How to Solve Loading Times with UX: Skeleton Screens

In this two-minute blog, learn how to utilize skeleton screens for your product and create them at Polymet with just a few prompts.

Traditional loading patterns like spinners and progress bars force users to passively watch and wait. Skeleton screens take a different approach by instantly displaying a wireframe preview of the upcoming content. These placeholder layouts—typically shown as light gray boxes with subtle animations—give users a glimpse of what’s loading.

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Impacts of skeleton screens

Recent studies compared skeleton screens to traditional loading patterns:

1. Users consistently rated skeleton screens as feeling faster

2. Skeleton screens caused less frustration during wait times

3. People were more likely to stay engaged when seeing skeleton layouts

4. The pattern worked best for loading times between 2-10 seconds

Research also shows that certain skeleton screen animations are more effective than others:

• Wave animations that move left to right performed best

• Slow, steady motion beat rapid pulsing effects

• Subtle animations worked better than dramatic ones

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How can you create your Skeleton Screens at Polymet

1. Just get the screenshot of your product

2. Enter Polymet - “create this interface’s skeleton”

3. Small tweaks to get the exact interface, as it is hard to do it in just one prompt

4. Get its production-ready front-end code. This easy.

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As a conclusion

Skeleton screens aren’t just about making apps feel faster—they’re part of a larger shift toward anticipatory design—interfaces that prepare users for what’s coming rather than making them wait in uncertainty. Build your product’s skeleton screen and share it with us!

If you encounter any problems, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us support@polymet.ai