Why the Best New Mobile Apps Are Skipping Massive Profile Setup Screens

Ever downloaded a new app and wondered why it barely asked you anything before letting you jump right in? It has happened more and more over the past few years, and there is a good reason for it. Mobile apps have changed the way they welcome new users because people expect to get value within seconds instead of spending their first few minutes filling in forms that they are not even sure will matter later. As developers have discovered, the first moments inside an app make all the difference in whether or not the user stays or leaves before the end of the day. This has inspired businesses to re-evaluate the entire registration process, and a number of the greatest apps have already begun to shift from lengthy profile setup screens.

Your Phone Has Already Done Most of the Work

How many times have you logged in via Google or Apple and been ready to roll in no time? One of the reasons profile setup screens have been reduced in size is due to this. Your mobile phone already contains basic information such as your name, e-mail, profile picture, and authentication data. Apps have come to understand that it’s not very convenient for you to enter those details again. Passkeys have also reduced the amount of time spent remembering passwords, increased security, and made the sign-in process quicker, so users have less time to spend on remembering passwords and more time using the app. Once the groundwork has been done, developers can concentrate on bringing users into the features they have downloaded the app for, in the first place. The advantages for users are few forms to fill out, few passwords to keep track of, and much less frustration before you can tell if the app is worth keeping.

Apps Have Started Learning From What You Actually Do

Ever come across someone who always left all the optional questions on his profile when he first signed up, and a few days later, the little app that was suggested was exactly what he wanted? There are many developers who have found that the best teaching is done by real behaviour and not by a questionnaire. Over time, apps have developed a much better sense of what you’re interested in because of your searches, categories you’ve browsed, videos that you’ve watched, saved products, and the features you’ve returned to. This also has helped to relieve a bit of the pressure when you’re trying a new application for the first time. Meaning that before you have a chance to look around, you don’t have to guess at what you like and have to fill in a long list of interests. The more you use it, the more the app gets to know what you’re into, and everything seems more relevant without doing much. This philosophy has shown up across many successful digital products, which is why you can see this idea across the tech world. Tech entrepreneur Zibo Gao has always focused on making sure people enjoy using a product from the very start, instead of making them work through a long setup before they can do anything useful. Many app developers have taken the same approach; this is why it has become much easier and quicker to get started.

Long Sign-Up Screens Have Cost Apps More Users Than They Help

What usually happens when an app asks for your birthday, interests, occupation, location, favourite topics, and several permissions before you’ve even seen the home screen? For plenty of people, the answer has been that they close the app. This has been observed for years by developers using analytics and has influenced the current onboarding process. With each additional screen, there’s one more chance for someone to lose interest, get distracted by a notification, or say that they’ll come back later and never show up. That has driven developers towards a straightforward goal. They prefer their users to have some benefit as soon as they can. When people discover value, they’re far more likely to finish out a profile, turn on notifications, or customize their account; as a result, they know the app is worth their time a bit more.

A Better First Experience Benefits Everyone

The best mobile apps have gotten away from the long process of setting up the profile because they know people don’t want to spend an excessive amount of time setting up an app and then determining for themselves if it should be utilized on mobile devices. Users will continue to enjoy quicker access, less friction, and apps that get more useful the more they are used, as developers continue to further refine that first experience, meaning discovering new apps will be a lot more fun than it used to be.