Why Paginated Views Still Matter in 2025

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Introduction: The Little Button We All Take for Granted

Picture this: You’re hunting for something online. Maybe it’s the perfect phone case, a recipe your aunt mentioned, or the latest article about web design trends. You scroll a little, then you see those familiar little numbers at the bottom—1, 2, 3… Next.
You click. More results appear. Click again. Another batch arrives.
That’s pagination—the internet’s way of saying, “Don’t worry, I won’t drown you in everything at once. Here’s a piece, now let’s go step by step.”

It’s simple, isn’t it? Almost boring. But in truth, that tiny button is one of the unsung heroes of the web. And in 2025, when we’re surrounded by endless scrolling feeds, pagination still quietly proves why it matters.

I say this not just as someone who uses the internet casually, but as a screen reader user. For me, pagination can mean the difference between a pleasant browsing experience and one that makes me want to slam my laptop shut. But it’s not just about disability—it’s about usability for everyone, and even about profit for businesses.

So let’s take a journey through paginated views together. I’ll show you why they’re still alive, how they shape user experience, what accessibility has to do with it, and why businesses should actually be thankful for them.

What Exactly Is Pagination? (And Why You’ve Used It a Thousand Times Already)

Let’s strip the jargon. Pagination is simply the act of breaking content into smaller, manageable pages. Instead of handing you a thousand things at once, the website says, “Here’s 20. Want more? Click next.”

Think of it like a book. Imagine reading a 500-page novel with no chapters, no pauses, no sections. Exhausting, right? You’d get lost. Chapters save your brain. They give rhythm and breathing space. Pagination is the digital version of that.

  • The way Google shows results in pages.
  • Online stores splitting products so you’re not hit with 2,000 items in one endless stream.
  • Blog archives that let you browse posts year by year, page by page.
  • Even photo galleries, where you click “Next” to see the next set.

Here’s the thing: when pagination is done right, you don’t even notice it. That’s its magic. It’s not flashy. It’s not trendy. It just works.

Why Websites Still Use Pagination in 2025

You might wonder—why hasn’t pagination disappeared? With all the talk about infinite scroll being modern and engaging, shouldn’t pagination be dead by now? Nope. And here’s why.

  • Performance: Imagine trying to load all 10,000 items from an online shop in one go. Your device would choke, the site would crawl, and you’d leave. Pagination keeps things light and fast.
  • Control: Pagination gives users a sense of choice. You can stop at page 2, bookmark it, or return later. With infinite scroll, content just keeps piling on until you lose track of where you were.
  • Structure: A site without pagination feels like a messy drawer—you’re rummaging endlessly. Pagination turns that mess into neat folders.
  • Business reasons: Each time you click “Next Page,” that’s engagement. More clicks mean more data, better analytics, and often more revenue. For advertisers, those extra page loads matter.

Pagination vs Infinite Scroll: The Ongoing Debate

Let’s be real: infinite scroll feels fun. You open Instagram, TikTok, or Twitter (X), and you just keep going. There’s always one more video, one more post, one more laugh. It’s addictive.

But here’s the dark side. You never quite know where you are. There’s no clear beginning or end. Try finding that funny post you saw yesterday—it’s like chasing smoke.

Pagination, on the other hand, is slower in one sense—you need to click—but it’s also more reliable. You know what page you’re on. You can come back to it. You can stop without feeling guilty.

The User Experience Side: Where Things Go Right (or Terribly Wrong)

User experience is all about how it feels to use something. And pagination has its own role to play.

When it’s done well, it’s almost invisible. The numbers are easy to see, the “Next” and “Previous” buttons are clear, and you move smoothly without thinking about it.

When it’s done badly? Oh, it’s painful. Tiny page numbers you can’t click, buttons that disappear, no way to jump ahead—you end up frustrated and ready to quit.

Accessibility and Pagination: My Screen Reader Perspective

Now, let me put on my accessibility hat. For me—and for millions of others—pagination is more than design. It’s about whether I can use a site at all.

As a screen reader user, pagination gives me order. A clearly labeled “Next Page” link is like a street sign. It tells me where I am and where I can go. Infinite scroll, on the other hand, feels like walking on a treadmill with no exit. The content just keeps coming, and I keep losing my place.

Business Benefits of Pagination (And Why Companies Should Care)

Let’s talk dollars and sense. Businesses often ask, “Why bother with accessibility? Why stick with pagination?” The answer is simple: because it pays off.

  • Search engines love pagination. It creates more indexable pages, improves site structure, and keeps bounce rates lower.
  • Users stay longer because they don’t feel overwhelmed.
  • Every extra page a user clicks is another opportunity—another product to show, another ad impression, another piece of engagement data.
  • A well-structured site feels professional. Customers come back to sites that are easy to use.

Designing Pagination That Works for Everyone

So how do you design pagination that makes sense? Here’s the secret: don’t overthink it. Keep it simple.

  • Make the buttons clear. Use words like “Next Page” and “Previous Page.”
  • Give people room to click.
  • Let them jump to page 10 if they want.
  • Test it with real users, including those with disabilities.

Real-Life Examples: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

We’ve all been there. Google does pagination well—it’s simple, predictable, easy to use. Amazon too, with big buttons and the option to skip around.

  • Good pagination: Respects your time.
  • Bad pagination: Wastes your time.

The Future of Pagination: Still Relevant, Still Needed

Some people say pagination is old-fashioned. I disagree. In fact, I think it’s making a quiet comeback.

Short Summary

Pagination may look like a small thing, but it plays a big role in how we use the web. It keeps content manageable, improves performance, and gives users control. For accessibility, it’s often the difference between inclusion and exclusion. And for businesses, it boosts SEO, engagement, and trust.

References + WCAG Success Criteria

  • WCAG 2.2 Guidelines
  • Relevant success criteria:
    • 2.4.4 Link Purpose (In Context)
    • 2.4.7 Focus Visible
    • 2.4.13 Focus Appearance (Minimum)
    • 2.1.1 Keyboard

Personal Note

I am a screen reader user and deeply into web accessibility. From my own experience, pagination is not just a design choice—it’s freedom. It gives me the ability to move through the web without getting lost, to pause and return, to feel like the site respects me as a user.