Zero state
The screen shown when a user opens a feature for the first time, before they've created any data.
First time here
Welcome to your dashboard
Connect your first data source to see your team's activity here.
Often conflated with an empty state, but distinct. A zero state appears only on first use, when the user has never had data here. It's a chance to teach: explain what the feature does, show what good results look like, and offer a clear first action. An empty state can recur (a search returns no results); a zero state, by definition, happens once per user.
Also called
first-run statefirst-use experience
When to use
- New features in an existing product where users need to learn the value
- First-run flows that need to teach without locking the user into a tour
- Areas where the first item is the hardest one to create
When not to use
- Recurring empty states — design those separately
- Power-user areas where teaching content would feel patronizing on return visits
Related
Source
Product vernacular; the distinction between zero and empty states is well-documented in onboarding literature.