measure completion.

Avoid

Avoid when progress is unknown or the system may stall near the end.

Safer Alternative

Spinner / Loading Circle

Risk Level

High attention

Timing

Animate width changes in 200-400ms; for multi-second tasks, update with real measured increments.

Easing

Ease-out individual width updates, but never fake smooth motion that hides actual task state.

Risk

misleading progressfeels slow

Live Demo

What It Is

A horizontal bar that fills from left to right, showing the percentage of a task that's complete. Gives users a sense of how much longer they need to wait.

Decision Guidance

Choose a progress bar when the user needs confidence about how much work remains.

Best For

Uploads, imports, setup flows, and long tasks where the app can measure completion.

Avoid When

Avoid when progress is unknown or the system may stall near the end.

Timing

Animate width changes in 200-400ms; for multi-second tasks, update with real measured increments.

Easing

Ease-out individual width updates, but never fake smooth motion that hides actual task state.

Risk Tags

misleading progressfeels slow

Alternatives

Spinner / Loading Circle Progress Ring Indeterminate Progress Bar

✓When to Use

File uploads or downloads where progress is trackable
Multi-step forms or onboarding flows ("Step 2 of 5")
Data processing with measurable completion (e.g., import progress)
Any wait over 3 seconds where percentage completion is known

✕When NOT to Use

When you don't know actual progress (use indeterminate spinner instead)
Very fast operations under 1 second
When the progress is unpredictable or could move backwards

You've Seen It In

YouTubeStripe CheckoutGitHub ActionsNotion Import

AI Implementation Prompts

Move from a fast scaffold to production details, then tune timing and edge states.

Create a progress bar that shows completion percentage. The bar should fill from left to right with smooth transitions. Display the percentage number.

Code Example (Tailwind CSS)

A focused implementation sketch you can adapt to your product state.

export function ProgressBar({ 
  progress, 
  showLabel = true,
  variant = 'primary' 
}: { 
  progress: number; 
  showLabel?: boolean;
  variant?: 'primary' | 'success' | 'error';
}) {
  const colors = {
    primary: 'bg-amber-warm',
    success: 'bg-green-500',
    error: 'bg-red-500',
  };
  
  return (
    <div className="w-full">
      <div className="h-2 w-full overflow-hidden rounded-full bg-zinc-800">
        <div
          className={`h-full transition-all duration-300 ease-out ${colors[variant]}`}
          style={{ width: `${Math.min(100, Math.max(0, progress))}%` }}
        />
      </div>
      {showLabel && (
        <div className="mt-2 text-right text-sm text-zinc-400">
          {Math.round(progress)}%
        </div>
      )}
    </div>
  );
}

Related Effects

Skeleton Screen

A placeholder UI that mimics the shape and layout of your actual content before it loads. Shows gray blocks where text, images, and UI elements will appear, reducing perceived waiting time.

Spinner / Loading Circle

A circular animated icon that rotates continuously, signaling that a process is underway. The most universally recognized loading indicator.

Typing Dots (AI Reply)

Three animated dots that pulse sequentially, indicating that an AI or person is typing a response. Creates anticipation and confirms the system is processing.