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Interactive components: Less wiring, more inspiring | Figma | Figma Blog (opens in new tab)

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Figma’s October 2021 update introduces interactive components as a way to bring reusable interactions and animations directly into the design workflow. By reducing manual prototype wiring and the number of required frames, the feature helps teams create, iterate on, and share more realistic prototypes. Additional improvements make switching between design and prototyping, managing complex canvases, and reusing interactions faster.

Interactive Components

  • Interactive components let designers define interactions and animations between variants in a component set.
  • Component instances become immediately interactive in prototyping mode.
  • A single frame can replace many frames for states such as:
    • Multiple selected checkboxes
    • Open accordion menus
    • Button hover states
  • Teams reported prototype frame reductions of up to 10 times.
  • Designers can edit component states beside where the component is used and duplicate versions to explore alternatives.
  • Interactive components can be distributed through shared libraries, allowing teams to reuse preconfigured interactions with one click.
  • Figma improved performance, load times, stability, observation mode, and auto layout support after the beta period.

Faster Prototyping Workflows

  • The shortcut Shift + E toggles between the Design and Prototype tabs without losing context.
  • Interactions inherited by instances from main components are hidden on the canvas, reducing visual clutter from numerous blue prototype arrows, or “noodles.”
  • Prototype interactions can be copied and pasted into frames, reducing repetitive setup work.

Broader Impact on Design Teams

  • Interactive components narrow the gap between visual design and interactive behavior.
  • Reusable interactions help designers focus on user flows instead of manually wiring repeated states.
  • Shared libraries make it easier for less experienced Figma users to build functional prototypes.
  • The feature also supports more experimental prototypes, including animated objects, music notation, and interactive games or toys.

Figma’s recommendation is to use interactive components and its playground file to make prototyping a more integrated, reusable, and iterative part of the design process.