Onboarding flow
The guided sequence of screens that walks a user through first use of a product.
Onboarding flows typically combine account setup, value explanation, and a first task that produces a result. Variants include progressive onboarding (teach as the user goes), checklist onboarding (visible to-do list), and tour onboarding (overlays pointing at UI). Most modern products favor doing rather than telling — get the user to a meaningful first result quickly.
Also called
first-run flowuser onboardingintro flow
When to use
- First-use experiences where users need orientation before they can succeed
- Products with non-obvious value that needs to be demonstrated
- Apps where setup steps are unavoidable (notifications, permissions, integrations)
When not to use
- Products that can show value with zero setup — skip the tour, let the UI teach itself
- Returning-user flows where teaching content becomes friction
Related
Source
Product and growth design vernacular.