Can You Animate on Figma?

September 17, 2023 figma

Figma is a powerful design tool that allows you to create stunning user interfaces and prototypes. But can you animate on Figma? The answer is yes! Figma offers various features and functionalities that enable you to bring your designs to life with beautiful animations.

Creating Animations in Figma

To create animations in Figma, you can use the powerful built-in prototyping feature called "Smart Animate." With Smart Animate, you can seamlessly transition between frames, creating smooth and visually appealing animations.

Getting Started with Smart Animate

To begin animating on Figma, follow these simple steps:

Create multiple frames representing different states of your design. You can do this by duplicating the initial frame and making changes to each duplicate.
Select the first frame where you want the animation to start.
Click on the "Prototype" tab in the right sidebar.
Click and drag from a layer or object in the first frame to its corresponding layer or object in the next frame.
Choose "Smart Animate" as the transition type.

Figma will automatically generate a smooth animation between the two frames. You can also adjust the easing curve and duration of the animation for more control over its behavior.

Advanced Animation Techniques

Besides Smart Animate, Figma offers additional features that allow for more advanced animation techniques:

Motion Constraints: You can define constraints for objects within frames to create responsive animations that adapt to changes in screen size or layout.
Interactive Components: Figma's interactive components feature enables you to create interactive elements like buttons, dropdown menus, and more. You can define different states for these components and animate their transitions.
Auto Layout: Figma's Auto Layout feature allows you to create dynamic components that adjust their size and layout based on the content within them. You can animate changes in content to create fluid and responsive designs.

Exporting Animated Designs

Once you have created your animated designs in Figma, you can easily export them for further use or collaboration. Figma supports exporting animations as GIFs or videos, making it convenient to share your work with clients, stakeholders, or developers.

Exporting as a GIF

To export your animation as a GIF, follow these steps:

Select the frames you want to include in the final GIF.
Click on the "Export" button at the top of the screen.
Choose "GIF" as the export format.
Customize any additional settings such as loop count or frame delay.
Click "Export" and save your GIF to your desired location.

Exporting as a Video

If you prefer exporting your animation as a video file, Figma also provides that option:

Select the frames you want to include in the final video.
Choose "MP4" or another video format as the export format.
Select any additional settings such as resolution or quality.
Click "Export" and save your video to your desired location.

By exporting your animations, you can showcase your designs on various platforms, including websites, social media, or presentations.

Conclusion

Figma's animation capabilities with Smart Animate and other features make it a versatile tool for designing interactive and engaging user interfaces. Whether you're creating simple transitions or complex interactions, Figma provides the tools you need to bring your designs to life. Start exploring Figma's animation features today and take your designs to the next level!