Here’s how I’d design a mega menu — with 3 great examples

The first time I learned that menu means “list” in French, it all clicked. A mega menu is literally a big list. And that’s exactly what it is in modern web design. It’s a large, expandable panel that groups multiple links or categories into a single dropdown. It’s a go-to pattern for sites with deep information architecture — ecommerce platforms, enterprise tools, product suites — anywhere that needs to surface a lot of navigation options at once.

But here’s the thing. Mega menus can either guide users or confuse them.

When designed well, they’re seamless extensions of a site’s structure, i.e., clear, scalable, and user-friendly. When done poorly, they’re overwhelming dropdowns that add friction and kill momentum.

From a UX lens, a great mega menu should:

• Organize content logically, grouping related links under clear headings
• Be easy to scan, with thoughtful typography, icons, and whitespace
• Work well across devices, especially mobile and tablet
• Support accessibility, with keyboard navigation, screen reader support, and predictable interaction behavior

I recently reviewed a few live examples that stood out. In this piece, I’ll point out what they do right, design tips worth borrowing, and common pitfalls to avoid.

What is a mega menu?

A mega menu is a type of navigational UI element that displays a large, multi-level list of links in a single dropdown panel. It’s typically used on websites with complex information architecture or many categories — like ecommerce platforms, design tools, SaaS products, and media outlets.

Unlike standard dropdowns, mega menus don’t just list a handful of items. They organize entire sections of a site into one glanceable view:

I like to think of it as a visual sitemap that appears on demand. It often features headings for categories, sub-links under each heading, and sometimes icons or images for clarity. The name “mega menu” plays on that French root of “menu,” meaning a list – except here we’ve supersized it to handle lots of choices.

Characteristics of effective mega menus

• Multi-level grouping — Links are organized into multiple categories or columns under clear section headers, making large amounts of information scannable at a glance
• Large, panel-style layout — Unlike simple dropdowns, mega menus expand into a wide panel that can span the full width of the viewport, often with multiple rows or columns
• Rich content support — Mega menus often include icons, images, brief descriptions, or even embedded CTAs and featured content alongside link text
• Hover, click, and tap interaction — Typically activated by hovering (desktop) or tapping (mobile), with some offering both for improved accessibility and control
• Mobile responsiveness — Good mega menus adapt gracefully to smaller screens by collapsing into accordions or stacked lists while retaining the hierarchy

Comparing navigation menu types

Examples of mega menus with great UX

Figma

Figma sits at the center of the modern design workflow. From core design and prototyping features to FigJam, Dev Mode, plugins, templates, resources, and community resources, it’s more than a tool. It’s a full platform:

That kind of product depth creates a navigation challenge. A basic top nav wouldn’t cut it. You need something scalable, a way to show depth without overwhelming.

That’s where the mega menu comes in. Instead of trying to cram everything into a few dropdowns, Figma uses a click-to-open mega menu that helps users explore by category, not chaos. As a design-led company, they do a solid job of making the menu feel purposeful and easy to use.

What works well:

• Click-to-open interaction — Instead of triggering on hover, the menu opens on click, making it more deliberate, accessible, and touch-friendly
• Clear visual signifiers — Items with deeper options are marked with down arrows. It’s subtle, but it teaches the user how the menu works
• Well-structured hierarchy — Content is broken into clean categories like products, solutions, community, and resources. No guesswork needed
• Consistent spacing and alignment — The layout is calm, plenty of breathing room, consistent grid, no visual noise
• Brand-aligned styling — The menu doesn’t feel like an afterthought. It fits the rest of the site visually and behaviorally

Upwork

Upwork is a freelancing platform that serves a wide range of users — from solo creatives and small teams to large enterprise clients. Their services cover everything from project-based hiring and consulting to longer-term contracts, spanning categories like design, development, writing, and more.

That kind of variety requires a navigation system that can help people explore by need — not just product. And that’s where their mega menu comes in. It’s clean, visual, and built to scale. Whether you’re a freelancer browsing opportunities or a business looking to hire, the menu helps you find your lane quickly without feeling lost:

Upwork’s menu feels corporate but functional. It presents their complex offerings without feeling random or cluttered. They achieve balance by limiting each column’s width and using consistent bullet points under each heading.

What works well:

• Click-to-reveal interaction — The menu opens on click (not hover), which avoids accidental triggers and makes it work smoothly on mobile and touch devices
• Subtle dropdown animation — When the menu expands or collapses, the arrow has a flip animation. It’s subtle, but it sure gives users feedback that something has changed
• Hover highlighting — As you move through the menu, items are highlighted with soft background changes, guiding the eye without overwhelming the layout
• Logical hierarchy — The menu is broken down into intuitive categories — like “Solutions,” “Industries,” and “Roles” — making it easy for users to orient themselves
• Visual alignment — Everything feels tight and grid-aligned. No odd spacing or overlapping. It maintains clarity even when there are a lot of links

Brix

Brix is a Webflow development agency, but they don’t stop at dev. They offer end-to-end services across design, web design, UI/UX design, and more. They also work across different industries like SaaS, healthcare, fintech, and education. That’s a lot of angles to cover, and a standard top nav wouldn’t cut it:

In my exploration, I noticed Brix uses their colours on icons and graphics in the menu, which is a bit more adventurous than a standard text list. This adds personality and helps the menu feel like an integrated part of the page (they’re essentially selling their expertise, after all).

What works well:

• Hover to reveal, but with full control — The menu appears on hover, but it’s not a typical “hover and vanish” setup. You can move your mouse away to close it or click a nav item to open or collapse it manually; that’s thoughtful interaction design
• High-impact visuals — Each menu section is paired with custom visuals, icons, thumbnails, and subtle illustrations that make navigation feel expressive, not generic; it’s a strong brand touch
• Clean hierarchy — Despite offering many services, the layout is structured. Content is grouped by function like “web development,” “web design,” and “brand design,” etc, and supported with short labels and visual anchors

UX tips for designing mega menus

To design a mega menu that supports — and not sabotages — the UX:

• Group by intent — Don’t just group by department or team, think user-first
• Limit the number of visible items — Stick to ~7–9 links per group and ~3–5 groups per panel
• Use headings and icons — Headings create clear structure, while icons aid quick recognition. Just be mindful not to clutter the interface; too many visuals can overwhelm rather than help
• Allow both hover and click/tap — Hover for desktop, click/tap for mobile and touch devices
• Preserve layout integrity — Ensure columns are properly aligned, spacing is balanced, and font and icon styles remain uniform throughout the interface
• Test on real devices — Don’t rely solely on desktop simulations. Test on mobile, tablets, screen readers, and browsers with zoom enabled

DO-NOTs for designing mega menus

Even experienced teams fall into these traps:

• Overwhelming the user — Too many options, poorly grouped, lead to choice paralysis
• Hover-only behavior — Menus that rely solely on hover don’t translate to mobile or tablet
• Inconsistent naming — Duplicate or vague labels like “Solutions,” “Use Cases,” and “Resources” blur distinctions
• No mobile fallback — Mega menus that disappear entirely on mobile create a jarring experience
• Lack of keyboard and screen reader support — Non-navigable menus exclude users and break basic accessibility
• No visual prioritization — Treating every link equally removes hierarchy and guidance

Conclusion

A mega menu isn’t just a UI element. It’s a bridge between user intent and a product architecture. It needs to do more than list links. It must help users orient themselves, make quick decisions, and feel in control.

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The best mega menus are invisible until you need them — and helpful the moment you do. They organize complexity into clarity. They guide, don’t distract. And they evolve with your product’s needs.

Designing a great one isn’t about packing in everything you can. It’s about creating space, structure, and support. When in doubt, test with real users. Watch where they hesitate. And design until hesitation disappears.

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