Split button
A split button enables users to perform a main action and access relevant, supplementary actions inside a menu.
![Example showing a split button.](/img/patterns/split-button/split-button-hero-shot.png)
Use the pattern for actions with multiple associated commands. Users are able to immediately perform the default action and access supplementary actions, which include more specific or less commonly-used actions.
For example, a paste-focused split button could include:
- Default action: Paste.
- Supplementary actions: Keep source formatting, Match destination formatting, Paste text only.
A split button contains:
- Main action: the default action a user can take.
- Arrow button: contains a chevron-down icon and triggers the menu.
- Supplementary actions: lower priority actions displayed in a menu.
![Split button showing supplementary actions.](/img/patterns/split-button/split-button-anatomy.png)
- Use the segmented button group component as the base structure of the split button.
- Use the chevron-down icon for the menu trigger.
- Use a menu component to display supplementary actions for users to take. Set the component's
placement
prop to "bottom-end" without quotation marks.
![layout](/img/patterns/split-button/split-button-layout.png)
You can use CTA buttons, primary buttons and secondary buttons in a split button pattern. See guidance for button options to select the most suitable ones for your application.
![Example showing CTA, Primary and Secondary variants of a split button.](/img/patterns/split-button/split-button-affordance.png)
Don’t mix the button variants in the same split button.
Include multiple main actions if they have the same importance/priority.
![Multiple actions.](/img/patterns/split-button/split-button-multiple-actions.png)
The main action is represented by an icon-only button to minimize the width of the entire split button.
![Icon only.](/img/patterns/split-button/split-button-icon-only.png)
- Avoid using an icon-only split button if your target audience is unlikely to recognize the proposed icons.
- Use a textual label if your main action is high priority. This ensures users are more likely to see it.
- Use a tooltip to describe or label the action.
If you need to expand the pattern or share feedback with us, please contact the team.