Form Stepper
The Form Stepper is now part of CDS — a multi-step form header that visually communicates the user’s position within a linear, multi-step process. It tells users how many steps remain, which step is currently active, and which steps have already been completed, all without taking up space the form fields themselves need.
Reach for the Stepper when a process is too complex for a single view (more than five or six fields), when the journey is high-value enough that users need constant reassurance of progress (checkouts, insurance applications, legal forms), or when the sequence of information matters and the user must be guided down a specific path. Skip it for tasks that fit on one page, non-linear flows where the user jumps around, fewer than two steps, or modal/overlay surfaces where horizontal space is tight.
The component is sticky at the top of the viewport and adapts across mobile, tablet, and desktop without separate variants. It includes a back-button slot for non-first steps; the back action must always preserve the user’s data — never clear a field on “Back”.
Full anatomy, mode variants, and accessibility guidance are on the Form Stepper documentation page.