All web developers at one point or another have to label a login button. A link that takes the user to a screen where they can authenticate themselves, but there doesn’t seem to be any clear concensus as to what to call the “authenticate” and “deauthenticate” functions or even how to write them.
Here are how some of the most popular sites took on this matter:
Notice not only the wording, but also the differences in upper and lower case notations.
| Name | Create session | Destroy session | Path |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sign In | Sign Out | /login | |
| MSN/Hotmail | sign in | sign out | /login.sfr |
| Sign in | Sign out | /Login | |
| MySpace | sign in | Sign Out | /index.cfm |
| YouTube | Sign In | Sign Out | /login |
| flickr | Sign In | Sign Out | |
| Logout | /login.php | ||
| Sign in | Sign out | /login | |
| Last.fm | Log in | Log out | /login |
| Wikipedia | Log in | log out | /w/index.php?title=Special:UserLogin |
| Amazon | Sign In | Sign Out | /gp/yourstore?ie=UTF8&ref_=pd_irl_gw&signIn=1 |
| eBay | Sign in | Sign out | /ws/eBayISAPI.dll?SignIn&ru=http://www.ebay.com/ |
| PayPal | Log In | Log Out | /cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_login-run |
Side notes:
- Twitter is the only one in the list that uses the Login / Sign out combination Twitter has changed its wording to Sign in/Sign out
- Facebook doesn’t seem to have a dedicated Login button that goes to a login screen
- flickr does have a login button, but it uses Yahoo for authentication
Update:
Just an observation, but the more casual the site, the more likely it’s going to use Sign in/Sign out. The paradigm of a visitor making an announcement of presence to a casual gathering of people. More formal sites tend to want you to Log in and Log out. The wording suggests the clocking in for work; The paradigm of a person with an accredited level of authentication accessing a secure terminal and leaving a record of that visit in a log.
Author: Tanin
Tanin in an information technology consultant specializing in complex heterogeneous environments. He can be reached through multiple social networking sites including Twitter.
Note that “login” is an adjective or noun, but “log in” is a verb phrase. So if your buttons are labeled with verbs (as they should be according to typical user interface guidelines), then the login button should read “log in,” not “login.”
Use the login button labeled “log in” to log in with your login.
Oh, Strunk, I’m so glad somebody else has this pet peeve of mine.
Disappointing article. Outlines a beginning for the debate: “Which is best?”, but makes no attempt to discuss it.
I’m sick of the vagueness that surrounds this issue. Why is it so hard for someone of note to, with methodical reasoning and clear judgement, define a basic, standardised vocabulary for web developers to refer to?
Pete, I’m sorry that you find this article dissapointing. It was only intended as an observation…a roundup.
If you want my opinion on this issue, I’m currently using the “Sign in” / “Sign out” combination in my projects but am increasingly inclined to move away from using words. Using symbolic images in combination with self-explanatory forms have the potential of giving users a smoother interface experience. I like how Twitter does it now even though it requires Javascript (the sign in button takes you to http://twitter.com/login if you don’t have javascript on).
Hi, I’am having problem signing out of a site. While logging in to my live.com acct.Unfortunately,my inbox froze & i can’t read any of my emails. Clicked sign out & realized that it appeared a X sign saying : X https://ssl.facebook.com/accept_token.php
Clicked Try Again,but unsuccesful…pls advise. Tks
@may
Please read http://windowslivehelp.com/community/t/46658.aspx
Wow, Tanin, you get all kinds here! Thanks for the survey, this is helpful in work I am doing currently.
@Strunk: great example sentence showing the verbs & nouns. I’m working with a site that has confused them.
Good reply Strunk, I was also hoping this article would draw some conclusion, but never mind.
I think even though I’ve used Signup for my own user registration, and by rights should use Sign in and Sign out to match, I’m going to go with Log in and Log out as I’m an old skool computer user, and log in/log out where common place back then.
There’s no right or wrong to this decision, it is purely up to the developer. But as Strunk pointed out, from a grammar and UI perspective it is important to use good English and meet UI guidelines.
never forgotten
Great survey but I think you missed out some important sites –
Amazon Sign In/Sign Out
eBay Sign in/Sign out
PayPal Log in/Logout
My belief is that based on these main sites, and particularly Google and Amazon using "Sign in/Sign out" those are probably the ones to use, as both those companies have probably invested in market research to find a scientific/commercial answer.
Speaking of UI, how about the use of Skip versus Go in the identification of skip links? I’d be interested in an overview of how the major sites handle skip links and if there is any uniform presentation that developers should move towards.
I can understand that with so many rapid advancements in technology that the WC3 went to a more suggestive approach in standards, but wouldn’t a consensus on basic UI terms help those with visual and cognitive deficits?
I have just done some research on this as I need to settle on a term for a financial application. When looking at all the online banking/insurance sites they use Log In or Login. None use Sign In.
I looked at Abbey, Natwest, Barclays, First Direct, HSBC, Direct Line, Aviva, eSure.
I should clarified that the companies I chose to look at all had internet facing applications as their core business. Financial institutions do usually have web apps that require authentication, but since those applications are not part of their core business processes, you really have to question how much time they invest in thinking about such details as web vernacular semantics. Also, think about what message the words will send to users. For example you "sign in" when visiting a seminar or hotel. It's a somewhat casual environment. On the other hand you "log in" whenever a log is required of your activities. It's a little more serious and formal. While Log in may be appropriate in more formal applications (in theory). BTW, Twitter has now changed it's wording to "Sign in".
I'm so confused. What should be the correct label for a button "signup" or "sign up". Dictionary doesn't have such word as "signup", but there is verb "sign up" and this is what I'm looking for. On the other hand there is a large social network like twitter which on registration page has a sentence "Finish signup now". Now the only problem is "Who to belive?"
Why there is no dictionary for developers?(((
more formal sites moving towards Sign In language? Citibank is using "Sign On to Your Account"