Glassmorphism: Examples and best practices

Glassmorphism is a design technique that combines blur effects with transparency to create the appearance of frosted glass, adding texture and dimensionality to digital designs. Although the concept of glassmorphism is not entirely new, its terminology was coined by Michal Malewicz in 2020. This design style traces its roots back to skeuomorphism, which aimed to replicate real-world objects in digital formats using extravagant gradients and textures. Unlike skeuomorphism's heavy visual elements, glassmorphism employs a subtler approach, emphasizing translucency and layered blurs to make UI elements like buttons and sliders stand out. Prominent examples include Apple's iOS7 and MacOS Big Sur, as well as Microsoft's Windows Acrylic Design system, which use these techniques to enhance user interface aesthetics. Glassmorphism's effectiveness lies in its ability to create a sense of hierarchy and focus by layering elements with varying opacity and blur, anchored by thin borders and subtle shadows to enhance definition without overwhelming the design. This style remains popular in modern digital design due to its ability to highlight elements while maintaining a clean, visually appealing interface.