Text alignment and vertical alignment in Figma - Real Business Scenario

Scenario Mode

👤 Your Role: You are a business intelligence analyst preparing a sales performance dashboard.

📋 Request: Your manager wants the dashboard text to be clear and easy to read. They ask you to properly align all text labels and numbers both horizontally and vertically in the dashboard components.

📊 Data: You have a dashboard with sales data displayed in tables and charts. The text includes headers, labels, and numeric values that need alignment adjustments.

🎯 Deliverable: A dashboard design in Figma with all text elements aligned horizontally (left, center, right) and vertically (top, middle, bottom) according to best readability practices.

Sample Data

Component	Text Element	Current Alignment
Sales Table	Header: "Region"	Left aligned, top vertical
Sales Table	Data: "North"	Left aligned, top vertical
Sales Table	Data: "1500"	Left aligned, top vertical
Bar Chart	Title: "Monthly Sales"	Center aligned, top vertical
Bar Chart	Axis Labels	Left aligned, bottom vertical
Summary Card	Number: "$25,000"	Center aligned, middle vertical
Summary Card	Label: "Total Revenue"	Center aligned, middle vertical

1

Step 1: Select the Sales Table headers and set horizontal text alignment to center and vertical alignment to middle.

In Figma, select header text layers > Text alignment > Center horizontally > Align vertically middle

Expected Result

Headers like "Region" appear centered horizontally and vertically in their cells.

2

Step 2: Align Sales Table data text: set horizontal alignment to left and vertical alignment to middle for region names and numbers.

Select data text layers > Text alignment > Left horizontally > Align vertically middle

Expected Result

Data such as "North" and "1500" are left aligned horizontally and vertically centered in their cells.

3

Step 3: For the Bar Chart title, keep horizontal center alignment and vertical top alignment for clear visibility.

Select title text layer > Text alignment > Center horizontally > Align vertically top

Expected Result

"Monthly Sales" title is centered horizontally and aligned to the top vertically.

4

Step 4: Set axis labels on the Bar Chart to left horizontal alignment and bottom vertical alignment for easy reading.

Select axis label text layers > Text alignment > Left horizontally > Align vertically bottom

Expected Result

Axis labels are aligned left horizontally and bottom vertically.

5

Step 5: In the Summary Card, center align both the number and label horizontally and vertically for balanced appearance.

Select number and label text layers > Text alignment > Center horizontally > Align vertically middle

Expected Result

Summary card text "$25,000" and "Total Revenue" are centered horizontally and vertically.

Final Result

-----------------------------------
|          Monthly Sales           |
|---------------------------------|
| Region    | Sales               |
|---------------------------------|
| North     | 1500                |
| South     | 1200                |
| East      | 1800                |
| West      | 1100                |
|---------------------------------|
|        Total Revenue             |
|            $25,000              |
-----------------------------------

✓Centering headers improves readability and visual balance.

✓Left aligning data text with vertical centering makes numbers and labels easy to scan.

✓Chart titles are more prominent when centered horizontally and aligned top vertically.

✓Axis labels aligned left and bottom help users quickly understand chart scales.

✓Summary cards look clean and balanced with centered text both horizontally and vertically.

Bonus Challenge

Create a Figma prototype that allows toggling text alignment styles dynamically to see how different alignments affect readability.

Show Hint

Use Figma Variants and interactive components to switch between alignment states for text elements.

Practice

1. Which of the following best describes text alignment in Figma?

easy

A. It controls the horizontal placement of text within a text box.

B. It controls the vertical placement of text within a text box.

C. It changes the font size of the text.

D. It changes the color of the text.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand text alignment meaning

   Text alignment refers to how text is positioned horizontally inside its container, such as left, center, or right.

2. Step 2: Differentiate from vertical alignment

   Vertical alignment controls vertical placement, not horizontal, so it is not text alignment.

3. Final Answer:

   It controls the horizontal placement of text within a text box. -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Text alignment = horizontal placement [OK]

Hint: Text alignment = horizontal, vertical alignment = vertical [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing vertical alignment with text alignment
• Thinking text alignment changes font size
• Mixing color changes with alignment

2. Which Figma property would you use to center text vertically inside a frame?

easy

A. Text Align: Center

B. Vertical Align: Bottom

C. Text Align: Left

D. Vertical Align: Middle

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify vertical alignment property

   Vertical alignment controls text placement from top to bottom inside a container.

2. Step 2: Choose the middle vertical alignment

   To center text vertically, use Vertical Align set to Middle.

3. Final Answer:

   Vertical Align: Middle -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Vertical center = Vertical Align: Middle [OK]

Hint: Vertical center uses Vertical Align: Middle [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using Text Align instead of Vertical Align
• Choosing Left or Bottom for vertical centering
• Confusing horizontal and vertical alignment

3. Given a text box with width 200px and height 100px, if you set Text Align: Right and Vertical Align: Bottom, where will the text appear?

medium

A. Text will appear centered both horizontally and vertically.

B. Text will appear at the top-left corner.

C. Text will appear at the bottom-right corner.

D. Text will appear at the bottom-left corner.

Solution

1. Step 1: Analyze horizontal alignment

   Text Align: Right places text at the right edge horizontally.

2. Step 2: Analyze vertical alignment

   Vertical Align: Bottom places text at the bottom edge vertically.

3. Final Answer:

   Text will appear at the bottom-right corner. -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Right + Bottom = bottom-right corner [OK]

Hint: Right + Bottom = bottom-right corner placement [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Mixing up left and right alignment
• Confusing top and bottom vertical alignment
• Assuming center alignment by default

4. You set Text Align: Center but the text still appears left aligned. What is the most likely cause?

medium

A. The text box width is too small to show center alignment.

B. The text box is set to auto width, ignoring alignment.

C. The font size is too large.

D. Vertical alignment is set to Top.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand auto width effect

   If the text box width is auto, it shrinks to fit text, so center alignment has no effect.

2. Step 2: Check other options

   Vertical alignment or font size do not affect horizontal centering. Small width limits space but does not force left alignment.

3. Final Answer:

   The text box is set to auto width, ignoring alignment. -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Auto width disables horizontal alignment effects [OK]

Hint: Auto width text boxes ignore horizontal alignment [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Blaming vertical alignment for horizontal issues
• Assuming font size affects alignment
• Ignoring text box sizing settings

5. You want to create a dashboard label that is always centered horizontally and vertically inside a 300x100 px frame, regardless of text length. Which combination of settings is best?

hard

A. Set text box width and height to fixed 300x100, Text Align: Center, Vertical Align: Middle

B. Set text box width to auto, height fixed 100, Text Align: Left, Vertical Align: Top

C. Set text box width fixed 300, height auto, Text Align: Right, Vertical Align: Bottom

D. Set text box width and height to auto, Text Align: Center, Vertical Align: Middle

Solution

1. Step 1: Fix text box size to frame size

   To center text regardless of length, the text box must match the frame size (300x100 fixed).

2. Step 2: Apply center alignments

   Set Text Align to Center for horizontal centering and Vertical Align to Middle for vertical centering.

3. Final Answer:

   Set text box width and height to fixed 300x100, Text Align: Center, Vertical Align: Middle -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Fixed size + center align = perfect centering [OK]

Hint: Fixed size box + center alignments = centered text [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using auto width or height causing misalignment
• Choosing left or right text align for centering
• Ignoring vertical alignment for vertical centering