Figma feature highlight: Observation Mode | Figma Blog (opens in new tab)
Figma’s Observation Mode lets one person mirror another collaborator’s screen in real time. By clicking a teammate’s avatar, users can follow cursor movements, navigation, text changes, and prototype interactions as they happen. Figma presents it as a useful alternative to traditional screen sharing for critiques, client feedback, and user testing. ## How Observation Mode Works - When multiple people are viewing a Figma file, click a person’s avatar in the upper-right corner. - Your view then follows everything that person sees and does. - The mirrored activity includes: - Moving through the file or prototype - Editing text inside frames - Selecting objects - Expanding design elements - Moving the cursor - Observation Mode is available even to users with view-only access, provided sharing is enabled for the file or project. ## Real-Time Design Critiques and Feedback - Designers can watch clients or teammates explore a design instead of relying only on verbal explanations. - The feature makes remote critiques more interactive by allowing everyone to follow the same part of the file. - Clients can demonstrate their reactions and questions directly within the design. ## User Testing in Figma - Researchers or designers can observe users as they move through a prototype. - Watching interactions live reveals: - Where users hesitate - Which elements cause confusion - Where navigation breaks down - Which interface areas create pain points - This provides more direct evidence than collecting anecdotal feedback after a test. ## Sharing and Privacy Considerations - Anyone with access to a shared file may be able to use Observation Mode, including viewers. - Designers should be comfortable being observed before sharing a design URL. - Teams should consider file-sharing permissions when using the feature for sensitive work. Observation Mode is best used as a lightweight collaboration and research tool: enable sharing, ask participants to explore the file or prototype, and follow their activity live to gather more precise feedback.