What makes a good empty state message?

A good empty state explains why the screen is empty, reassures the user nothing is broken, and offers a clear next action. It avoids dead ends by always pointing to what the user can do next, usually with a single primary button.

How is a no-results state different from a no-items state?

A no-items state means the user has never created anything, so the copy invites them to add their first one. A no-results state means data exists but a search or filter excluded it, so the copy suggests broadening the query or clearing filters.

Should empty states use humour?

A light, friendly tone works for consumer apps and lowers the sting of an empty screen. Professional and technical tones suit business dashboards and developer tools where clarity matters more than personality. Match the tone to your product voice.

Why include a call-to-action button?

An empty state without an action is a dead end. The button turns an empty screen into the obvious starting point, which is especially valuable on first run when activation depends on the user taking that first step.

Can I edit the generated text?

Yes. The output is a starting point that follows UX writing conventions. Adjust the noun field for accuracy and tweak the wording to fit your brand voice before shipping it.

What is the Empty State Copy Generator?

Generate empty state UI copy for common app states — no items, no search results, no data, and first-run screens — in friendly, professional, or technical tones. Outputs a heading, body, and call-to-action you can copy straight into your app. It runs free in your browser on Gera Tools, with nothing uploaded.

Empty State Copy Generator

Name: Empty State Copy Generator
Creator: Gera Tools
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Empty states are the screens users see before they have created anything, when a search returns nothing, or when there is no data to chart. They are easy to skip during design but they shape first impressions and activation. This generator produces a heading, a body sentence, and a button label for the four most common empty states in three tones.

How it works

The tool selects a copy template based on two choices: the state type (no items, no results, no data, first time) and the tone (friendly, professional, technical). It then injects the noun you provide — for example projects or invoices — and naturally singularizes it for the button label by trimming a trailing s. Each template follows the same three-part structure UX writers recommend:

heading  — names the situation in a few words
body     — explains why it is empty and reassures
cta      — one clear next action

The no-results variant always points toward broadening the search rather than adding new records, because the data already exists. The first-time variant is the most encouraging, since first-run activation is the highest-leverage moment in onboarding.

Tips and examples

For a project-management app with no projects yet, the friendly template yields: “Nothing here yet — You haven’t added any projects yet. Create your first one and it’ll show up right here.” with an “Add project” button.

Keep the body to one or two short sentences. Use sentence case for headings, and make the button a verb phrase the user can act on immediately. When in doubt, prefer the friendly tone for consumer products and the professional tone for B2B dashboards.

Why empty states shape activation more than most screens

Empty states are the most underwritten screens in any app. During design, teams work with data-filled mocks — the empty case gets skipped. But for new users, the first thing they see is often nothing. A good empty state feels like an invitation; a blank screen or a blunt “No data” message feels like an error. Clear, action-oriented empty states improve first-run activation because they turn an awkward gap into the starting point.

The four types and what each needs

No items (first run). The user has not created anything yet. The copy should feel welcoming, explain what will appear here once they act, and make the CTA the obvious next step. Avoid phrases that feel like a rebuke. “Your projects live here — create your first one to get started” works better than “You haven’t created any projects.”

No search results. Data exists but a filter excluded it. Reassure the user nothing is broken and give a concrete escape — “Try a broader search term” or “Clear all filters.” A no-results state with no suggested action is a dead end.

No chart data. A metric or analytics panel has nothing to show. Explain why — the date range might be too narrow, or the feature needs a first data point before it populates. “No activity in this period — extend your date range or check back after your first event fires” is more useful than an empty graph.

Permission or plan limits. Sometimes empty means restricted rather than absent. Be honest: “You need at least one published project to view analytics here — check your plan or ask an admin for access” is specific and actionable.

Tone comparison: the same screen, three voices

For a “no invoices” state on a billing screen:

Friendly: “Nothing to bill yet — Add your first invoice and it’ll show up right here.” / CTA: “Create invoice”
Professional: “No invoices have been issued — Create an invoice to begin tracking payments.” / CTA: “New invoice”
Technical: “Invoice list empty — No records in this workspace. Create one to populate this view.” / CTA: “Add invoice”

The friendly version suits a freelancer tool; the technical version fits a developer-facing dashboard. Use the tone selector to match the voice your product already has rather than inventing a new one for the empty state alone.