Grid and column layout in Figma - Step-by-Step Guide

Introduction

Grid and column layouts help you organize content evenly on your design canvas. They make your dashboard or report look neat and balanced by aligning charts, tables, and text in rows and columns.

When you want to align multiple charts evenly across a dashboard page

When you need consistent spacing between report sections for better readability

When designing a responsive layout that adapts to different screen sizes

When you want to create columns for side-by-side comparison of data visuals

When you want to maintain a clean structure for text and images in your report

Steps

Step 1: Select the frame or artboard you want to apply the grid to

- Layers panel or canvas

The frame is highlighted and ready for layout settings

Step 2: Click on the Layout grid icon in the right sidebar under the Design tab

- Right sidebar, Design tab, Layout grid section

A default grid overlay appears on your selected frame

Step 3: Click the plus (+) button next to Layout grid to add a new grid

- Right sidebar, Layout grid section

A new grid layer is added and visible on the frame

Step 4: Click on the grid type dropdown and select Columns

- Right sidebar, Layout grid section

The grid changes from square grid to vertical columns

Step 5: Adjust the number of columns, gutter width, and margin values

- Right sidebar, Layout grid section

The columns update visually on the frame to reflect your settings

💡 Use even numbers for columns to keep symmetry

Step 6: Toggle the grid visibility on or off by clicking the eye icon

- Right sidebar, Layout grid section

The grid overlay appears or disappears on the frame

Before vs After

Before

A blank frame with scattered charts and text boxes placed unevenly

After

The frame shows evenly spaced vertical columns with charts and text aligned neatly inside each column

Settings Reference

Grid type

📍 Right sidebar, Layout grid section

Choose the layout style to organize content in squares, vertical columns, or horizontal rows

Default: Grid

Count

📍 Right sidebar, Layout grid section when Columns or Rows selected

Set how many columns or rows appear in the layout

Default: 12

Gutter

📍 Right sidebar, Layout grid section when Columns or Rows selected

Set the space between columns or rows

Default: 20 px

Margin

📍 Right sidebar, Layout grid section when Columns or Rows selected

Set the space between the grid edges and the frame edges

Default: 0 px

Common Mistakes

Using too many columns making the layout crowded

Too many columns reduce space for each visual, making content hard to read

Use a reasonable number of columns like 6 or 12 depending on content width

Not adjusting gutter width causing visuals to touch or overlap

No spacing between columns makes the design look cluttered and confusing

Set gutter width to at least 16-20 pixels for clear separation

Forgetting to toggle grid visibility off before presenting

Grid lines can distract viewers from the actual data visuals

Turn off grid visibility using the eye icon before sharing or exporting

Summary

Grid and column layouts help organize dashboard content evenly and clearly.

You can customize the number of columns, gutter space, and margins for balance.

Remember to adjust settings to avoid clutter and toggle grid visibility when done.

Practice

1. What is the main purpose of using a grid or column layout in a Figma dashboard design?

easy

A. To make the dashboard load faster

B. To add random colors to the dashboard

C. To organize content clearly and keep alignment consistent

D. To remove all text from the dashboard

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand grid and column layout purpose

   Grids and columns help arrange elements neatly and keep alignment consistent.

2. Step 2: Eliminate unrelated options

   Adding colors, speeding load, or removing text do not relate to layout structure.

3. Final Answer:

   To organize content clearly and keep alignment consistent -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Grid layout = clear organization [OK]

Hint: Think about how to keep things neat and aligned [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing layout with color or speed
• Ignoring alignment importance
• Thinking layout removes content

2. Which of the following is the correct way to add a 12-column layout grid in Figma?

easy

A. Set Layout Grid > Columns > Count: 12 > Type: Columns

B. Set Layout Grid > Rows > Count: 12 > Type: Rows

C. Set Layout Grid > Columns > Count: 6 > Type: Rows

D. Set Layout Grid > Rows > Count: 6 > Type: Columns

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify correct grid settings for columns

   To create columns, choose Columns type and set count to 12.

2. Step 2: Check other options for errors

   Rows type or wrong counts do not create a 12-column layout.

3. Final Answer:

   Set Layout Grid > Columns > Count: 12 > Type: Columns -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Columns count 12 = Set Layout Grid > Columns > Count: 12 > Type: Columns [OK]

Hint: Columns need 'Columns' type, not Rows [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Choosing Rows instead of Columns
• Setting wrong count number
• Mixing Rows type with column count

3. Given a Figma frame with a 4-column layout grid, if each column is 100px wide with 20px gutter, what is the total width covered by the columns and gutters?

medium

A. 480px

B. 420px

C. 440px

D. 460px

Solution

1. Step 1: Calculate total column width

   4 columns x 100px = 400px total column width.

2. Step 2: Calculate total gutter width

   There are 3 gutters between 4 columns, 3 x 20px = 60px.

3. Step 3: Add columns and gutters

   400px + 60px = 460px total width covered.

4. Final Answer:

   460px -> Option D

5. Quick Check:

   4x100 + 3x20 = 460px [OK]

Hint: Gutters are one less than columns count [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Counting gutters equal to columns
• Forgetting to add gutters
• Multiplying gutters by columns

4. You set a 3-column layout grid in Figma but the columns overlap each other. What is the most likely cause?

medium

A. The gutter width is set to zero or too small

B. The column count is set to 1 instead of 3

C. The layout grid is set to Rows instead of Columns

D. The frame width is too large

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand column overlap cause

   If gutters are zero or very small, columns will touch or overlap.

2. Step 2: Check other options for relevance

   Wrong column count or grid type causes different issues, not overlap. Large frame width won't cause overlap.

3. Final Answer:

   The gutter width is set to zero or too small -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Small gutter = overlap [OK]

Hint: Check gutter size if columns overlap [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Ignoring gutter size
• Confusing column count with gutter
• Blaming frame size for overlap

5. You want to design a dashboard in Figma with a 12-column grid where each column is 58px wide and gutters are 24px. If the frame width is 1200px, what should be the left and right margins to center the grid perfectly?

hard

A. No margins needed

B. 120px margins on each side

C. 72px margins on each side

D. 96px margins on each side

Solution

1. Step 1: Calculate total column width

   12 columns x 58px = 696px.

2. Step 2: Calculate total gutter width

   11 gutters x 24px = 264px.

3. Step 3: Total grid width

   696px + 264px = 960px.

4. Step 4: Calculate margins to center

   (1200px - 960px) / 2 = 120px on each side.

5. Final Answer:

   120px margins on each side -> Option B

6. Quick Check:

   12x58 + 11x24 = 960px; (1200-960)/2 = 120px [OK]

Hint: Margin = (Frame width - Grid width) ÷ 2 [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Ignoring gutters in total width
• Using wrong gutter count
• Forgetting to divide margin by 2