Transition animations in Figma - Step-by-Step Guide

Introduction

Transition animations help you smoothly move between different screens or states in your design. They make your dashboards or reports feel more interactive and easier to understand by showing how one view changes into another.

When you want to show a detailed view after clicking a summary chart.

When your report has multiple pages and you want to guide users visually between them.

When you want to highlight changes in data by animating the switch between filters.

When you create a prototype to demonstrate user flow in a dashboard.

When you want to make your presentation more engaging by adding smooth screen changes.

Steps

Step 1: Select the frame or component you want to animate from

- Layers panel

The frame is highlighted and ready for interaction setup

Step 2: Click the Prototype tab in the right sidebar

- Right sidebar

Prototype options appear for the selected frame

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

- Canvas area

A connection arrow appears showing the link between frames

Step 4: In the Interaction details panel, set the Trigger to 'On Click'

- Prototype tab

The interaction will start when the user clicks the frame

Step 5: Set the Action to 'Navigate To' and choose the target frame

- Prototype tab

The prototype will move to the target frame on click

Step 6: Choose a Transition type such as 'Smart Animate' or 'Dissolve'

- Prototype tab under Animation

The transition animation is applied between frames

Step 7: Click the Present button at the top right to preview

- Top right corner

The prototype opens and shows the transition animation when you click

Before vs After

Before

Clicking a button instantly switches from the summary frame to the detail frame with no visual effect

After

Clicking the button smoothly animates the transition with a dissolve effect, making the change clear and pleasant

Settings Reference

Trigger

📍 Prototype tab > Interaction details

Defines what user action starts the transition

Default: On Click

Action

📍 Prototype tab > Interaction details

Specifies what happens after the trigger

Default: Navigate To

Animation

📍 Prototype tab > Interaction details

Controls how the transition looks visually

Default: Instant

Easing

📍 Prototype tab > Interaction details > Animation

Adjusts the speed curve of the animation

Default: Ease In and Out

Duration

📍 Prototype tab > Interaction details > Animation

Sets how long the animation lasts

Default: 0.3s

Common Mistakes

Not connecting frames with the prototype node

Without linking frames, no transition happens and the prototype does not respond to clicks

Always drag the circular node from the source frame to the target frame to create the interaction

Using 'Instant' animation and expecting a smooth effect

'Instant' changes screens immediately with no animation

Choose 'Dissolve' or 'Smart Animate' for visible transition animations

Setting the wrong trigger like 'While Hovering' when you want a click

The transition won't start on click if the trigger is different

Set the trigger to 'On Click' for click-based transitions

Summary

Transition animations make moving between frames smooth and clear in your prototype.

Set up transitions by linking frames in the Prototype tab and choosing animation types.

Remember to pick the right trigger and animation to get the effect you want.