Let’s discuss one of the most absurd UX sins that still haunts interfaces in 2025: the mysteriously disappearing or misplaced “Cancel” button. This isn’t just a pet peeve—it’s a user experience failure that’s widespread, annoying, and, in some cases, downright dangerous.
The Case of the Vanishing Cancel
Ever opened a modal, clicked a settings toggle, or initiated a form only to realize there’s no obvious way out? You’re not alone. Despite decades of UX evolution, designers and developers still forget one of the most basic principles of user-centered design: give users an out.
Instead, we get:
- Modals with only one action — as if everyone always wants to “Continue.”
- Tiny X buttons shoved in the corner, practically begging to be missed.
- Cancel buttons placed after primary CTAs or even styled exactly like them, creating decision anxiety.
- Or worse: No cancel option at all, forcing users to back out with browser hacks or kill the app entirely.
Why It’s Ridiculous
Let’s be clear. A “Cancel” button isn’t just a courtesy—it’s an expectation.
Humans change their minds. We click things by accident. We second-guess. And in critical systems like healthcare, finance, or legal tools, the absence of a clear cancel or undo function can have real consequences.
It’s like designing a hotel room with no door. “Just climb out the window if you need to leave,” says the developer proudly.
Root Causes
So why does this still happen?
- Over-engineered minimalism: Designers chasing clean aesthetics forget utility. “It looks better without extra buttons,” they say. Maybe, but it works worse.
- Poor hierarchy planning: Designers and devs fail to set button priorities, so “Cancel” blends in or gets demoted into obscurity.
- Misunderstood user flows: Teams optimize for the happy path. But UX is about every path—including the “oops” one.
- Mobile-first gone wrong: Trying to compress functionality leads to over-tapping and long-press acrobatics.
Real-World Madness
There’s a banking app I won’t name (because they’ll probably fix it now), where there is no Cancel once you initiate a transfer. None. You either complete it or force quit the app. Imagine entering the wrong amount. Imagine doing that in a crowded subway with spotty service. Ridiculous.
And don’t get me started on healthcare portals that lock you into multi-step forms with no way to exit without losing all your data. Want to change your mind halfway through selecting a primary care doctor? Too bad. Start over.
The UX Fix: Cancel Isn’t Optional
Here’s the fix: every action should come with a way to back out.
- Always include a clearly visible Cancel or Close action.
- Use button hierarchy (color, position, size) to guide the eye but never hide options.
- Include undo where possible, especially for destructive actions.
- Follow platform standards. Web, iOS, Android—they all have patterns for this. Follow them.
Final Thought
If your app doesn’t have a Cancel button, ask yourself: “Would I be okay with getting stuck here?” If the answer is no, neither will your users.
And that’s why this might just be the most ridiculous problem in UX: It’s simple, it’s solvable, and yet it persists.