How to Pan in Figma: Easy Navigation Tips

To pan in Figma, hold the Spacebar and drag your mouse to move around the canvas. Alternatively, use the middle mouse button or touchpad two-finger drag to pan smoothly.

Syntax

In Figma, panning is done using simple controls:

• Spacebar + Drag: Hold the Spacebar key and click-drag with your mouse to pan.
• Middle Mouse Button: Click and hold the middle mouse button (scroll wheel) and move the mouse.
• Touchpad Gesture: Use two fingers to drag on a touchpad to pan.

text

Spacebar + Left Mouse Drag
Middle Mouse Button Drag
Two-Finger Touchpad Drag

Output

Moves the canvas view in the direction you drag.

Example

This example shows how to pan using the Spacebar and mouse drag:

1. Press and hold the Spacebar.

2. Click and hold the left mouse button anywhere on the canvas.

3. Drag the mouse in any direction to move the canvas view.

4. Release the mouse button and then the Spacebar to stop panning.

text

Press and hold Spacebar
Click and hold left mouse button
Drag mouse to pan
Release mouse button
Release Spacebar

Output

Canvas view moves following mouse drag direction.

Common Pitfalls

Common mistakes when panning in Figma include:

• Not holding the Spacebar before dragging, which results in selecting objects instead of panning.
• Using the left mouse button without the Spacebar causes selection, not pan.
• On touchpads, trying to pan with one finger instead of two.

Always ensure you use the correct key or button combination to pan smoothly.

text

Wrong:
Click and drag with left mouse button only (selects objects)

Right:
Hold Spacebar + drag with left mouse button (pans canvas)

Output

Wrong action selects objects; right action moves canvas view.

Quick Reference

Action	How to Pan
Keyboard + Mouse	Hold Spacebar + Drag with left mouse button
Mouse Only	Click and hold middle mouse button + move mouse
Touchpad	Use two fingers to drag on touchpad

Key Takeaways

Hold the Spacebar and drag with the left mouse button to pan the canvas.

Use the middle mouse button or two-finger touchpad drag as alternative panning methods.

Not holding Spacebar while dragging selects objects instead of panning.

Panning helps you navigate large designs smoothly without changing zoom level.