Creating engaging, interactive designs is at the core of effective UI/UX design. Today, the focus is on how to make a carousel in Figma, an essential skill for showcasing multiple images or pieces of content in a streamlined, dynamic way.
Whether you’re designing a portfolio, an e-commerce site, or an app interface, understanding the intricacies of building a carousel can elevate your prototypes and final designs.
By the end of this article, you’ll master carousel design in Figma, covering everything from using components and auto layout to adding animations for that extra edge.
I’ll guide you through each step, offering tips on interactive elements and responsive layouts.
You’ll dive into :
- Creating dynamic components
- Setting up auto layout
- Integrating animations
- Prototyping interactive carousels
Equip yourself with these tools and techniques, and take your Figma projects to the next level.
How to Make a Carousel in Figma: Quick Workflow
Step 1: Set Up Your Figma File
- Open Figma: Start by logging into your Figma account and creating a new design file.
- Add Images: Import the images you want to display in your carousel. You can do this by clicking on the Figma icon, selecting File, and then choosing Place Image.
Step 2: Create the Carousel Frame
- Add a Frame: Press
F
or click on the Frame icon to create a frame that will house your carousel. You can choose a specific device frame (like an iPhone) or create a custom size. - Adjust Frame Properties: Set the width and height of your frame according to your design needs. For example, you might set the width to 245 pixels and round the corners for a softer look.
Step 3: Insert Carousel Items
- Create Carousel Items: Inside the frame, create individual items for your carousel. Each item can be a rectangle with an image fill. Adjust the size and corner radius as needed.
- Duplicate Items: To create multiple carousel items, duplicate your initial item and adjust the images accordingly.
Step 4: Organize with Auto Layout
- Use Auto Layout: Select all carousel items and apply Auto Layout to them. This allows for better alignment and spacing between items.
- Adjust Padding: Set padding values in the Auto Layout settings to control the space between each item.
Step 5: Create Progress Indicators
- Add Progress Bars: Create small rectangles below your carousel items to serve as progress indicators. Adjust their sizes and colors as needed.
- Group Progress Bars: Use Auto Layout again for these progress indicators to maintain consistent spacing.
Step 6: Prototype Interactions
- Switch to Prototype Mode: Click on the Prototype tab in the right panel.
- Link Items and Progress Bars: Connect each progress bar to its corresponding image frame using interactions like “On Click” or “On Drag.” Set animations such as Smart Animate for smooth transitions.
Step 7: Test Your Carousel
- Play Your Prototype: Click on the Play button in the top right corner to preview your carousel and ensure that all interactions work as intended.
Tools and Features for Building Carousels in Figma
Overview of Figma’s Carousel Capabilities
Native support for horizontal scrolling
When working on carousel designs, Figma’s native support for horizontal scrolling is a game-changer. It allows for fluid navigation of content across a horizontal plane.
This support is embedded right into the design workflow, making it intuitive to create a seamless user experience.
Integration of interactive components for seamless navigation
Interactive components are another powerful tool within Figma. They allow for dynamic transitions and behaviors, essential for carousels.
When you integrate buttons, arrows, or other interactive elements, they significantly enhance the user’s interaction with the design. These components help in creating a cohesive navigation flow that’s both smooth and user-friendly.
Leveraging Additional Design Tools
Utilizing plugins like Anima for advanced effects
For more intricate effects and animations, plugins like Anima can be incredibly beneficial. Anima offers features that go beyond Figma’s native capabilities, such as complex animation sequences and the ability to create sophisticated interactions.
This plugin integrates seamlessly with Figma, enhancing your toolkit for creating more engaging and visually appealing carousels.
Combining Figma with external tools for code export and prototyping
Combining Figma with external tools opens up further possibilities, particularly for prototyping and code export. Tools like Anima not only allow for live previews of your designs but also enable you to export code.
This feature is particularly useful for integrating carousel designs into development workflows, ensuring that what you design in Figma can be brought to life accurately and efficiently.
Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Carousel

Preparing Your Carousel Design
First things first, selecting and organizing images or content. Choose visuals and text that align with your carousel’s purpose. It’s vital to keep everything organized, whether it’s categorizing by theme or sequence.
Setting up frames and auto layout for a responsive design
Frames and auto layout. In Figma, frames are your friend. Create frames to contain each slide or segment of your carousel. Enable auto layout to ensure that your design adapts seamlessly across various devices. This isn’t just about flexibility, it’s about providing a consistent experience.
Configuring the Interaction in Figma
Using the Prototype tab to set up horizontal scrolling
Head over to the Prototype tab. Here’s where you bring your carousel to life. Configure horizontal scrolling by linking frames horizontally. This setup allows users to swipe or scroll through the content fluidly.
Adding transitions and smart animations for smooth navigation
Add transitions and use smart animations to smooth out the navigation. Select the appropriate easing options to enhance the flow from one frame to the next. This step is critical in making your carousel not just functional, but enjoyable to use.
Enhancing Usability
Incorporating clickable elements like arrows or dots
Next up, clickable elements. Arrows, dots, or even thumbnails. These elements guide users and offer more control over navigation. Make sure they’re intuitive and easy to interact with.
Designing for touch-friendly navigation on mobile devices
Finally, touch-friendly navigation. Mobile devices rule the day, so your carousel must be optimized for touch. Design buttons and interactive elements that are easily tappable. Ensure that swipe gestures work flawlessly, giving users the flexibility to navigate with ease.
Advanced Techniques for Carousel Design
Customizing Interactions
Creating drag-based navigation with smart animate
Drag-based navigation ups the game. Implementing it with smart animate? That’s where magic happens. Smart animate captures the subtle transitions when users drag, creating a fluid experience. This is the trick to make your design feel alive. Just set up the frame connections, and let smart animate handle the finesse.
Implementing infinite loop effects for seamless cycling
Infinite loop effects. It sounds complex, but it’s crucial for a seamless user journey. No start. No end. Just continuous interaction. Link the last frame back to the first. Make sure the transition is flawless using easing options. This keeps users engaged and ensures they never hit a dead end.
Design Best Practices
Ensuring responsiveness across devices
No carousel survives without being responsive. Test it across devices. Mobile, tablet, desktop. Use constraints and frames correctly to adapt your carousel’s layout. Flexibility is key. It needs to work everywhere, maintaining the same level of elegance. Users expect consistency; deliver that.
Avoiding overuse of animations to maintain simplicity
Avoid overloading with animations. While they add flair, too many can overwhelm and slow down the user experience. Stick to essential transitions. Animations should enhance, not distract. Simplicity rules here. Balanced interactions lead to a cleaner, more intuitive design.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Resolving auto layout conflicts in complex interactions
Auto layout conflicts. They crop up when dealing with nested components. Adjust auto layout settings meticulously. Make sure the hierarchy respects each component’s space. Tinker with padding and spacing. It’s all about harmony within your elements.
Addressing challenges with component linking
Component linking issues are the final hurdle. Sometimes, components won’t sync correctly. Ensure each link is accurate. Double-check your prototype connections. Consistency again. This step is critical to a fully functional carousel. Without it, the experience falters.
Testing and Sharing Carousel Designs
Previewing and Testing
Using Figma’s presentation mode to test functionality
Presentation mode in Figma is where the rubber meets the road. Switch to it and get a real sense of your carousel’s flow. Navigate through the frames, check those interactive components, see how the horizontal scrolling behaves. This isn’t just a look-see—it’s essential. Look out for any jerky transitions or misaligned frames.
Collecting feedback for iterative improvements
Feedback is your next big move. Share your prototype with your team or clients. Maybe use Figma’s commenting feature. Collect insights, suggestions, and critique. It’s about refining. Fixing any rough edges, iterating on the design until it’s smooth and flawless.
Exporting and Sharing
Syncing designs with tools like Anima for live previews
Anima stands out when you want those live previews to look as close to the final product as possible. Sync your Figma design with Anima. Watch your carousel come to life. Verify those advanced effects, ensure the clickable elements work perfectly. This step turns your polished prototype into an interactive reality.
Exporting code for integration into development workflows
Moving your design into development means exporting the code. Anima lets you do this effortlessly. Export that crisp, clean code for the dev team. Make sure they have everything needed to bring your Figma carousel design into the final product. This transition is crucial. Your designs must stay true to what’s been visualized.
Finish strong by ensuring both designers and developers are on the same page. Maintain that seamless integration to keep the design intact, from concept through to implementation. This is how you take your carousel from a mere idea to a user-ready feature.
FAQ on How To Make A Carousel In Figma
How do I start designing a carousel in Figma?
Firstly, launch Figma and create a new frame. Set your frame size to the dimensions of your carousel. Begin by adding shapes or images to represent your slides.
Use rectangles, images, or any other components you need, ensuring they align within the frame’s boundaries.
How can I make the carousel interactive?
Use the Prototype tab to add interactivity. Connect each slide to the next using interaction triggers like “On Click” or “Drag”.
Set the action you want, such as “Navigate to,” and select the frame you’re navigating to. This makes the carousel respond to user actions.
How do I add animations to my carousel?
In the Prototype mode, add animations by selecting the interaction flow. Use Smart Animate to create smooth transitions between frames.
Play around with easing options, duration, and other animation settings to make your carousel pop. This brings life to your design.
How can I use auto layout in my carousel?
Select your slides, then click on Auto Layout in the right-hand sidebar. Adjust padding, alignment, and distribution as needed.
Auto layout helps to keep elements aligned and responsive, making it easier to adjust your design as you move forward with your project.
What are some best practices for designing a carousel in Figma?
Keep your slides concise and visually appealing. Use clear call-to-actions (CTAs) and readable fonts. Leverage components to ensure consistency across slides.
Maintain a cohesive design with a balance between text and visuals. This maximizes user engagement and clarity.
How do I create a swipeable slider?
In the Prototype tab, use the Drag interaction to allow sliding between frames. Set the trigger to “On Drag” and establish the connection to the next slide.
Test the interactions to ensure fluidity. This enables users to swipe left or right to navigate through the carousel.
How do I ensure my carousel is responsive?
Utilize Constraints and Auto Layout to make the carousel adaptable to different screen sizes.
Set constraints for elements within the slides so they resize properly on various devices. This is crucial for maintaining usability on both desktop and mobile interfaces.
How can I incorporate images into my carousel design?
Drag and drop images directly into your slides. Use the Mask feature if necessary to crop them to fit your design.
Ensure images are optimized for web use to avoid slow loading times. Visuals should be relevant and high quality to enhance the overall design.
What plugins can help me build a carousel in Figma?
Plugins like Unsplash for free images, Content Reel for placeholder content, and Figmotion for advanced animations can be particularly useful.
They facilitate the design process, make adding content easier, and provide more animation capabilities directly within Figma.
How do I preview my carousel design?
Click on the Present button in the top-right corner. This opens your design in presentation mode, where you can interact with it just like a user would.
Navigate through the carousel to ensure all links, animations, and interactions work as intended. This final check is vital.
Conclusion
Mastering how to make a carousel in Figma equips you with an essential skill for modern web and app design. You’ve learned to create slides, add interactivity, leverage auto layout, and implement animations, enhancing your prototypes.
Key steps include:
- Creating dynamic components: Ensure consistency and ease of modification.
- Using auto layout: Align elements, making your design responsive.
- Adding animations: Make transitions smooth and engaging.
- Incorporating images: Enrich your carousel with high-quality visuals.
- Prototyping interactions: Test the design thoroughly to ensure functionality.
Figma offers powerful tools to build engaging, interactive carousels efficiently. Utilize plugins for images and animations, apply best practices for UI/UX, and ensure responsiveness across devices.
By integrating these techniques, your Figma designs will stand out, providing users with a seamless, visually stunning experience. Practice, iterate, and refine to master the art of carousel design in Figma.