Arabic RTL App Design Checklist: 12 Things to Get Right

An Arabic interface is not an English interface with translated text. Right-to-left (RTL) layouts change how people scan a screen, which icons point where and how mixed Arabic and English text behaves. These are the 12 checks we apply on bilingual apps and websites for Saudi clients.

1. Set direction at the root. Use dir="rtl" and lang="ar" on the web, RTL support in React Native, or text direction in Flutter, rather than right-aligning individual elements.
2. Use logical spacing. Write start and end, not left and right, for margins, padding and alignment, so one layout works in both directions.
3. Mirror navigation and progress. Back arrows, carousels, steppers, progress bars and swipe gestures should follow reading direction.
4. Do not mirror everything. Logos, media play buttons, clocks, checkmarks and images of real objects usually stay as they are.
5. Decide how to show numbers. Choose Western digits (1, 2, 3) or Arabic-Indic digits (١، ٢، ٣) and apply the choice consistently, especially in prices and dates.
6. Keep phone numbers, emails and codes left-to-right. Wrap them so they do not appear reversed inside Arabic sentences.
7. Isolate mixed text. English brand names, prices with currency and product codes inside Arabic text need bidirectional isolation to stay in the right order.
8. Choose a real Arabic font. Use a typeface designed for Arabic, give it slightly more line height, and avoid letter spacing and all-caps styles that break Arabic script.
9. Allow for text length. Arabic labels can be shorter or longer than English ones. Design buttons and tabs that adapt rather than truncate.
10. Handle dates carefully. Decide whether users need the Gregorian calendar, the Hijri calendar or both, and format dates for each language.
11. Get forms right. Set input direction automatically for emails, URLs and numbers, place labels and error messages on the correct side, and validate Arabic names properly.
12. Test with real Arabic content. Placeholder text hides problems. Test full screens in Arabic, switch languages mid-session, and review on both iPhone and Android.

Why it matters

Many users in Saudi Arabia will switch to Arabic the moment an app allows it. Screens with reversed numbers, mirrored logos or clipped labels feel unfinished and reduce trust, especially for payments and bookings.

Example: Awfer

For Awfer, a coupon and promotions app, we designed full RTL and LTR layouts together rather than translating the English design later, so vendors and shoppers get the same quality in both languages.

Need a bilingual product designed properly? See UI/UX design and mobile app development, or compare frameworks in React Native vs Flutter for Saudi apps.