The Tool Desk
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Before you start: what a Figma wireframe is made of
Three building blocks cover most wireframes. Frames are the screens. Figma describes them as containers for shapes, text, images and other elements, and they can be nested (Layers 101). Rectangles and other simple shapes stand in for images, navigation and controls. Text layers carry headings, labels and button copy. Keep the detail low so the wireframe shows structure and behavior, not visual polish.
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Step-by-step: build the wireframe
1. Start a design file
Sign in to Figma and create a new design file from the file browser. Figma’s tutorial also mentions the figma.new shortcut URL.
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Select the Frame tool or press F. Choose a device preset if you want standard screen dimensions, such as a phone or desktop size, then drag or click to place the frame.
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3. Name the screen
Rename the frame in the layers panel with a purpose-based name like home, search-results or checkout. Figma’s tutorial renames its frames gallery-view and expanded-view. Clear names make prototype connections far easier to follow later.
4. Lay out the content with shapes and text
- Use rectangles for image placeholders, cards, buttons and nav bars.
- Add text layers for page titles, section headings and button labels. Real wording beats filler text when you want to test whether a flow makes sense.
- Stay with one or two neutral tones. Color and typography decisions can wait.
5. Add more screens at a consistent size
When the next screen uses the same dimensions, duplicate the finished frame, rename it and change its content. This keeps every screen the same size without re-selecting presets. Create a separate frame for each distinct screen or state, such as an empty list versus a populated one.
6. Align with layout guides (if needed)
Add a layout guide to a frame to keep elements aligned. Figma documents uniform grids plus column and row guides, and notes that columns and rows suit responsive web and mobile layouts (Create layout guides). Figma renamed “layout grid” to “layout guide” in May 2025, so older tutorials may use the earlier term.
7. Reuse repeated elements as components (optional)
If a button, header or card appears on several screens, select its layers and create a component. Instances can receive updates from the main component, so one edit keeps repeated blocks consistent (Create components to reuse in designs). You can skip this for a first, small wireframe.
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Make the wireframe clickable (optional)
A static set of frames is already a wireframe. Add connections only when you need to show how someone moves between screens.
- Switch to Prototype mode with
Shift+E. - Select an interactive layer, such as a button rectangle, and drag a connection to the destination frame.
- Set the trigger and action. Figma’s example uses On click with Navigate to.
- Preview the flow and click through it to check the path.
A Figma flow starts from a frame and includes the frames connected to it. Flows can be previewed and shared; Figma says the feature is available on all plans and requires edit access to the file (Create and manage prototype flows).
Choosing the right level of effort
| Choice | Simpler option | When to go further |
|---|---|---|
| Static vs. clickable | Labeled frames only | You need to demonstrate a path through screens |
| Fixed vs. responsive | One device-sized frame per screen | The design must adapt across web and mobile; use column and row guides |
| One-off vs. reusable | Copy and paste shapes | Elements repeat and must stay consistent; use components |
A note on interface changes
Shortcuts and labels can change. Figma’s Figma Design for beginners course, published in May 2025, warns that interface details in its videos may differ from the current editor, though core functionality remains. If a shortcut doesn’t work, check the menu in your editor.
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