What is CLS by dead clicks
CLS by dead clicks shows how Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) differs for sessions with dead clicks compared to those without.
A dead click occurs when a user clicks on an element that doesn’t trigger any action or feedback — like text, images, or icons that look interactive but aren’t. Dead clicks often reflect confusion or unmet expectations, and when combined with unstable layouts, they can be even more frustrating.
This breakdown helps you understand whether layout instability (high CLS) is leading users to click the wrong element, believing it was interactive.
CLS by dead clicks sample
In a healthy view, CLS for sessions with dead clicks looks similar to non-dead-click sessions. Dead clicks may still happen, but they’re usually design-related (misleading UI cues) rather than performance-driven.
A healthy setup typically shows:
CLS values consistently below 0.1 in both groups.
No visible element movement after the page paints.
Clear design patterns distinguishing interactive vs. non-interactive elements.
If CLS is stable, dead clicks are more about UX than layout instability.
Unhealthy CLS by dead clicks
If dead click sessions consistently show higher CLS values, users may be misclicking because page elements are shifting unexpectedly.
Common causes include:
Ads, banners, or images loading late and pushing clickable content down.
Fonts or styles loading late and causing text to move.
Dynamic widgets shifting static icons or text that appear clickable.
Content placeholders being replaced after initial rendering.
Here, layout instability confuses users into clicking elements that look interactive but aren’t.
Resolving unhealthy CLS by dead clicks
Go-to action plan to resolve an unhealthy CLS by dead clicks:
Ask Uxi to analyze your CLS by dead clicks values and suggest improvements
Use Filters to compare sessions with dead clicks by device, region, or traffic type.
Simulate CLS of the suspected breakdown to see if fixing it will resolve the CLS by dead clicks. If yes, this is where the resolution focus should be.
Use an automated CLS optimization tool like Navigation AI to improve your CLS by dead clicks values
Once you’ve improved CLS, set an alert to be the first to know if it starts worsening again.
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