Human behavior is amazing. That’s probably why falling in love with user-centered design is so easy. It’s a broad subject based on human-computer interaction, psychological triggers, and behavioral patterns, and then spits out user interface design, user experience design, web design, and more.

It’s a science that pokes into users’ minds with relentless curiosity. And relentless curiosity is what all creatives have in common.

That curiosity got us to start Userbrain, a user testing tool where we help other creatives pick some user brains. Week after week, not just once in a while. We want to make user testing a habit.

That curiosity also got us wondering: “What free books on the subjects are spread around the Web that we haven’t found and read yet?”. That is why we went on a wild hunt to gather all the free ebooks we could find. It took us some time, but the count is in.

A library of 135 free UX ebooks

135 free ebooks are in this library. The topics we found range from Web design, User Experience, User Interface, Typography, Interaction Design, Usability Testing, Accessibility, and some Marketing & Conversion books.

We invite you to join our hunt and bring your catch to this library. It is an open library so everyone is welcome to take, and everyone is welcome to add.

P.S. We want to salute every one of the authors for taking the effort to write these books and make their knowledge available to everyone.

This list got a lot of “organic” shares. That means the authors efforts are valued, and their knowledge is reaching new curious & creative minds.

So thank you for spreading knowledge and for sharing this list and adding your findings to it, in the comments, on Twitter, and everywhere you can.

Quickly navigate all free ebooks:

• 23 Introductory ebooks
• 7 Wireframes, Mockups, Prototypes ebooks
• 9 Web Design ebooks
• 18 User Experience ebooks
• 24 User Interface ebooks
• 3 Typography ebooks
• 7 Interaction Design ebooks
• 9 Designing for Mobile ebooks
• 13 Usability Testing ebooks
• 2 Style Guides ebooks
• 2 Accessibility ebooks
• 4 Collaboration ebooks
• Bonus: 14 Marketing & Conversion ebooks

Introductory ebooks

The UX Reader by MailChimp

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• Essential, easy and fun information on creating a good looking website with primary coding knowledge.

Pixel Perfect Precision Handbook by ustwo

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• Why this book has grown from a 108-page simple guide to a 214-page designer bible that went through 3 editions.
• Illustrated digital design knowledge with best practices for visuals in web design
• How-to instructions for Photoshop with a focus on visual design

20 Things I Learned About Browsers And The Web by Google Chrome Team

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• A short but very interesting book on browsers by the people that know most about them – the Google Chrome team.
• How browsers evolved through time.
• The intricate works of a browser.
• How they have impacted the way we surf the web.

UX Design for Startups by UXPin

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• 127 pages of real-life UX advice from UXPin CEO Marcin Treder.
• A great guide for startups that helps them integrate UX into their workflow.
• Learn about all the steps your startup needs to take to grow from good UX.
• From validating your product assumptions and efficient UX design techniques, to quality research, measuring, and optimizing for growth.
• Bonus: Get a list of 60+ handpicked UX design tools.

The User Experience Guide Book For Product Managers by UXPin

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• The difference between product managers and UX designers
• How communication works in the design process
• How product managers can use wireframes for maximum effect
• Usability studies and UX design tools product managers should use

How to Launch Your UX Career and Get Paid by UXPin

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• What it’s like to be a UX professional and advice on launching your career
• In the end you will know if a UX professional’s life is a good fit for you.

The Indispensable UX Designer: A Guide to Influential Design by UXPin

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• 10 qualities that separate great designers from the rest
• Habits and tactics to make you an indispensable designer
• How to understand the business goals to earn & keep your seat at the table
• How to give meaningful design feedback

The Field Guide to Self-Employed Web Design by UXPin

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• Know the pros and cons of starting your own web design business
• Avoid common mistakes made by new self-employed designers
• Tips and tricks for building successful client relationships from the beginning
• Bonus material from experts at Creative Market

Introduction to Good Usability by Peter Conradie

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• For user-centered design or usability learners, this is a good reference to get you into the amazing and fun-filled world of UX.

Design Your Imagination by WebGuru Infosystems

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• Essential, easy and fun information on creating a good looking website with primary coding knowledge.

Web Style Guide by Patrick J. Lynch and Sarah Horton

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• A book written in 1999 still remaining one of the best style guides for web interfaces.
• How to plan, develop and manage a website or web project
• Information on web teams and on interface design
• Highly readable, this book is overflowing with examples and is beneficial for a newbie and trained experts alike.

Bright ideas for user experience designers by Userfocus

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• 100 pages of real-world advice on UX design
• 7 myths about paper prototyping
• What the Beatles can teach us about support
• 5 shortcuts for laying out Axure pages in record time
• Card games for information architects
• Tips for writing user manuals

UX Masters: The Ultimate UX Manager’s Guide to Success by UX Motel

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• The fundamental principles of successful UX.
• How to manage relations with other departments in the business.
• Important tips and tricks that you can implement within your UX team.

The Fable of the User-Centred Designer by David Travis

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• 40 pages long story on user-centered design written by the guy who knows his usability – Dr. David Travis.
• An interesting journey of one young man as he learns the secrets of good user-centered design.
• It leaves you with a much better comprehension for the framework of the user-centered approach to UX and UI design.

Taking Your Talent to the Web by Jeffrey Zeldman

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• A 400-page book on everything you need to get into web design written by the guy behind A List Apart.
• Why this book had a 5-star rating on Amazon before they released it for free.
• A great read for print designers who want to design websites, art directors who want to move to the world of web, and professionals who want to deepen their web skills and understanding.

Getting Real by 37signals aka Basecamp

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• Why this free ebook is the most popular and downloaded book on how to approach building a startup or your next project.
• The right way to build web applications from the makers of Basecamp (which is now used by more than 15.000.000 people! Wow, that does not happen easily!).
• Everything from the beginning and sketching your idea on paper, to delivering the final product to the public.
• Plus tips and tricks for customer support and keeping things alive and kicking.

A Practical Guide to Designing for the Web by Five Simple Steps and Mark Boulton

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• This guide will teach you the best techniques for designing your website, using the tried and true principles of graphic design.
• It takes an approach that includes researching the usage of the site, understanding typography, utilizing color for navigation as well as presentation and creating a usable and satisfying layout.

Human Computer Interaction Course Notes by Dr. Keith Andrews

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• Dr. Keith Andrew’s notes for his HCI lectures
• Now you too can follow along with course notes in HCI and build a foundation of the principles of UX.
• Well worth reading for UX beginners and advanced UXers as well!

Mental Models in Human-Computer Interaction by John M. Carroll and Judith Reitman Olson

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• The effects of unchanging human psychology, learning, and mental models on great design
• While very academic, it contains many useful insights on user-centric design.

Converting the Believers by Peter Meyers

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• Learn how to use analytics, usability and testing to systematically improve online sales.

UX Storytellers – Connecting the Dots by Jan Jursa

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• A massive ebook with interviews and stories from 42 UX gurus on their experiences of being a UX professional.
• Full of great narratives and rich metaphors, it’s an insightful read that you can pick up anytime anywhere.
• Insight into UX gurus career paths and design processes, with useful links and references all around the book.
• Almost every scenario ever experienced by a designer is covered.

Six Circles – An experience design framework by James Kelway

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• This book will provide you with a framework for how to create and utilize an experience design framework in your organization.
• This is required reading for anyone that is designing or creating experiences for organizations, no matter whether it’s an app, product or website.

The Vignelli Canon by Massimo Vignelli

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• A glimpse inside the mind of one of the important figures of modernist design.
• Clear ideas on what should be the foundations of mostly visual design.
• Numerous examples that convey applications in practice from product design to graphic design to corporate design.

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Web Design

Web Design is Dead by Ben Hunt

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• Why the author believes the old way of doing web design is over.
• What practices are taking over.
• How designers can better adapt to the ever changing needs of the web.

The State of Web Design: 2016 Edition by UXPin

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• 24 examples of how Slack, Samsung, Ford, Under Armor and others use these practices.
• How to use a mobile-first approach by focusing on your content.
• How to use modular UI design to create reusable elements.
• A brief introduction to flexbox and what you can do with it.
• How to handle responsive images and more.

Web Design Trends 2016 by UXPin

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• The new flat design and 5 characteristic components of it.
• 10 free resources and tools on flat design.
• How to combine minimalism with other styles.
• 10 free resources and tools on functional minimalism.
• Visual examples from companies like Adidas, Intercom, Dropbox, Reebok, Apple, BMW, Spotify, Jawbone, Versace, Google, and many more.

Flat Design Trends 2016 by UXPin

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• The hottest and latest techniques in flat design with dozens of visual examples.
• How big companies, such as Nike and Corona, are using flat design to attract their users.
• Tips and techniques for using typography, color, videos, and effects in a flat design.

Top 10 Web Design Trends of 2015 by UXPin

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• A basic understanding of 10 web design trends and examples for how to use them effectively.
• 40 tips and further resources to each of the 10 presented trends.
• How to use cards, animations, and other flat design techniques for deeper interactivity.
• How to be more confident in using typography in your design.
• How to use colors and captivating photography.

Web Design Book of Trends 2013-2014 by UXPin

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• 11 trends of 2013-14 shown and explained.
• 165 visual examples of remarkable design.

Responsive Web Design Best Practices by UXPin

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• Tutorial written by responsive designers for you to use immediately.
• 2 case studies, 5 responsive design layouts and useful navigation patterns
• How to use patterns and make useful responsive navigations.
• How to use media queries, typography, responsive images and more.

Responsive & Adaptive Web Design by UXPin

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• Why and how to achieve a consistent experience accross devices.
• Responsive and adaptive design techniques
• Understanding a mobile-first process.
• Examples from The Guardian, Smashing Magazine, Lookout and Hulu Plus.

The Best Web Designs of 2015–2016 by UXPin

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• Loads and loads and loads of compelling examples from companies like Tumblr, Google, Airbnb, Dropbox, Reebok, Coin, Bose, Nest, and dozens more.
• Inspiration on clever card UI use, brilliant typography, vibrant colors, flat design 2.0, and more.

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User Interface

Task-Centered User Interface Design by Clayton Lewis and John Rieman

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• 8 usability studies conducted in 4 countries.
• Learn the most important thing – how people actually use websites and apps.
• How mental activities such as perception, learning, memory, and problem solving affect usability.
• A walk through the steps of designing systems based on user-centered tasks.

Tactical UI Design Patterns by UXPin

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• How users interact with design patterns.
• How to apply empathy to UI design patterns.
• How to plan, prototype and apply UI patterns.
• 100+ web UI pattern examples from Abercrombie & Fitch, Adobe, AIGA, ESPN, Full Sail University, Hotels.com, IMDb, Microsoft Developer Network, the Atlantic, Discovery Channel, and more.

Storytelling in Web UI Design by UXPin

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• Topics on involving users as characters, gamifying interfaces, supplementing actions with interactivity, using easter eggs, and creating user journey maps.
• 7 examples analyzed in-depth from Squarespace, Foursquare, Tesla, and others.

The Visual Storyteller’s Guide to Web UI Design by UXPin

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• Why visuals are such a compelling tool for retention, information processing, evoking emotions and more.
• 3 powerful types of imagery in visual storytelling
• How to select the right visual style for your storytelling.
• 29 analyzed examples from Tesla, Fitbit, Microsoft, Squarespace, Foursquare, and more.

The Building Blocks of Visual Hierarchy by UXPin

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• How to strategically influence the user flow and decisions with visual hierarchy.
• Quick tips on creating visual hierarchy with size, color, layout, spacing and style.
• 18 examples from companies like MailChimp & RelateIQ

Winning Over Users With Attractive UI Design by UXPin

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• How beautiful designs impact your usability and draw attention.
• Topic on design consistency, types of symmetry, the functional & emotional role of visuals, best practices for attractive design, and more.
• 22 visual examples from the likes of Dior, Pinterest, Apple, Squarespace, Hulu, and more.

Elegant Web UI Design Techniques by UXPin

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• Past and future of the use of colors on the web.
• 40 examples from Google, Squarespace and more.
• 10 free resources and tools for you to use.

Color Theory in Web UI Design by UXPin

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• Best practices for contrast and complementary colors, mixing colors and more.
• 24 illustrated examples from Mozilla, Squarespace, Cadbury, and others.
• 7 color tools you can use on your next project.

Zen of White Space in Web UI Design by UXPin

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• How to design with the power of nothing.
• 14 in-depth examples of white space best practices
• The dangers of too much or too little white space, and how to find a golden ratio.
• A list of typography tools and grid generators to help you with your next design.

White Space in Web UI Design by UXPin

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• How to tackle the feared white space and come out on top.
• 11 elegant examples analyzed in-depth.
• How white space actually gets your users to interact more.

Zen of White Space in Web UI Design by UXPin

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• 23 examples of white space best practices from Apple, Square, Lever, Wunderlist, SketchApp, and others.
• How to create a sense of luxury and emphasize content with white space.
• Effective types of white space in web design.
• How to create relationships with space.

Web UI Design for the Human Eye: Principles of Visual Consistency by UXPin

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• How to uncover users’ expectations before the design stage.
• Examples from Squarespace, Wunderlist, Jukely, Redhat, and others.
• How to be original with UI but still familiar so that your usability doesn’t suffer.

Consistency in UI Design by UXPin

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• 22 amazing examples of the best use of color in web design.
• Topics on color palettes, contrasting colors, emotions of color, texture and more.
• 10 free resources and tools to help you with your next design.

Web UI Trends Present & Future: The Vibrancy of Color by UXPin

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• Flat color palettes, high contrast colors, the emotions of color, how to pair color and texture, and more.
• 22 captivating examples representing the best use of color in web design.
• List of resources and tools for using color in web design.

Web UI Trends Present & Future: The Elegance of Minimalism by UXPin

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• How to get into the minimalism mindset, create harmony and contrast, and design with space.
• Why minimalism is not for every site.
• 28 examples of best minimalist designs according to the boys at UXPin.

Web UI Trends Present & Future: The Evolution of Flat Design by UXPin

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• How flat design came to be and evolved, and its pros and cons.
• 18 illustrated examples showcasing the past, present, and future of flat design.
• 10 free resources and tools

Web UI Design Patterns 2014 by UXPin

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• Understand the different purposes and uses of mockups versus wireframes and prototypes.
• Best practices for using mockups in the design process.
• A short but actionable book with to the point explanations.

Web UI Design for the Human Eye: Content Patterns & Typography by UXPin

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• How to effectively use the content-first design approach.
• All about the F and Z reading patterns.
• How to visually communicate through typography.
• Visual case studies from 27 companies including Design Milk, Amazon, The New Yorker, TED, Dropbox, Hulu, Abduzeedo, CreativeBloq, and AirBnB.

Web UI Design for the Human Eye: Colors, Space, Contrast by UXPin

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• What are and how to apply Gestalt principles to web UI design.
• How to design space through subtraction, visual relationships, contrast, vibrancy and more.
• Visual case studies from 33 companies including Tumblr, Etsy, Google, Facebook, Twitter, Medium, Intercom, and Bose.
• How to do a 5-second test for visual hierarchy.

Web UI Trends Present & Future: Dramatic Typography by UXPin

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• How to use dramatic typography to draw attention and appeal to people’s visual senses.
• 21 examples of the web’s most beautiful typography.
• Tips for working with type of all sizes, from small to oversized.
• 10 free resources and tools

Web UI Trends Present & Future: Card Design Patterns by UXPin

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• 19 live examples including Google, Trello, Dribbble, and Bezar.
• Pros and cons of card design, how cards work with responsive design, understand cards in Material Design, get pro tips for a visually striking card interface, and more.
• 10 free card design resources and tools

Web UI Design Best Practices by UXPin

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• How UI shapes UX.
• How to effectively use knowledge about your users and their needs to drive further decisions.
• In-depth explanations of visual hierarchy, interface design and UX design.
• 63 web UI patterns you can implement.
• How to effectively collaborate in the design process.

Web UI Design Patterns 2014 by UXPin

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• How to use UI patterns.
• How to use design to get input.
• How to design successful and clear navigations.
• 63 web UI patterns you can implement.
• Examples of best solutions from the best companies in 2014.

Search User Interfaces by Marti A. Hearst

Here’s what you’ll discover:

• Why copying someone’s search user interface is not all that smart.
• What complex issues lie below the surface of search interfaces.
• Large body of research that explains what works and why, in a practical way ready for applying.
• How to analyze, create, and understand the full range of problems and new potentials for search design.

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