Patch My PC Ideas & Feedback
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A community where customers and the community can provide feedback to make a better product for everyone! For more details on how we prioritize requests, please see:
Currently, when you want to searching for a group to assign to a deployment in Patch My PC Cloud, you have to click the Magnifying glass icon in order for the search field to become available. That is an extra step/click, instead of having the search field already expanded/available. It's especially annoying when performing multiple assignments (required, available, update, rings, etc.) on a deployment.
Hi,
Please, change so that I / we can just start typing and searching in the input field -- please see the paragraph called UX Drawbacks further below.
Below is what Artificial Intelligence replied with
Clicking the magnifying glass icon before typing into a search input field is a common UX design pattern, often used to reveal or expand a hidden/compact search box while saving screen space. This requires an extra click because the input isn't immediately visible or focused, increasing interaction cost—users must first activate the field, then focus it for typing.
Why It Happens
Designers hide the full input behind the icon (especially on mobile or responsive sites) to prioritize space, with the icon acting as a trigger to expand the field. Browser rendering of HTML5 <input type="search"> adds a default magnifying glass in some (Chrome/Safari), but custom implementations often delay focus to prevent accidental input. Poor JavaScript handling fails to auto-focus the input on icon click, forcing a second tap.
UX Drawbacks
This two-click flow slows users, as they expect immediate typing after one interaction—violating principles like proximity and single-click affordance. Icon-only search is harder to spot without an open field nearby, and keyboard users struggle if focus doesn't shift automatically. Nielsen Norman Group notes it prolongs searches unnecessarily on desktop.
Fixes for Developers
Auto-focus the input on icon click using JavaScript: document.querySelector('input').focus(); after revealing the field. Expand the box on hover for desktops, ensure Enter submits, and place in upper-right with high contrast. Test for accessibility with ARIA labels on icons.