Fitts' Law
The time to acquire a target is a function of the distance to and size of the target.
What it means on a web page
Small or distant click/tap targets are harder and slower to use, especially on mobile. This is directly tied to touch target size and spacing.
Small targets are easier to miss, especially on a phone, which can lead to mis-taps.
This describes a general tendency. How much it matters on a particular page depends on the page and the people using it.
Does theuxbites check this?
Yes. Every audit runs a fixed check for it on the page as a browser renders it. When the check fails, the report names this principle, shows what was counted on your page and links the source below.
Suggestions
Make interactive targets at least 44×44px. Space touch targets at least 8px apart.
- Set minimum touch target size: min-width: 44px; min-height: 44px
- Add padding to small links and buttons rather than changing their visual size
- Ensure at least 8px spacing between adjacent touch targets
- Use the Lighthouse tap-targets audit to identify specific violations
- Test on real mobile devices, not just browser emulation
These are common ways to apply the principle, not rules. Whether one fits depends on your page.
See how your page does
An audit checks this principle and eight others on your page, together with speed, accessibility, SEO and AI visibility.