Layout & Principles · Layout & Grids
Above the Fold
also known as above the scroll
Above the fold is everything a user sees when a page first loads, before any scrolling. The term comes from newspapers, where the top half was visible on the newsstand. Designers place the most important messages and calls to action here to catch attention immediately.
Don't confuse it with
Above the fold is the content region seen before scrolling; the viewport is the browser window itself that defines where that fold falls. The fold moves with viewport size.
In the wild
A signup form sits above the fold so visitors see it without scrolling.