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PLS by INP

PLS by INP without noise

Vasil Dachev avatar
Written by Vasil Dachev
Updated over a week ago


What is PLS by INP

PLS by INP compares Perceived Load Speed (PLS) across different Interaction to Next Paint (INP) performance levels — Good, Needs Improvement, and Poor. It reveals how much the visual loading experience of a page influences — or is influenced by — its interactivity.

PLS measures how fast a page feels like it loads, based on real-user perception of visual completeness. INP, on the other hand, measures the delay between user input (like a tap or click) and the next visible response on the screen — a key indicator of responsiveness.

Speed and responsiveness often go hand-in-hand. A page that looks like it loads quickly (PLS) but responds slowly (INP) creates user frustration. Likewise, a slow-feeling load can make a fast interaction feel less rewarding.

This lens helps you see how PLS correlates with INP so you can spot combinations like:

  • Fast-feeling load (good PLS) + slow interaction (poor INP)

  • Slow-feeling load + responsive interaction

  • Slow on both fronts — which is the most damaging to user experience

Healthy PLS by INP sample


Should you worry

In a healthy PLS by INP distribution, you’ll see most pageviews in the “Good INP” group also showing fast perceived load speed. This balance creates a seamless and delightful experience — users feel the page is ready, and it reacts instantly.

If poor INP is associated with poor PLS, your users are experiencing delays in both loading and interaction — a strong signal of overall sluggishness.

If good INP correlates with poor PLS, the user interface may load slowly even though it’s responsive afterward. This still creates a negative first impression and reduces engagement.

Watch for mismatches between perceived speed and actual interactivity — both are critical for engagement and conversions.

Unhealthy PLS by INP sample

When a significant portion of “Needs Improvement” or “Poor” INP pageviews also show slow PLS, it reflects a compounded performance issue — pages that feel slow to load and respond, resulting in early exits, frustration, or interaction drop-off.

Resolving unhealthy PLS by INP

Go-to action plan to resolve an unhealthy PLS by INP:

  1. Ask Uxi to analyze your PLS by INP and suggest improvements.

  2. Use Filters to find the worst combinations — e.g., poor INP with slow perceived speed.

  3. Simulate LCP of the suspected lens to see if fixing it will resolve the PLS by INP. If yes, this is where the resolution focus should be.

  4. Use an automated optimization tool like Navigation AI to improve your PLS by INP.

  5. Once you’ve improved PLS, set an alert to be the first to know if it starts worsening again.

Try it yourself

Discover how your website performs with real user data.

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