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When I first started using Figma, what really stood out to me was how easy it was to bring my static designs to life with prototyping. Instead of just showing clients or teammates a bunch of screens, I could actually let them click through the flow like a real app or website.
Whether I was working on a basic wireframe or a polished UI mockup, Figma’s prototyping tools made it simple to test ideas, visualize interactions, and refine the user experience all without needing to write a single line of code. In this guide, I’ll walk you through exactly how to use Figma to create interactive prototypes from setting up interactions and transitions to handling scroll effects and previewing the final experience.
Prototyping in Figma refers to linking frames and elements together to simulate how a user would interact with a digital product, be it a website, mobile app, or dashboard.
You can:
Interactions define how and when a transition should occur.
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Trigger Type | Description |
---|---|
On Click | When user clicks or taps an element |
On Hover | When user hovers over an element |
While Pressing | While mouse or touch input is held |
After Delay | Auto-transition after a specified time |
Key/Gamepad | Use keyboard/gamepad input (for advanced prototypes) |
Mouse Enter/Leave | Trigger when mouse enters or leaves the element |
After setting up an interaction, choose how the transition looks and feels.
Smart Animate uses layer names and hierarchy to animate size, position, opacity, and other changes between frames. It’s perfect for micro-interactions like:
Make sure matching layers have the same name and structure in both frames.
Scrolling allows users to view content larger than the viewport, mimicking real device experiences.
Figma’s prototyping features empower you to create realistic, interactive designs without leaving the design environment. From simple click-through mockups to advanced scrollable layouts and animated transitions, you can simulate a full user experience to test, iterate, and present your ideas.
Whether you're designing a mobile app or a web dashboard, mastering prototyping, interactions, and scroll behavior in Figma will take your work to the next level.
Previous Lessons:
Figma: Home Screen & Interface Overview
Figma Frame Tool & Auto Layout Explained