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> toggles are reserved for cases when you turn on a feature or service, and checkboxes just modify

Oh wow. I've never thought about this before but that is very intuitive.

Toggles have a physical, analog equivalent, like a switch or lever. Checkboxes don't really map to meatspace; they're strictly a logical construct.

Makes sense that toggles do big changes and checkboxes tweak.

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Checkboxes map into meatspace, they copy checkboxes/tickboxes in paper forms. The things they make you tick to confirm that they can phone you, or the thing you fill out when voting on a paper ballot or in a multiple choice test.

Admittedly not as physical as buttons, but they were designed as a copy of an existing thing.

That analogy seems to support the idea that checkboxes require a "save" button to apply the change. In real life, merely ticking a box on a piece of paper doesn't do anything; you have to give the piece of paper to someone.

On the other hand, a toggle switch (like a light switch) has an immediate effect.

Yes that's why you often see checkboxes in place when agreeing to terms and conditions, whether it's on mobile or on desktop.

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