Overlays & Surfaces
Non-modal Dialog
also known as modeless dialog, non-blocking dialog
A non-modal (modeless) dialog appears over the content but does not disable the rest of the interface, so you can keep working and return to it whenever you like. It has no scrim and doesn't trap focus. It's useful for optional or ongoing tasks like find-and-replace panels.
See it live — shadcn/ui · MUI · Ant Design
Don't confuse it with
The difference from a modal dialog is blocking: a modal dialog freezes the background, a non-modal one doesn't. It differs from a popover in that a popover is anchored to a trigger element and is lighter; a non-modal dialog is a free-floating, resizable window.
In the wild
The Find and Replace panel in Microsoft Word stays open while you keep editing the document.