loading screen

Progress bar display

A loading screen is a visual display that appears while software loads data or processes information, typically in video games or applications.

It fills the wait time between selecting an action and the content being ready, often showing progress bars, tips, or artwork: I read all the game tips on the loading screen.

Fast hardware has made loading screens less common but not extinct.

progressMovement toward improvement
bufferingTemporary data accumulation
waitingRemaining in expectation
spinnerThing that rotates
barDrinking establishment

percentage · patience · lag · tips · did you know · artwork · splash · delay · anticipation · circle · animation · freeze · impatient · hints · spinning · hourglass · stuck · processing

Categories

gaming termsbuff, debuff, boss, loot, final boss
slow thingssnail, tortoise, turtle, sloth, molasses
app screensmain menu, preferences, dashboard
screen elementsbutton, icon, menu, cursor, toolbar
screensTV, television, tablet, laptop, monitor
app featurestap, swipe, scroll, pinch, zoom

Opposites

user activity state

loading screengameplay

Interactive elements of gaming

active play · interactive content · game world · live action · combat

content readiness

loading screeninstant access

Reaching something without delay

temporal flow

loading screencontinuous play

Unbroken media streaming

Family

loading, screen, load, loads, loaded, loader, loaders, unload, unloaded

Familiarity: Top 100,000
Profile: Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Everyday, not technical · Rated G