Practical examples of enabling and disabling software features

Real-world examples of enabling and disabling software features

Let’s start where most people learn this concept: everyday apps. The best examples of enabling and disabling software features are the ones you barely notice until they change.

Think about Netflix or Spotify. When you upgrade to a paid plan, new options quietly appear: higher-quality streaming, offline downloads, or ad-free listening. Those are clear examples of enabling software features based on subscription level. Downgrade your plan, and those same features are disabled or grayed out.

Another familiar example of enabling and disabling software features shows up in mobile apps:

• Turn on Location Services for a maps app, and suddenly you get turn-by-turn directions and nearby suggestions.
• Turn location off, and those location-dependent features vanish or display a message instead. The app itself still runs; only specific capabilities are disabled.

These are not just convenience tweaks. They’re deliberate design choices that impact usability, security, and even legal compliance.

Examples of enabling and disabling software features in productivity tools

Office and collaboration software gives some of the clearest, everyday examples of enabling and disabling software features.

In Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace, your account type and admin settings decide what you can see and use. An example of this is advanced security options or AI-powered writing tools:

• In Google Docs, users on certain paid plans get access to advanced AI features like Help Me Write. That’s an example of a feature enabled only for specific licenses.
• In Microsoft Word, some advanced editing or collaboration options are only available with a Microsoft 365 subscription. If your subscription expires, those features may be disabled, even though basic document editing still works.

Permissions provide another set of real examples of enabling and disabling software features:

• In Microsoft Teams or Slack, regular users might not see admin dashboards, billing pages, or workspace-wide configuration screens. Those features are enabled only for admins or owners.
• In project management tools like Asana, Jira, or Trello, only users with certain roles can create new projects, change workflows, or manage integrations. The buttons and menus for those actions are disabled or hidden for everyone else.

These examples include a pattern you’ll see over and over: the same software, but different feature sets depending on who you are and what you’re allowed to do.

Feature flags and toggles: modern examples of enabling and disabling software features

Behind the scenes, many of the best examples of enabling and disabling software features rely on feature flags (also called feature toggles). Instead of shipping separate versions of an app, developers ship one version and flip features on or off remotely.

Here’s how this looks in practice:

• A company releases a new “AI summary” button in their dashboard, but only 5% of users see it. For those users, the feature flag is enabled. For everyone else, it’s disabled. This lets the team test performance and usability before a full rollout.
• An e-commerce site tests a new checkout flow. Version A is shown to one group, version B to another. Each experience is a feature set enabled or disabled by remote configuration.

If you want a deeper look at how this is discussed in modern software engineering, the concept of feature toggles is covered in many computer science and software engineering courses, such as those listed in university curricula at sites like MIT OpenCourseWare.

From a user’s perspective, these examples of enabling and disabling software features often show up as:

• New buttons appearing in the UI without you updating the app.
• Beta labels on certain features that only some users can access.
• Settings pages where options are marked “coming soon” or “available to selected accounts.”

Under the hood, a simple true/false flag decides whether your app behaves one way or another.

Security and privacy: examples include permissions and access controls

Security is one of the most important areas where enabling and disabling software features really matters. Instead of giving everyone full power, software often enables only the features a person actually needs.

Some clear, real examples of enabling and disabling software features for security and privacy:

• Role-based access control (RBAC): In healthcare software, a nurse, a doctor, and a billing specialist may all use the same system, but they see different menus and data. Features for editing diagnoses might be enabled for physicians and disabled for billing staff. This aligns with privacy guidance from organizations like the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, which emphasizes limiting access to only what’s needed.
• Admin vs. standard user accounts in operating systems like Windows or macOS: Standard users can’t install system-wide software or change security policies. The installation and configuration features are disabled for them, even though they can still run everyday apps.
• Mobile app permissions: On iOS and Android, apps must request permission to use your camera, microphone, or contacts. If you deny access, the related features are effectively disabled. For example, a video chat app can’t start a call without camera and microphone permissions.

These examples of enabling and disabling software features protect users from accidental changes, data leaks, or misuse of sensitive information.

Accessibility and user preference examples of enabling and disabling features

Some of the most user-friendly examples of enabling and disabling software features live in accessibility and personalization settings.

Modern operating systems and apps often let users enable features that adapt interfaces to their needs:

• Screen readers and spoken feedback can be enabled in Windows (Narrator), macOS (VoiceOver), Android (TalkBack), and iOS (VoiceOver). When enabled, new navigation and audio features appear, and the system behaves differently to support non-visual use.
• High contrast mode or dark mode can be turned on to reduce eye strain or improve visibility. When these modes are enabled, color schemes and sometimes layout choices change. When disabled, the app returns to its default look.
• Reduced motion settings on mobile and desktop platforms disable certain animations and parallax effects, which can help users who experience motion sensitivity. This is discussed in accessibility guidance such as the W3C Web Accessibility Initiative, which encourages developers to respect user preferences.

These are powerful examples of enabling and disabling software features where the user is fully in control. The underlying app is the same, but the experience is tailored to how each person prefers to interact.

Business and SaaS examples: plans, trials, and paywalled features

If you’ve used any subscription-based software-as-a-service (SaaS) tool, you’ve seen many examples of enabling and disabling software features based on pricing tiers.

Common patterns include:

• Free vs. Pro vs. Enterprise plans: A free plan might enable basic features like creating projects and tasks, but disable advanced reporting, integrations, or security features. Upgrading a plan flips those advanced features from disabled to enabled without installing anything new.
• Usage-based unlocks: Some tools enable certain features only after you reach a threshold. For example, an email marketing platform might disable advanced segmentation until your contact list passes a certain size.
• Time-limited trials: During a 14-day trial, all premium features are enabled. When the trial ends without payment, those same features are disabled again. You might still see them in the interface, but clicking them leads to an upgrade prompt.

These real examples of enabling and disabling software features are driven by business models, but they also have a UX impact. Good design makes it obvious which features are available now, which can be enabled by changing settings, and which require a different plan.

OS-level examples of enabling and disabling software features

Operating systems are packed with examples of enabling and disabling software features that affect the entire device.

On Windows 11, for instance:

• You can enable or disable features like Hyper-V, Windows Subsystem for Linux, or legacy components from the “Turn Windows features on or off” dialog. These are shipped with the OS but not always active; enabling them unlocks new capabilities like running Linux tools or virtual machines.
• Enterprise administrators can disable access to the Microsoft Store or certain control panel options using Group Policy, preventing users from installing unauthorized apps.

On Android and iOS:

• System-level settings let you enable or disable background app refresh, notifications, and data usage on a per-app basis.
• Parental controls can disable in-app purchases, explicit content, or app installations for child accounts.

These are strong examples of enabling and disabling software features that balance flexibility with control, especially in shared or managed environments.

Best practices drawn from real examples of enabling and disabling software features

Looking across all these real-world cases, a few patterns show up in the best examples of enabling and disabling software features:

Make state visible and understandable. If a feature is disabled, users should understand why. A grayed-out button with a tooltip like “Available on Pro plan only” or “Ask your admin for access” is far less frustrating than a silent failure.

Avoid surprise removals. If you plan to disable a feature permanently, communicate early and clearly. Many cloud services now provide in-app banners and emails when features are being retired. This mirrors good change-management practices you’ll find in IT guidance on sites like NIST.gov, which emphasize planning and communication.

Respect user choices. When a user disables tracking, notifications, or a recommendation engine, treat that as a firm preference, not a suggestion. Don’t quietly re-enable features after an update without explicit consent.

Design for safe defaults. Especially for security and privacy, it’s safer to start with sensitive features disabled and require explicit opt-in. For example, do not auto-enable camera or microphone access without a clear prompt.

Test with feature flags. Use feature flags to introduce changes gradually. This reduces risk and lets you observe how real users respond before you enable a feature for everyone.

When you look at your own product or the apps you use daily, you’ll start to recognize these patterns everywhere. Each toggle, checkbox, and grayed-out menu item is another example of enabling and disabling software features to balance power, safety, and simplicity.

FAQ: examples of enabling and disabling software features

Q1: What are some everyday examples of enabling and disabling software features on my phone?
Common examples include turning on Wi‑Fi or Bluetooth, enabling dark mode, granting or revoking location access for a maps app, and switching on Do Not Disturb. Each of these settings enables some behaviors (like connecting to nearby devices) and disables others (like incoming notifications) without changing the core apps themselves.

Q2: Can you give an example of enabling and disabling software features in a business app?
A typical example is a CRM platform where basic users can view and edit customer records, but only managers can export data or change automation rules. The export and automation features are enabled for manager roles and disabled for standard users, even though they’re all using the same application.

Q3: How do feature flags relate to these examples of enabling and disabling software features?
Feature flags are the technical mechanism behind many of these examples. They let developers ship a feature in the code but keep it disabled until they’re ready. Then they can enable it for a small test group, a specific region, or a particular customer segment, and later roll it out more widely—or turn it off again if something goes wrong.

Q4: Are there risks to enabling too many features at once?
Yes. Enabling too many features can overwhelm users, create security gaps, and make support harder. For instance, enabling advanced admin tools for every user increases the chance of accidental misconfiguration or data exposure. Many organizations follow the “least privilege” principle, enabling only the features and permissions users truly need.

Q5: How can I decide which features to enable or disable in my own software?
Start by mapping features to user roles, privacy expectations, and business goals. Look at real examples from tools you admire: how do they separate free vs. paid plans, admin vs. regular users, or beta vs. stable features? Then use settings pages, role-based permissions, and feature flags to control availability, and always explain clearly to users why something is enabled or disabled.