Tool · Browsable gallery, dozens of entries

Good Microcopy

Sam Hulick · goodmicrocopy.com Free Beginner

When you are staring at a blank button or a lonely empty state, the fastest unblock is seeing how good products actually phrased it, and this is a curated gallery of exactly that from Bear, Uber, InVision, Buffer, Tumblr, 1Password, and more. Each example comes with a one line note on why it works (encouraging, speaks the user's language, sets expectations, saves a click), so you are reading the reasoning, not just copying the words. Treat it as a swipe file to browse before you write, not a rulebook.

  • Real shipping examples beat abstract advice: seeing 1Password's contextual password warning or Bear's inviting placeholder shows the pattern faster than any rule.
  • The through line across the best examples is that friendly copy still does a job, it encourages, sets expectations, or saves the user a click.
  • Skim it for the moment you are stuck on (empty state, error, confirmation) and borrow the intent behind the copy rather than the exact wording.

The question it answers

  1. How do I write microcopy for buttons, empty states, and error messages so the product feels friendly instead of robotic?

Read with it

  1. This is the book most working UX writers point to when they need a system, not just tips, for the exact text on buttons,... O'Reilly Media Book Strategic Writing for UX (2nd Edition) Torrey Podmajersky
  2. If you are a founder or designer writing your own product copy without a UX writer on the team, this is the most practical... Smashing Magazine Article · About a 20 minute read How To Improve Your Microcopy: UX Writing Tips For Non-UX Writers Irina Silyanova
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