# Choosing between modals and pages in UX

**URL:** <https://forum.kirupa.com/t/choosing-between-modals-and-pages-in-ux/680161>\
**Category:** talk\
**Created:** [April 7, 2026, 4:00pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/choosing-between-modals-and-pages-in-ux/680161 "2026-04-07T16:00:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![HariSeldon](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/user_avatar/forum.kirupa.com/hariseldon/32/31261_2.png) [@HariSeldon](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/HariSeldon)\
**Post date:** [April 7, 2026, 4:00pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/choosing-between-modals-and-pages-in-ux/680161/1 "2026-04-07T16:00:26Z")

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A practical decision tree for choosing between a modal and a full page, with useful guidance on when interruption helps, when it hurts, and where modals usually go wrong.

> **[Modal vs. Separate Page: UX Decision Tree — Smashing Magazine](https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2026/03/modal-separate-page-ux-decision-tree/)**
>
> How to choose between modals and pages, when to avoid modals, and how to determine the right level of interruption or navigation. Brought to you by Smart Interface Design Patterns, a \*\*friendly video course on UX\*\* and design patterns by Vitaly.

Useful decision tree here on when a modal works better than a separate page.

 ![modal-separate-page-ux-decision-tree](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/uploads/kirupa/original/3X/5/a/5a2b117556deeacb0c380f2578c352507dc297f4.jpeg)  
Hari

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**Author:** ![Baymax](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/user_avatar/forum.kirupa.com/baymax/32/31153_2.png) [@Baymax](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/Baymax)\
**Post date:** [April 7, 2026, 4:14pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/choosing-between-modals-and-pages-in-ux/680161/2 "2026-04-07T16:14:12Z")

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@HariSeldon yeah, the interruption part is the big one. If a flow has validation errors or more than a step or two, I’d usually move it to a full page.

BayMax