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“Add animation” can mean four different jobs: animate a transition between prototype states, place an existing GIF or video in a preview, export a moving file, or build motion that runs interactively on a live website. Choose the destination first. The editor and file format that suit a clickable prototype are not necessarily suitable for a production web animation.
This guide covers the documented workflows in Figma, Adobe Express, Canva and Rive, with practical checks for layer matching, media limits, export settings and developer handoff.
Choose where the animation must play
| Goal | Best-fit workflow | What you deliver |
|---|---|---|
| Demonstrate a click, swipe or state change | Connect prototype frames and use a transition such as Figma Smart Animate | A prototype presentation, not a standalone video |
| Show an existing animated asset in a design | Import a GIF or supported video and place it as media or a fill | A design preview in the editor’s presentation mode |
| Download a moving file | Use the editor’s animation export panel | GIF, MP4, WebM, SVG or another supported file |
| Run interactive motion on a website | Use a web animation runtime such as Rive and coordinate implementation | Runtime content integrated into the site |
Prototype transitions represent UI state changes. Imported media is playback inside a mockup. An export is a rendered asset. A website runtime must respond to real input, layout and application state. Treating these as interchangeable is the most common source of disappointing results.
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Figma Smart Animate interpolates differences between matching layers in connected prototype frames. It is useful for toggles, expanding panels, loading sequences, parallax, gestures and pull-to-refresh demonstrations. The transition exists in the prototype; it does not turn the design into a downloadable animated GIF.
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- Open the file and select the source frame, group or layer.
- Open the Prototype tab in the right sidebar.
- Drag the connection node to the destination frame.
- In the interaction settings, choose the trigger (for example, click, drag or after delay) and action.
- In Animation, select Smart animate.
- Set easing and duration, then connect additional state frames as needed.
- Open the prototype in Presentation View and test the interaction.
Smart Animate relies on matching layers. Keep the same layer names and hierarchy in both frames, and change properties such as position, opacity, size, rotation or fill rather than replacing the layer. If a layer is renamed, moved to a different structural context or created only in one frame, Figma may fade, pop or move it unexpectedly instead of interpolating it. Inspect the actual presentation preview rather than judging the static canvas.
For a long sequence, make each state an intentional frame and keep durations consistent. Use a short delay only when it communicates a real loading or timed event; otherwise an explicit user trigger is easier to test and explain.
Reference: Figma Smart Animate documentation.
Place an existing GIF or video in a prototype
Animated GIFs
Import or drag a GIF into the design and use it as a fill. Figma plays the GIF in Presentation View, while the editor canvas displays a static representation. This route is for demonstrating playback inside a prototype; Figma’s documented GIF workflow cannot export that media as an animated GIF.
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Use a short, optimized GIF for a preview, and provide a still fallback when the motion is only decorative. Verify playback in Presentation View because the editor’s canvas is not a reliable animation preview.
Reference: Figma animated GIF guidance.
Video fills
Figma documents MP4/MOV using H.264 and WebM using VP8, with files up to 300 MB. Upload is documented for paid Education, Professional, Organization and Enterprise team files, and video is not currently supported in Figma’s mobile app. These eligibility and format rules can change, so check the current video guidance when a file is rejected.
- Compress the source before uploading; a 300 MB ceiling is a hard operational limit, not a quality target.
- Use a poster frame or static substitute for mobile review and handoff.
- Test start, pause and looping behavior in Presentation View on the devices your team actually uses.
Export an authored animation from Figma Motion
Figma’s Motion export feature is marked open beta in its current help page. It exports MP4, WebM, GIF or SVG from an authored animation.
- Select a top-level frame that contains the animated layers.
- In the Export panel, switch the export type to Animated.
- Choose MP4, WebM, GIF or SVG.
- Set dimensions and frame rate.
- For MP4 or WebM, adjust quality. For GIF, set looping where available.
- Export and download the file, then inspect it in the target player or browser.
The documentation states that output above 1920 × 1080 or above 30 FPS is available only on paid plans. Because Motion is beta, confirm the current plan behavior and controls before committing to a production pipeline: beta limits and labels may change.
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- MP4: broadly supported and usually smaller than GIF for photographic or long motion, but it has no transparency.
- WebM: useful where your web delivery stack supports it; test the browsers and fallback you require.
- GIF: convenient for simple loops, but it has no audio and can be large at high dimensions or frame rates.
- SVG: appropriate only when the animation and consuming tool support animated SVG safely; validate the exported file in the actual integration.
Do not assume that an imported GIF in a prototype can be re-exported through this panel. Imported media playback and Motion’s authored-animation export are separate workflows.
Reference: Figma Motion export documentation.
Other browser-based editor routes
Adobe Express: short GIF output
Adobe Express documents GIF export for animations up to 60 seconds. The GIF output does not support audio or transparency. Use it when the destination specifically needs a short looping GIF and a non-transparent, silent result is acceptable. For sound, alpha transparency or longer footage, choose a different export format or tool.
Reference: Adobe Express GIF export guide (shown as last updated November 20, 2025).
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Canva: use a Lottie animation in a design
Canva documents adding animations from its Lottie gallery, making light edits, and downloading the design as a GIF or MP4. This is a supplied-animation workflow: select a gallery asset, place it in the composition, adjust it to fit, then choose the output that matches the destination.
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Rive: interactive website graphics
When motion must respond to application state, pointer input or other runtime events, use a tool and runtime designed for that job. Rive describes an editor-to-web workflow in which an animation is prepared in the editor and integrated into a website runtime. Confirm the integration method, state-machine behavior and handoff responsibilities with the developer who owns the site.
Reference: Rive website workflow.
Prepare files for reliable playback and export
- Define the target first: prototype presentation, inline media, downloadable file or website runtime.
- Set a deliberate canvas: export at the dimensions the consuming page or player needs. Oversized GIFs create unnecessary bandwidth and memory use.
- Control frame rate: use the lowest rate that preserves the intended motion; higher rates increase file size and may hit plan limits.
- Design a fallback: provide a poster image or still frame when autoplay, mobile support or reduced-motion preferences prevent playback.
- Test the real path: check Presentation View for prototypes and the final browser, CMS or app for exported assets.
- Document ownership: state whether the designer supplies a file, a prototype link or runtime-ready assets, and who implements interactions.
Troubleshooting common failures
Smart Animate jumps, fades or animates the wrong object
Check that corresponding layers have consistent names and nesting in both frames. Reconnect the interaction after restructuring, then preview in Presentation View. A static canvas cannot reveal every matching-layer issue.
The GIF looks frozen
That is expected on Figma’s editor canvas. Open Presentation View. If it is still frozen there, re-import a valid animated file and verify the source plays in a standalone viewer.
Figma will not accept a video
Check the documented container and codec (MP4/MOV with H.264 or WebM with VP8), file size (up to 300 MB), team-file eligibility and whether you are using the mobile app. Convert or compress the file, or use a still preview for mobile review.
The export option or resolution is unavailable
Confirm that you selected a top-level frame and switched the Export panel to Animated. For Motion, verify the current beta UI and plan: the documented threshold above 1920 × 1080 or 30 FPS requires a paid plan.
The result is too large for the website
Reduce dimensions, duration or frame rate; use MP4/WebM instead of GIF where the destination permits; and provide a poster image. Re-test loading on the slowest connection you support.
Runtime motion does not match the prototype
A prototype transition is not automatically production code. Supply the developer with the state definitions, trigger rules, timing and fallback behavior, then implement and test the runtime separately.
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FAQ
Can Smart Animate create a downloadable video?
Smart Animate is a connected-frame prototype transition. Use Figma Motion or another export workflow when you need a file.
Which format should I use for a website?
Decide from browser support, transparency, sound, file size and whether the motion must react to application state. A runtime such as Rive is the relevant route for interactive graphics; a rendered MP4, WebM or GIF is appropriate for playback-only content.
Can I export an animated GIF that I imported into Figma?
Figma’s GIF-in-prototype workflow plays the file in Presentation View but does not export an animated GIF through that workflow.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Smart Animate create a downloadable video?
Smart Animate is a connected-frame prototype transition. Use Figma Motion or another export workflow when you need a file.
Which format should I use for a website?
Decide from browser support, transparency, sound, file size and whether the motion must react to application state. A runtime such as Rive is the relevant route for interactive graphics; a rendered MP4, WebM or GIF is appropriate for playback-only content.
Can I export an animated GIF that I imported into Figma?
Figma’s GIF-in-prototype workflow plays the file in Presentation View but does not export an animated GIF through that workflow.
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