Connection creation (click, hover) in Figma - Step-by-Step Guide

Introduction

This feature lets you link one frame or object to another in Figma. It helps you show how users move through your design by creating interactive connections using clicks or hover actions.

When you want to show what happens when a user clicks a button in your app design

When you need to create a hover effect to display extra information on a card

When building a clickable prototype to demonstrate navigation between screens

When you want to test user flow by linking pages with interactive hotspots

When presenting your design to stakeholders and need to simulate real app behavior

Steps

Step 1: Select the object or frame you want to make interactive

- Canvas area

The selected object or frame is highlighted with a blue outline

Step 2: Click the Prototype tab in the right sidebar

- Right sidebar

Prototype options appear below the Design tab

Step 3: Drag the circular node from the selected object to the target frame or object

- Circular node on the right edge of the selected object

A blue arrow appears showing the connection from the source to the target

Step 4: Click the connection arrow to open interaction details

- Connection arrow on the canvas

Interaction panel opens showing trigger and action settings

Step 5: Select 'On Click' or 'While Hovering' as the trigger

- Interaction panel under Trigger dropdown

The trigger type updates to either click or hover for the connection

Step 6: Choose the action such as 'Navigate To' and select the destination frame

- Interaction panel under Action dropdown

The connection is set to navigate to the chosen frame on the selected trigger

Step 7: Click the Present button at the top-right to test the interaction

- Top-right corner of Figma window

Prototype opens in presentation mode where you can click or hover to see the connection work

Before vs After

Before

No connections exist; clicking or hovering on objects does nothing

After

Clicking or hovering on objects triggers navigation or overlays as set by connections

Settings Reference

Trigger

📍 Prototype tab > Interaction panel

Defines what user action starts the interaction

Default: On Click

Action

📍 Prototype tab > Interaction panel

Defines what happens after the trigger

Default: Navigate To

Animation

📍 Prototype tab > Interaction panel

Controls how the transition between frames looks

Default: Instant

Common Mistakes

Dragging the connection node to empty canvas space instead of a frame

The connection will not link to any frame and won't work in prototype

Always drag the node to a valid target frame or object to create a working link

Setting trigger to 'While Hovering' but testing on a mobile device

Hover does not work on touch devices, so interaction won't trigger

Use 'On Click' trigger for mobile prototypes to ensure interaction works

Summary

Connection creation links objects or frames to simulate user interactions in prototypes

You can set triggers like click or hover to control how users navigate your design

Always connect to valid targets and choose triggers suitable for your testing device