During the early years of the smartphone era, adopting a “Mobile First” approach in web design and development made sense. The limitations of HTML and CSS, along with the reduced capabilities of mobile browsers, made prioritizing the experience on these devices a necessity. However, today, mobile browsers have evolved to match (or nearly match) the capabilities of desktop browsers. Therefore, the only real differences are screen size, navigation style, and connectivity, which can vary depending on coverage, service provider, and country.

That being said, I believe that the “Mobile First” approach is no longer necessary in most cases. Personally, I am against designing with mobile as the starting point, and here are my reasons:

1. It Limits Creative Freedom

From my experience, designing for mobile first can restrict creativity. Recently, while redesigning my own website, I decided to focus on the desktop version first. I reviewed my analytics and found that 91.5% of my site’s traffic came from desktop devices. This gave me the validation needed to prioritize that version and fully explore my design ideas without being constrained by the limitations of a mobile screen.

Of course, I didn’t ignore the mobile version. I conceived it as an adaptation of the desktop version, trimming and adjusting as necessary. The final result left me very satisfied: the desktop version had a powerful design, and the mobile version worked just as well.

2. Most Frameworks Are Responsive by Default

Today, tools like Bootstrap, Tailwind, and CSS Grid allow sites to automatically adapt to different screen sizes without needing to start with the mobile version. This makes it easier to create flexible interfaces without compromising the experience on any platform.

3. Not All Websites Have a Predominantly Mobile Audience

While mobile traffic has grown exponentially in recent years, it’s not a universal rule. Depending on the niche or user type, the majority of traffic may come from desktops. A website for graphic design, software development, or advanced tools is more likely to have desktop users, while social networks and news sites may lean toward mobile.

According to Statcounter data from 2023, 55% of global internet traffic comes from mobile devices, but this varies by industry and country. Ignoring real user behavior and assuming that all projects should be “Mobile First” is a mistake.

4. The “Desktop First” Strategy Is Also Valid

In many cases, designing for desktop first allows taking full advantage of large device capabilities and then making adjustments for mobile. This prevents overly simplified designs or limited user experiences that fail to leverage the potential of a larger screen.

When Does “Mobile First” Still Make Sense?

Despite my arguments against it, there are situations where “Mobile First” is still relevant:

• Applications and services designed specifically for mobile, such as social media, banking apps, or delivery platforms.
• Websites whose traffic comes predominantly from mobile devices, verified with analytical data.
• Minimalist experiences where simplicity is key from the start.

Conclusion

The “Mobile First” approach had its time and purpose, but today it is no longer a golden rule. The key is to analyze each project and its audience before deciding whether to prioritize mobile or desktop. Flexibility is the most important aspect of modern design, and rigidly sticking to a single method can be counterproductive.

In my case, designing for desktop first gave me more freedom and better results. What about you? Do you still believe in “Mobile First,” or do you think it’s time to evolve?