FAQ Accordion Design: The Complete Guide

An accordion FAQ design displays questions as clickable headers that expand to reveal answers when selected. This collapsible format is the most popular approach for FAQ pages because it lets users scan all questions at a glance, reduces visual clutter, and works beautifully on mobile devices. This guide covers everything you need to create an effective accordion FAQ—from design best practices to accessibility requirements.

What Is an Accordion FAQ Design?

An accordion is a UI pattern where content is organized into collapsible sections. In FAQ contexts, each question acts as a header that users can click or tap to expand the answer beneath it. The name comes from the way the interface expands and contracts, similar to the musical instrument.

The basic structure looks like this:

• Question header (always visible, clickable)
• Expand/collapse indicator (+ / − icon or chevron)
• Answer panel (hidden by default, shown when expanded)

Users can typically expand one or multiple questions at a time, depending on how the accordion is configured.

Why Accordion Design Is the Most Popular FAQ Format

Space Efficiency

Accordions dramatically reduce page length by hiding answer content until needed. A 50-question FAQ that would require extensive scrolling as plain text becomes a compact, manageable list when collapsed. Users see all questions at once without being overwhelmed by content.

Reduced Cognitive Load

When all content is visible at once, users must mentally filter through everything to find what they need. Accordions let users focus on one answer at a time, reducing distraction and making comprehension easier. The closed state acts as a natural table of contents.

Better User Control

Accordions put users in charge of their experience. They choose what to expand based on their specific question, rather than scrolling through irrelevant content. This sense of control improves satisfaction and reduces frustration.

Works Well on Mobile

On small screens, vertical space is precious. Accordion FAQ designs translate naturally to mobile—tap targets are clear, the interaction is intuitive, and users don't have to scroll endlessly. The touch-friendly nature of accordions makes them ideal for the majority of users who browse on phones.

Accordion FAQ Design Best Practices

Clear Question Text

Questions should be scannable and self-explanatory. Write them the way customers actually ask—complete sentences work better than keyword fragments. "How do I return an item?" is clearer than "Returns." Keep questions concise (under 10 words when possible) but don't sacrifice clarity for brevity.

Obvious Expand/Collapse Indicators

Users should instantly recognize that accordion items are interactive. Standard conventions include:

• Plus/Minus: + when collapsed, − when expanded
• Chevrons: ▼ when collapsed, ▲ when expanded (or right-pointing → that rotates)
• Caret: Similar to chevron, often used in technical contexts

Place icons consistently—either all on the left or all on the right. Right-aligned icons are more common and leave room for longer questions.

Smooth Animations

Animation duration should be 150-300 milliseconds—fast enough to feel responsive, slow enough to be perceived. Use easing functions (ease-out or ease-in-out) for natural motion. The answer panel should slide smoothly rather than appearing instantly or taking too long.

Proper Spacing Between Items

Accordion items need visual separation. Add 8-16px vertical gap between collapsed items, or use subtle borders/dividers. When expanded, the answer content should have adequate internal padding (16-24px) to avoid feeling cramped.

Accessible Keyboard Navigation

Users should be able to navigate your accordion using only the keyboard:

• Tab key moves focus between accordion headers
• Enter or Space toggles the focused accordion item
• Arrow keys can optionally move between items
• Focus states are clearly visible (don't remove outline styles)

Single-Expand vs. Multi-Expand Accordions

A key design decision is whether users can open multiple accordion items simultaneously.

Single-Expand (One at a Time)

When a user opens a new question, any previously open question automatically closes.

• Pros: Page height stays consistent, simpler layout, focused attention
• Cons: Can't compare answers, forces users to reopen if they want to re-read
• Best for: Short FAQ lists, mobile-first designs, simple questions

Multi-Expand (Multiple Open)

Each accordion item operates independently—users can have any number of questions open at once.

• Pros: Users can compare answers, less frustrating for power users, more flexible
• Cons: Page length becomes unpredictable, can lead to excessive scrolling
• Best for: Complex FAQs, technical documentation, research-oriented users

Multi-expand is generally recommended for most FAQ pages. The flexibility outweighs the downsides, and users who want a focused experience can simply close items themselves.

Accordion FAQ Design Patterns

Basic Accordion

The simplest pattern: a vertical list of question headers with expandable answer panels. No categories, no nesting—just a flat list. Works well for 5-15 questions.

Nested Accordions

Categories act as top-level accordions, with individual questions nested inside. Clicking a category reveals its questions, then clicking a question reveals its answer. This two-level hierarchy helps organize larger FAQ collections (30+ questions).

Accordion with Icons

Add category or topic icons to the left of each question for visual interest and faster scanning. Use consistent icon styling and ensure icons don't distract from the question text. Common icons include question marks, lightbulbs, or topic-specific symbols (shipping truck for delivery questions, credit card for payment).

Accordion with Categories

Group accordion items under visible category headings without nesting. Category names are static text (not clickable), with accordion questions listed beneath each. This provides organization without adding interaction complexity.

Search + Accordion Hybrid

Combine a search bar with accordion FAQ for the best of both worlds. Users can either search for specific terms or browse the accordion list. As users type in search, filter the visible accordion items to match. This pattern works best for larger FAQ collections (50+ questions).

CSS and Code Considerations

Pure CSS Accordions

HTML5 provides native accordion functionality with <details> and <summary> elements. No JavaScript required—the browser handles expand/collapse automatically. Benefits include zero dependencies, built-in accessibility, and excellent performance. The downside is limited animation control and slightly less styling flexibility.

JavaScript Accordions

Custom JavaScript gives you full control over behavior and animation. You can implement single-expand logic, smooth height animations, and custom events (like analytics tracking when items are opened). The trade-off is added complexity and the need to manually handle accessibility.

Framework-Specific Options

• React: Headless UI Disclosure, Radix Accordion, React Aria
• Vue: Headless UI Vue, Vuetify Expansion Panels
• Vanilla JS: Alpine.js x-show, or lightweight custom implementations
• WordPress: Block editor accordion blocks, Elementor accordion widget

Accordion Accessibility (ARIA Attributes)

Proper ARIA attributes make your accordion usable for screen reader users and comply with WCAG guidelines:

• role="button": On the accordion header element (unless using a native button)
• aria-expanded: Set to "true" when open, "false" when closed
• aria-controls: Points to the ID of the answer panel
• aria-hidden: Set to "true" on collapsed panels (or use CSS display:none)
• id: Unique identifier on each answer panel

Native <details> elements handle most of this automatically, which is one reason to prefer them when animation requirements are minimal.

Mobile Accordion Design Tips

• Large tap targets: Accordion headers should be at least 44px tall—48px or more is better
• Full-width tappable area: The entire header row should be tappable, not just the text or icon
• Visible active states: Provide visual feedback when a user taps (background color change, ripple effect)
• Scroll into view: When an accordion opens, consider scrolling so the answer is fully visible
• Test with real devices: Browser emulators don't capture the true mobile experience

Examples of Great Accordion FAQ Designs

Here are brands that execute accordion FAQs exceptionally well:

• Apple: Clean, minimal accordions with subtle animations and excellent typography
• Stripe: Technical FAQ with code examples in expanded panels, clear category organization
• Shopify: Well-organized accordion with search, helpful for their diverse merchant audience
• Netflix: Simple, bold accordion design that matches their brand aesthetic
• Mailchimp: Icon-enhanced accordion with playful but professional styling

Common Accordion Design Mistakes

• No visual indicator of interactivity: Users don't realize they can click to expand if there's no icon or affordance
• Tiny click targets: Making only the icon or text clickable instead of the full header row
• Slow or janky animation: Laggy transitions feel broken—keep them under 300ms and optimize performance
• No keyboard support: Tab and Enter/Space must work for accessibility compliance
• Missing focus states: Removing outlines without providing alternative focus indicators
• Too many nesting levels: More than two levels of nesting becomes confusing
• Content overflow issues: Long answers or images that break out of the accordion container
• Inconsistent behavior: Mixing single-expand and multi-expand in the same accordion