{"id":19178,"date":"2023-02-16T10:29:56","date_gmt":"2023-02-16T10:29:56","guid":{"rendered":"\/en\/?p=19178"},"modified":"2023-09-05T09:47:09","modified_gmt":"2023-09-05T09:47:09","slug":"writing-ux-microcopy-for-error-messages-copy-paste-templates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/en\/writing-ux-microcopy-for-error-messages-copy-paste-templates\/","title":{"rendered":"Writing UX Microcopy for Error Messages: Copy-Paste Templates"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text alignfull is-stacked-on-mobile is-vertically-aligned-center is-style-default has-green-background-color has-background\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-right:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);grid-template-columns:26% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"311\" height=\"159\" src=\"http:\/\/pages.faqprime.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/undraw_engineering_team_a7n2-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-20491 size-full\"\/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color\">In case you missed it, here are some <strong><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/faqprime.com\/en\/category\/all\/ai-prompts-microcopy\/\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/faqprime.com\/en\/category\/all\/ai-prompts-microcopy\/\" target=\"_blank\">Free Templates for Microcopy<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns alignfull are-vertically-aligned-center is-style-default has-green-background-color has-background is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-1 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\" style=\"padding-top:0;padding-right:0;padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-left:0\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><strong><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/faqprime.com\/en\/writing-ux-microcopy-for-error-messages-copy-paste-templates\/\" target=\"_blank\">\u27a1 UX Microcopy for Error Messages<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/faqprime.com\/en\/write-engaging-ux-microcopy-for-loading-text-free-templates\/\" target=\"_blank\">\u27a1 UX Microcopy for Loading Texts<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/faqprime.com\/en\/write-compelling-ux-microcopy-for-slogans-free-templates\/\" target=\"_blank\">\u27a1 UX Microcopy for Slogan Texts<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/faqprime.com\/en\/write-impactful-ux-microcopy-for-promotional-messages-free-templates\/\" target=\"_blank\">\u27a1 UX Microcopy for Promotional Messages<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/faqprime.com\/en\/writing-ux-microcopy-for-surveys-free-copy-paste-templates\/\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/faqprime.com\/en\/writing-ux-microcopy-for-surveys-free-copy-paste-templates\/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>\u27a1 UX Microcopy for Survey Questions<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/faqprime.com\/en\/writing-ux-microcopy-for-user-onboarding-and-education-free-templates\/\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/faqprime.com\/en\/writing-ux-microcopy-for-user-onboarding-and-education-free-templates\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u27a1 UX Microcopy for User Onboarding and Education<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u27a1 <strong><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/faqprime.com\/en\/how-to-write-cta-microcopy-that-gets-you-conversions-free-templates\/\" target=\"_blank\">UX Microcopy for CTA Messages<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u27a1 <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/faqprime.com\/en\/how-to-write-ux-microcopy-for-accounts-free-templates\/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>UX Microcopy for Account Messages<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u27a1 <strong><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/faqprime.com\/en\/how-to-write-ux-microcopy-for-form-field-texts-copy-paste-templates\/\" target=\"_blank\">UX Microcopy for Form-Field Texts<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u27a1 <strong><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/faqprime.com\/en\/how-to-write-compelling-notification-and-alert-messages-free-templates\/\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/faqprime.com\/en\/how-to-write-compelling-notification-and-alert-messages-free-templates\/\" target=\"_blank\">UX Microcopy for Notification and Alert<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/faqprime.com\/en\/how-to-write-engaging-ux-microcopy-for-feedback-forms-free-templates\/\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/faqprime.com\/en\/how-to-write-engaging-ux-microcopy-for-feedback-forms-free-templates\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u27a1 UX Microcopy for Feedback Forms<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Different Types of Error Messages<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are four different types of error messages:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. System errors<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>These are generated by the system and are usually technical. They can be caused by a broken link or server outage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Application errors<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>These occur when the user does something that the application doesn&#8217;t recognize or isn&#8217;t expecting. This could be anything from entering an invalid data format to trying to access a resource that doesn&#8217;t exist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. User input errors<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>These happen when the user provides incorrect or incomplete information. This could be anything from forgetting to fill in a required field to provide an invalid email address.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Security errors<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>These arise when there is a potential security risk, such as attempting to access a sensitive file without proper permissions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let&#8217;s start by identifying the different scenarios where error messages might be needed. Here are some common examples:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Error Scenario<\/th><th>Content of error message<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Invalid Input<\/td><td>&#8220;Please enter a valid email address&#8221;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Missing input<\/td><td>&#8220;Please fill out all required fields&#8221;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Server error<\/td><td>&#8220;Sorry, we are currently experiencing technical difficulties. Please try again later.&#8221;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Network error<\/td><td>&#8220;Could not connect to the server. Please check your internet connection and try again.&#8221;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Authorization error<\/td><td>&#8220;You do not have permission to perform this action. Please contact your administrator.&#8221;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Payment error<\/td><td>&#8220;Transaction failed. Please try again or contact support.&#8221;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">File upload error<\/td><td>&#8220;Sorry, we could not upload your file. Please try again with a different file.&#8221;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">Timeout error<\/td><td>&#8220;Sorry, your session has timed out. Please log in again.&#8221;<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><strong>Examples of Good UX microcopy for Error Messages<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Of course, the specific wording and tone of the error message will depend on the context and brand voice of your application. But this list should give you a good starting point for identifying the different types of error messages you may need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to write Good Error Messages?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here is a basic process for starting to write an error message:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Identify the specific error scenario<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The first step is to identify the specific scenario that triggered the error message. For example, was it a network error, a missing input, or an authorization error? Understanding the root cause of the error will help you write the message.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Determine the severity of the error<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Not all errors are of the same level. Some errors are minor inconveniences, while others can have more serious consequences. Determine the severity of the error and use that to guide the tone and content of your error message.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Write a clear and concise message<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you know the specific error scenario and severity, it&#8217;s time to start crafting your message. Use clear, simple language that&#8217;s easy to understand. Be concise and get to the point quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Use positive language<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Positive language helps reduce stress and puts users in a better frame of mind when interacting with your product. Avoid phrases like &#8220;error&#8221; or &#8220;invalid&#8221; that could come across as negative or harsh. Instead, try something like &#8220;Oops! We&#8217;re having trouble verifying your information.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5. Guide on how to fix the error<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Don&#8217;t just tell the user what went wrong; also guide how to fix the issue. This could be a suggestion for what to do next or a link to more information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">6. Test and iterate<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you&#8217;ve written your error message, be sure to test it with real users. Ask for feedback and look for places to improve the message. Iterate until you have an error message that&#8217;s both effective and user-friendly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-green-background-color has-background\"><em>Note that this is just an essential process, and the steps you take might be different depending on the context of your application and the exact error situation. But by following these tips, you can create helpful error messages that help your users fix problems quickly and easily.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>As promised, here is a list of error messages for you to use for free.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Copy-Paste Error Messages<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"message\">\n<input type=\"text\" value=\"Oops! That didn't work. Please try again.\" id=\"myInput\" readonly=\"readonly\">\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"message\">\n<input type=\"text\" value=\"Sorry, we're having trouble processing your request. Please try again later.\" id=\"myInput\" readonly=\"readonly\">\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"message\">\n<input type=\"text\" value=\"Please fill in at least one field\" id=\"myInput\" readonly=\"readonly\">\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"message\">\n<input type=\"text\" value=\"We're sorry, but something went wrong. Please try again later.\" id=\"myInput\" readonly=\"readonly\">\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"message\">\n<input type=\"text\" value=\"The email you entered isn\u2019t connected to an account.\" id=\"myInput\" readonly=\"readonly\">\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"message\">\n<input type=\"text\" value=\"Sorry, we can't find that page! Don't worry though, everything is STILL AWESOME!\" id=\"myInput\" readonly=\"readonly\">\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"message\">\n<input type=\"text\" value=\"Oops! Something went wrong! Help us improve your experience by sending an error report.\" id=\"myInput\" readonly=\"readonly\">\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"message\">\n<input type=\"text\" value=\"Apologies for the inconvenience! We\u2019ll be back within the hour.\" id=\"myInput\" readonly=\"readonly\">\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"message\">\n<input type=\"text\" value=\"For some reason, we couldn't load \ud83d\ude13\" id=\"myInput\" readonly=\"readonly\">\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"message\">\n<input type=\"text\" value=\"We're quite sorry about this!\" id=\"myInput\" readonly=\"readonly\">\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"message\">\n<input type=\"text\" value=\"Retry the payment method if you believe you're seeing this billing issue by mistake.\" id=\"myInput\" readonly=\"readonly\">\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"message\">\n<input type=\"text\" value=\"There's a billing issue. Update your payment information for uninterrupted service.\" id=\"myInput\" readonly=\"readonly\">\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"message\">\n<input type=\"text\" value=\"Hmm\u2026 that email doesn't look valid.\" id=\"myInput\" readonly=\"readonly\">\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"message\">\n<input type=\"text\" value=\"Email is invalid or already taken.\" id=\"myInput\" readonly=\"readonly\">\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"message\">\n<input type=\"text\" value=\"There was an error while submitting the form. Please try again later.\" id=\"myInput\" readonly=\"readonly\">\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"message\">\n<input type=\"text\" value=\"There was a problem with your submission. Please review the fields below.\" id=\"myInput\" readonly=\"readonly\">\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"message\">\n<input type=\"text\" value=\"Incorrect password or confirmation code entered. Please try again.\" id=\"myInput\" readonly=\"readonly\">\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"message\">\n<input type=\"text\" value=\"Image upload failed: Please try again later or select a different image.\" id=\"myInput\" readonly=\"readonly\">\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"message\">\n<input type=\"text\" value=\"Please enter a valid email address.\" id=\"myInput\" readonly=\"readonly\">\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"message\">\n<input type=\"text\" value=\"\u26a0\ufe0f Your account hasn\u2019t been confirmed yet.\" id=\"myInput\" readonly=\"readonly\">\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"message\">\n<input type=\"text\" value=\"Sorry, the member name and password you entered do not match. Please try again.\" id=\"myInput\" readonly=\"readonly\">\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"message\">\n<input type=\"text\" value=\"The user name or email doesn\u2019t exist.\" id=\"myInput\" readonly=\"readonly\">\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"message\">\n<input type=\"text\" value=\"The username and password don\u2019t match.\" id=\"myInput\" readonly=\"readonly\">\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"message\">\n<input type=\"text\" value=\"Make sure it's at least 8 characters.\" id=\"myInput\" readonly=\"readonly\">\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"message\">\n<input type=\"text\" value=\"This file is broken. Try picking another.\" id=\"myInput\" readonly=\"readonly\">\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"message\">\n<input type=\"text\" value=\"This card was declined. Try another payment method.\" id=\"myInput\" readonly=\"readonly\">\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"message\">\n<input type=\"text\" value=\"One of the fields is not filled.\" id=\"myInput\" readonly=\"readonly\">\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"message\">\n<input type=\"text\" value=\"The phone number doesn\u2019t fit the rule.\" id=\"myInput\" readonly=\"readonly\">\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"message\">\n<input type=\"text\" value=\"Required fields were not filled.\" id=\"myInput\" readonly=\"readonly\">\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"message\">\n<input type=\"text\" value=\"Required fields were not filled.\" id=\"myInput\" readonly=\"readonly\">\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"message\">\n<input type=\"text\" value=\"Your request cannot be processed at this time.\" id=\"myInput\" readonly=\"readonly\">\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"message\">\n<input type=\"text\" value=\"Verification of 2 password fields failed.\" id=\"myInput\" readonly=\"readonly\">\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<style>\ninput[type=\"text\"] {\n    width: 100% !important;\nborder-style: dashed;\nborder-width: 1px;\nborder-color: #008060;\ncolor: #000028;\nbackground-color: #FaF8E6;\n}\n.message{\n  color: #000028 !important !important;\n  text-align: center !important;\n  text-decoration: none !important;\n  display: inline-block !important;\n  font-size: 15px !important;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div class=\"message\">\n<input type=\"text\" value=\"Oops! That didn't work. Please try again.\" id=\"myInput\" readonly=\"readonly\">\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We hope this blog has given you useful insights on how to write UX microcopies for error messages like a pro. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Check out <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.faqprime.com\/en\/\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.faqprime.com\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Faqprime<\/a><\/strong> for more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Let&#8217;s take a look at UX microcopy for error messages, their various types, and how to craft great error messages.<br \/>\nWe have even included a list of error messages which you can use for free \u2013 just copy-paste and done.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":19461,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[752,35],"tags":[730,710,727,726,721,711,709,705,719,720,151,729,701,731,697,707,699,728,722,716,670,626,622,712,714,698,708,718],"class_list":["post-19178","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ai-prompts-microcopy","category-all","tag-best-microcopy-examples","tag-communication","tag-copy-paste","tag-copy-paste-templates","tag-copywriting","tag-error-handling","tag-error-messages","tag-good-microcopy","tag-information-design","tag-language","tag-messaging","tag-micro-copy-ux","tag-microcopy","tag-microcopy-and-ux-writing","tag-microcopy-examples","tag-microcopy-ux","tag-microcopy-ux-writing","tag-microcopy-writing","tag-problem-solving","tag-tone","tag-troubleshooting","tag-user-experience","tag-user-feedback","tag-user-interface","tag-user-centered-design","tag-ux-microcopy","tag-ux-writing","tag-visual-cues","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19178"}],"collection":[{"href":"\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19178"}],"version-history":[{"count":266,"href":"\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19178\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20786,"href":"\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19178\/revisions\/20786"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/19461"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19178"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19178"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19178"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}