A phone is not a smaller desktop.
Mobile journeys have their own rhythm, priorities and touch constraints. Content remains complete while layout becomes natural.
The first screen
The heading, key information and next action need a clear sequence without overlap or accidental horizontal scrolling.
Touch and keyboard
Controls receive enough space, a visible focus state and a logical order. Forms stay readable when the keyboard opens.
Common phone problems
The same issues appear again and again on existing websites:
- a table or image wider than the screen, so the whole page scrolls sideways
- buttons and links smaller than 24 × 24 pixels or placed too close together
- form fields with text smaller than 16 pixels, which makes iPhone zoom the page
- a fixed header, banner or cookie notice covering the content
- a menu that will not close or traps keyboard focus
Control size and visible focus are also part of an accessibility review, so the two are often handled together.
Real devices
Emulation is a start. Critical pages are checked across widths and, where relevant, slower network conditions.