How to Create Overlay in Figma: Step-by-Step Guide

To create an overlay in Figma, select a frame or component, then use the Prototype tab to link a trigger (like a click) to another frame set as an overlay. Adjust overlay settings such as position and animation to control how it appears over your design.

Syntax

In Figma, creating an overlay involves these parts:

• Source Frame: The frame or component where the interaction starts.
• Trigger: The user action that opens the overlay, like a click or hover.
• Destination Frame: The frame that appears as the overlay.
• Overlay Settings: Options to position, animate, and close the overlay.

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1. Select the source frame or component.
2. Go to the Prototype tab.
3. Drag the node (circle) from the source to the destination frame.
4. In the Interaction details, set:
   - Trigger: e.g., On Click
   - Action: Open Overlay
   - Overlay Position: e.g., Center, Manual
   - Animation: e.g., Instant, Move In
5. Preview the prototype to see the overlay in action.

Example

This example shows how to create a simple modal overlay that appears when you click a button.

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1. Create two frames: <code>Button Frame</code> and <code>Modal Frame</code>.
2. Design a button inside the Button Frame.
3. Design the modal content inside the Modal Frame.
4. Select the Button Frame, go to Prototype tab.
5. Drag the interaction node from the button to the Modal Frame.
6. Set Trigger to <code>On Click</code> and Action to <code>Open Overlay</code>.
7. Choose Overlay Position as <code>Center</code> and Animation as <code>Fade In</code>.
8. Preview the prototype and click the button to see the modal overlay appear.

Output

When you click the button in the prototype preview, the modal frame appears centered over the current screen with a fade-in effect.

Common Pitfalls

• Not setting the action to 'Open Overlay': The link might navigate to the frame instead of showing it as an overlay.
• Overlay frame not visible: Make sure the overlay frame is on the same page and not hidden.
• Incorrect overlay position: Using manual position without adjusting coordinates can place the overlay off-screen.
• Forgetting to add a close interaction: Overlays need a way to close, like clicking outside or a close button with Close Overlay action.

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Wrong way:
1. Link frames with <code>Navigate To</code> action instead of <code>Open Overlay</code>.

Right way:
1. Use <code>Open Overlay</code> action in Prototype settings to create overlays.

Quick Reference

Step	Description
Select Source Frame	Choose the frame or component to trigger the overlay
Open Prototype Tab	Switch to Prototype mode in Figma interface
Drag Interaction Node	Connect source to destination frame
Set Trigger	Choose user action like On Click
Set Action	Select Open Overlay
Configure Overlay	Adjust position, animation, and closing behavior
Preview	Test overlay in prototype mode

Key Takeaways

Use the Prototype tab to link frames with the Open Overlay action for overlays.

Set overlay position and animation to control how the overlay appears.

Always add a way to close overlays for better user experience.

Ensure overlay frames are visible and on the same page as the source.

Preview your prototype to test overlay interactions before sharing.