Interactive Demo

Fitts's Law

The time to acquire a target is a function of the distance to and size of the target. Larger, closer targets are faster to click.

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Avg Time (ms)
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Clicks
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Accuracy
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Target Size

Click Start to begin

Click targets as fast as you can. See how size and distance affect your speed.

What you're experiencing

Fitts's Law was formulated by psychologist Paul Fitts in 1954. It predicts that the time required to move to a target is determined by:

  • Target size: Larger targets are faster to hit
  • Distance: Closer targets are faster to reach

The formula is: T = a + b × log₂(2D/W) where T is time, D is distance, and W is width.

UX implications: Make important buttons larger and position them closer to where users' cursors naturally rest. This is why primary actions are often big buttons, and why mobile touch targets need to be at least 44×44 pixels.