Auto Layout is one of the most important layout features in Figma for creating flexible, responsive, and scalable user interfaces. It allows designers to automatically arrange, align, space, and resize elements inside a frame based on their content and available space.
Instead of manually positioning every element, Auto Layout allows designers to define rules such as direction, spacing, padding, alignment, resizing, wrapping, and distribution. When the content changes, the layout can automatically adjust without requiring every element to be repositioned manually.
Auto Layout is especially useful for buttons, navigation bars, cards, forms, lists, dashboards, mobile screens, responsive websites, design system components, and reusable UI elements.
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Auto Layout is a Figma layout feature that automatically arranges child layers inside a parent frame according to defined layout rules. These rules can control direction, spacing, padding, alignment, resizing, and wrapping.
For example, suppose a button contains the text "Buy Now". If the text changes to "Buy Now and Continue", a manually designed button may require resizing. With Auto Layout, the button can automatically expand to accommodate the longer text while preserving its defined padding and alignment.
Without Auto Layout
Text Changes
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v
Manual Resize
|
v
Manual Repositioning
With Auto Layout
Text Changes
|
v
Automatic Resize
|
v
Automatic Layout Adjustment
Modern interfaces contain dynamic content. Text lengths change, cards are added, buttons have different labels, lists grow, and screen sizes vary. Auto Layout helps designers build interfaces that can respond to these changes without repeatedly repositioning individual elements.
| Manual Layout | Auto Layout |
|---|---|
| Elements are positioned manually. | Elements follow defined layout rules. |
| Changes require repeated adjustments. | Changes can trigger automatic adjustments. |
| Harder to maintain. | Easier to maintain. |
| Less flexible. | More flexible. |
| Useful for static compositions. | Useful for dynamic UI structures. |
| More manual work. | Less repetitive work. |
Auto Layout is based on a parent-child relationship. The parent frame contains child layers and defines how those layers should be arranged.
Auto Layout Frame
|
+-- Child Layer 1
+-- Child Layer 2
+-- Child Layer 3
+-- Child Layer 4
|
+-- Padding
+-- Gap
+-- Alignment
+-- Resizing
The parent is the Auto Layout frame that contains other layers. The children are the elements placed inside that frame. The parent controls how the children flow and how much space exists between them.
Parent Auto Layout Frame
|
+-- Heading
+-- Description
+-- Button
For example, a login form can use one vertical Auto Layout frame containing a heading, email input, password input, and login button.
Auto Layout works by applying a set of layout rules to a frame and its child layers. Instead of defining the exact position of every object, the designer defines relationships between objects.
Content
|
v
Auto Layout Frame
|
+-- Direction
+-- Padding
+-- Gap
+-- Alignment
+-- Resizing
+-- Wrapping
|
v
Responsive Layout
Auto Layout can be added to a frame or to selected layers. When multiple layers are selected, Figma can create an Auto Layout frame around them.
The commonly used shortcut for adding Auto Layout in Figma is Shift + A.
Select Layer or Layers
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v
Shift + A
|
v
Auto Layout Frame Created
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v
Configure Layout Properties
Using shortcuts can significantly speed up the workflow when creating repeated UI structures.
Figma provides three primary Auto Layout flows: vertical, horizontal, and grid. Each flow is useful for a different type of interface structure.
| Flow | Arrangement | Common Use |
|---|---|---|
| Vertical | Top to bottom | Forms, lists, cards, pages |
| Horizontal | Left to right | Navigation, button groups, toolbars |
| Grid | Rows and columns | Dashboards, galleries, bento layouts |
Vertical Auto Layout arranges child elements along the vertical axis. Elements are placed from top to bottom.
+----------------------+
| Heading |
| |
| Description |
| |
| Email Input |
| |
| Password Input |
| |
| Login Button |
+----------------------+
Vertical Auto Layout is commonly used for forms, cards, mobile screens, settings pages, article sections, lists, and content sections.
Horizontal Auto Layout arranges child elements from left to right. It is useful when multiple elements need to remain in a row.
+--------------------------------------+
| Logo | Home | Products | About | CTA |
+--------------------------------------+
Common examples include navigation bars, button groups, icon-label combinations, toolbars, tags, chips, and horizontal cards.
Grid Auto Layout organizes content into rows and columns. It is useful for structured layouts where elements need to occupy cells in a two-dimensional arrangement.
+----------+----------+----------+
| Card 1 | Card 2 | Card 3 |
+----------+----------+----------+
| Card 4 | Card 5 | Card 6 |
+----------+----------+----------+
Grid Auto Layout can be useful for dashboards, galleries, product collections, bento layouts, and other structured interfaces.
Direction determines how child layers flow inside the Auto Layout frame. The direction should be selected according to the structure of the content.
Vertical
A
|
B
|
C
Horizontal
A -> B -> C
Grid
A | B | C
D | E | F
Padding is the space between the boundary of an Auto Layout frame and its child layers. Padding helps create internal breathing space around content.
+----------------------------+
| Padding |
| +--------------------+ |
| | | |
| | Content | |
| | | |
| +--------------------+ |
| Padding |
+----------------------------+
Padding can be applied uniformly or independently to different sides of an Auto Layout frame.
| Padding Type | Example |
|---|---|
| All Sides | 16px on every side |
| Horizontal | 16px left and right |
| Vertical | 12px top and bottom |
| Individual | Different values for top, right, bottom, and left |
Gap controls the distance between child layers inside an Auto Layout frame. Unlike padding, gap exists between the children rather than between the children and the container boundary.
Heading
|
| 16px Gap
v
Description
|
| 24px Gap
v
Button
| Padding | Gap |
|---|---|
| Space between parent edge and children. | Space between children. |
| Controls inner spacing. | Controls sibling spacing. |
| Surrounds content. | Separates content. |
| Useful for container spacing. | Useful for element spacing. |
Alignment determines where child layers sit inside the Auto Layout frame. Alignment becomes especially important when children have different widths or heights.
| Alignment | Typical Use |
|---|---|
| Start | Left or top aligned content. |
| Center | Centered content and controls. |
| End | Right or bottom aligned content. |
| Stretch | Content that should use available space. |
One of the most powerful aspects of Auto Layout is resizing behavior. Resizing determines how a frame or child layer changes when content or available space changes.
Resizing
|
+-- Hug Contents
|
+-- Fill Container
|
+-- Fixed
|
+-- Minimum Dimension
|
+-- Maximum Dimension
Hug Contents allows an Auto Layout frame to resize according to the size of its contents. This is particularly useful for buttons, tags, badges, chips, and dynamic components.
Short Text
|
v
+-------------+
| Save |
+-------------+
Long Text
|
v
+------------------------+
| Save and Continue |
+------------------------+
When the content becomes wider, the container can grow to accommodate it while maintaining its defined padding.
Fill Container allows a child layer inside an Auto Layout frame to occupy the available space provided by its parent.
+------------------------------+
| |
| +--------------------------+ |
| | Fill Container | |
| +--------------------------+ |
| |
+------------------------------+
This is especially useful for full-width inputs, cards, content sections, and responsive elements.
Fixed sizing keeps the width or height of an element at a defined value. Fixed dimensions can be useful when a stable size is required.
Minimum dimensions define the smallest size an Auto Layout frame or child layer is allowed to reach. They can prevent components from becoming too small when content or available space changes.
Minimum Width
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v
Responsive Width
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v
Content Changes
Maximum dimensions define the largest size an element is allowed to reach. They are useful for controlling overly wide content and maintaining visual balance.
Content Expands
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v
Responsive Growth
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v
Maximum Width
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v
Growth Stops
Different resizing behaviors can be combined to create flexible components. For example, a notification component may have a controlled width while its height hugs its content.
| Width | Height | Possible Use |
|---|---|---|
| Hug | Hug | Buttons and tags. |
| Fill | Hug | Responsive cards and inputs. |
| Fixed | Hug | Notifications and controlled containers. |
| Fill | Fill | Flexible content areas. |
Text is one of the main reasons to use Auto Layout. Text content can change length, wrap onto additional lines, or require more horizontal space.
Short Heading
|
v
Normal Height
Long Heading
|
v
Multiple Lines
|
v
Container Adjusts
Designers should test Auto Layout components using realistic text rather than only short placeholder content.
Buttons are one of the easiest and most useful examples of Auto Layout. A button can contain a text label and optionally an icon.
Button
|
+-- Icon
|
+-- Label
|
+-- Padding
|
+-- Gap
With Hug Contents enabled, the button can automatically expand when the label becomes longer.
+----------------------+
| Submit |
+----------------------+
Label Changes
+------------------------------+
| Submit Application |
+------------------------------+
Icons can be combined with text using horizontal Auto Layout. This keeps the icon and label aligned while maintaining consistent spacing.
+----------------------------+
| [Icon] Download |
+----------------------------+
When the text changes, the spacing between the icon and label can remain consistent.
Cards often contain multiple layers such as images, headings, descriptions, metadata, prices, and buttons. Nested Auto Layout can be used to organize each area.
Card
|
+-- Image
|
+-- Content
| |
| +-- Title
| +-- Description
| +-- Metadata
|
+-- Action
|
+-- Button
Nested Auto Layout means placing one Auto Layout frame inside another. This is essential for building complex interfaces where different sections need different directions and spacing.
Page
|
+-- Vertical Auto Layout
|
+-- Header
| |
| +-- Horizontal Auto Layout
| +-- Logo
| +-- Navigation
|
+-- Content
| |
| +-- Card
| +-- Image
| +-- Text
| +-- Button
|
+-- Footer
Navigation bars commonly use horizontal Auto Layout for navigation items and nested Auto Layout for individual controls.
Navigation
|
+-- Logo
|
+-- Menu
| |
| +-- Home
| +-- Products
| +-- Services
| +-- Contact
|
+-- Login Button
Forms are excellent candidates for vertical Auto Layout because fields usually follow a top-to-bottom structure.
Login Form
|
+-- Heading
|
+-- Email Field
|
+-- Password Field
|
+-- Remember Me
|
+-- Login Button
|
+-- Forgot Password
Nested Auto Layout can be used inside each input field to manage labels, icons, input text, and helper messages.
Lists can use vertical Auto Layout so that new items can be added without manually repositioning existing items.
List
|
+-- Item 1
+-- Item 2
+-- Item 3
+-- Item 4
|
New Item Added
|
+-- Item 5
|
All Items Reflow Automatically
Grid Auto Layout can be used for collections of cards where content needs to be organized into rows and columns.
+----------+----------+----------+
| Product | Product | Product |
| Card 1 | Card 2 | Card 3 |
+----------+----------+----------+
| Product | Product | Product |
| Card 4 | Card 5 | Card 6 |
+----------+----------+----------+
Wrapping allows items in horizontal or vertical Auto Layout flows to move into another row or column when available space becomes insufficient.
Wide Layout
+--------------------------------+
| Tag 1 | Tag 2 | Tag 3 | Tag 4 |
+--------------------------------+
Narrow Layout
+------------------------+
| Tag 1 | Tag 2 |
| Tag 3 | Tag 4 |
+------------------------+
Wrapping is useful for tags, chips, filters, categories, and responsive collections.
Auto spacing can distribute available space between elements rather than using only one fixed gap value. This can be useful for navigation and layouts where elements need to spread across a container.
+--------------------------------------+
| Logo Menu CTA|
+--------------------------------------+
Designers should use automatic distribution carefully because the visual result depends on the available space.
Auto Layout makes it easier to reorder child layers while maintaining the defined layout flow. For example, moving a list item from position three to position one can automatically update the rest of the list.
Before
A
B
C
After Reorder
C
A
B
When elements are added or removed from an Auto Layout frame, the remaining elements can automatically reposition according to the layout rules.
Before
A
B
C
Remove B
After
A
C
This behavior is particularly useful for lists, navigation menus, filters, cards, and dynamic components.
Auto Layout and Components work together to create reusable UI elements. A component can use Auto Layout so its structure remains flexible when its content changes.
Component
|
+-- Auto Layout
|
+-- Icon
+-- Label
+-- Action
Buttons, inputs, cards, tabs, badges, alerts, navigation items, and menus can all benefit from this approach.
Variants can represent different sizes, states, or types of a component while Auto Layout maintains the underlying layout structure.
| Variant Property | Examples |
|---|---|
| Size | Small, Medium, Large |
| State | Default, Hover, Disabled |
| Type | Primary, Secondary, Tertiary |
| Icon | With Icon, Without Icon |
Responsive design means that an interface can adapt to different screen sizes and content conditions. Auto Layout provides a strong foundation for creating these flexible structures.
Desktop
|
v
Tablet
|
v
Mobile
|
v
Responsive Auto Layout
|
+-- Resize
+-- Reflow
+-- Wrap
+-- Align
Auto Layout and constraints solve different layout problems. Auto Layout controls how content flows within an Auto Layout frame, while constraints can control how an Auto Layout frame itself behaves within a regular parent frame. Child layers that participate in Auto Layout generally follow the Auto Layout flow rather than normal constraint positioning.
| Auto Layout | Constraints |
|---|---|
| Controls content flow. | Controls positioning relative to a parent. |
| Controls spacing and padding. | Controls anchored behavior. |
| Useful for dynamic content. | Useful for parent resizing behavior. |
| Works inside Auto Layout structures. | Useful with regular frames and supported objects. |
Sometimes an element needs to remain inside an Auto Layout frame but should not participate in the normal layout flow. Figma provides an option to make an object ignore Auto Layout.
Auto Layout Frame
|
+-- Normal Content
+-- Normal Content
|
+-- Floating Element
|
+-- Ignore Auto Layout
This approach can be useful for floating icons, badges, close buttons, overlays, and decorative elements that need independent positioning.
Floating elements can be placed inside an Auto Layout container while being excluded from the normal flow. This allows the main content to continue using Auto Layout while the floating element can be positioned independently.
+--------------------------+
| X |
| |
| Main Content |
| |
| |
+--------------------------+
Auto Layout is a key part of scalable design systems. When components use consistent padding, gap, alignment, and resizing rules, designers can create reusable patterns that remain consistent across multiple screens.
Design System
|
+-- Buttons
| +-- Auto Layout
|
+-- Inputs
| +-- Auto Layout
|
+-- Cards
| +-- Auto Layout
|
+-- Navigation
| +-- Auto Layout
|
+-- Alerts
+-- Auto Layout
A consistent spacing system makes Auto Layout structures easier to maintain. A common spacing scale may use values such as 4px, 8px, 12px, 16px, 24px, 32px, and 48px depending on the design system.
| Token | Example Value | Possible Use |
|---|---|---|
| XS | 4px | Small icon gaps. |
| SM | 8px | Label and icon spacing. |
| MD | 16px | Standard content gap. |
| LG | 24px | Section spacing. |
| XL | 32px | Large content separation. |
| 2XL | 48px | Major section spacing. |
Variables can be used alongside Auto Layout to create more scalable design systems. Designers can use reusable values for supported properties such as spacing, dimensions, colors, and other design tokens.
Design Tokens
|
+-- Spacing
| +-- Small
| +-- Medium
| +-- Large
|
+-- Radius
|
+-- Colors
|
+-- Typography
Mobile applications contain many dynamic structures such as lists, cards, forms, navigation bars, and notifications. Auto Layout helps these structures adapt to different content lengths.
Mobile Screen
|
+-- Header
|
+-- Search
|
+-- Categories
|
+-- Product List
| +-- Card
| +-- Card
| +-- Card
|
+-- Bottom Navigation
Dashboards often contain multiple cards, charts, filters, tables, and navigation structures. Nested Auto Layout can help organize these elements into scalable sections.
Dashboard
|
+-- Sidebar
|
+-- Main Content
|
+-- Header
|
+-- Metrics
| +-- Card
| +-- Card
| +-- Card
|
+-- Charts
|
+-- Table
E-commerce interfaces contain product cards, filters, search areas, category navigation, pricing information, and action buttons. Auto Layout can help keep these structures consistent as content changes.
E-Commerce Page
|
+-- Header
|
+-- Search
|
+-- Filters
|
+-- Product Grid
|
+-- Product Card
+-- Product Card
+-- Product Card
+-- Product Card
Cards often contain different amounts of text. Auto Layout helps maintain spacing while allowing the card content to grow or shrink according to its content.
Card 1
+----------------+
| Short Title |
| Short Text |
| Button |
+----------------+
Card 2
+----------------+
| Longer Title |
| Longer Text |
| More Content |
| Button |
+----------------+
Notifications are useful examples of dynamic content. The message can become longer or shorter, so the notification container should be able to adjust its height.
+--------------------------------+
| Success |
| Your profile has been updated. |
| Close |
+--------------------------------+
A combination such as controlled width with Hug Contents height can be useful for this type of component.
Badges and tags often have variable text. Hug Contents allows the container to expand according to the label.
New
+-------+
| New |
+-------+
Limited Offer
+----------------+
| Limited Offer |
+----------------+
Text wrapping should be tested carefully because longer text can change the height of a component. A properly structured Auto Layout hierarchy can allow surrounding elements to move automatically.
Short Description
|
v
Small Card Height
Long Description
|
v
More Text Lines
|
v
Card Height Expands
|
v
Button Moves Down
Testing only short placeholder content can hide layout problems. Designers should test components with realistic and extreme content lengths.
A responsive button should maintain consistent padding while allowing its width to change according to its label.
Button A
+----------------+
| Submit |
+----------------+
Button B
+----------------------------+
| Create New Account |
+----------------------------+
Responsive cards should allow content to resize without breaking the structure. A card may contain nested Auto Layout frames for the image, content, metadata, and actions.
Responsive Card
|
+-- Image
|
+-- Content
| +-- Title
| +-- Description
| +-- Metadata
|
+-- Actions
+-- Button
A login screen can use vertical Auto Layout for the main form and nested Auto Layout for individual fields and action groups.
Login Screen
|
+-- Logo
|
+-- Heading
|
+-- Email Field
|
+-- Password Field
|
+-- Remember Me
|
+-- Login Button
|
+-- Forgot Password
A landing page can use multiple nested Auto Layout frames to structure the header, hero section, feature cards, testimonials, call-to-action sections, and footer.
Landing Page
|
+-- Header
|
+-- Hero
| +-- Heading
| +-- Description
| +-- CTA
|
+-- Features
| +-- Card
| +-- Card
| +-- Card
|
+-- Testimonials
|
+-- CTA
|
+-- Footer
Auto Layout can support prototype designs by making frames and components behave more naturally when content or states change. Designers should test transitions, resizing, and scrolling behavior carefully when using content-driven Auto Layout frames.
Well-structured Auto Layout designs can make developer handoff easier because the layout communicates relationships such as padding, spacing, alignment, and responsive behavior.
Designers who work with developers can understand Auto Layout more easily by comparing it conceptually with CSS Flexbox. Horizontal Auto Layout is similar to arranging items in a row, while vertical Auto Layout is similar to arranging items in a column. This comparison is only a mental model; Figma Auto Layout and CSS Flexbox are not identical systems.
| Figma Auto Layout | CSS Flexbox Concept |
|---|---|
| Horizontal flow | Row direction |
| Vertical flow | Column direction |
| Gap | Gap between flex items |
| Alignment | Alignment properties |
| Fill Container | Flexible available space |
| Wrap | Flex wrapping |
Figma also provides tools that can help identify opportunities for Auto Layout in existing designs. Suggest Auto Layout can be useful when working with moderately complex designs where several layers could be organized into nested Auto Layout structures.
However, suggested structures should always be reviewed manually. Designers should verify direction, padding, gap, sizing, alignment, and hierarchy rather than accepting an automatically generated structure without checking it.
| Feature | Main Purpose |
|---|---|
| Auto Layout | Controls content flow, spacing, padding, alignment, and resizing. |
| Constraints | Controls how supported elements respond to parent resizing. |
| Components | Creates reusable interface elements. |
| Variants | Manages different component states and configurations. |
| Variables | Stores reusable design values and tokens. |
Understand Content
|
v
Create Parent Frame
|
v
Choose Auto Layout Flow
|
v
Add Child Layers
|
v
Set Padding
|
v
Set Gap
|
v
Set Alignment
|
v
Configure Resizing
|
v
Nest Auto Layout Where Needed
|
v
Create Component
|
v
Test Different Content
|
v
Test Responsive Behavior
|
v
Review and Refine
Create a reusable button using Auto Layout.
Button
|
+-- Icon
+-- Label
|
+-- Horizontal Padding
+-- Vertical Padding
+-- Gap
|
+-- Hug Contents
Test the button with labels such as "Save", "Submit", "Continue", and "Create New Account". The button should adapt without manually resizing the container.
Create a profile card using nested Auto Layout.
Profile Card
|
+-- Avatar
|
+-- Content
| +-- Name
| +-- Job Title
| +-- Description
|
+-- Action
+-- Follow Button
Use vertical Auto Layout for the card and horizontal Auto Layout for the action area.
Create a responsive login form using Auto Layout.
Login Form
|
+-- Heading
+-- Description
|
+-- Email Field
+-- Password Field
|
+-- Remember Me
|
+-- Login Button
|
+-- Forgot Password
Use vertical Auto Layout for the form and nested Auto Layout for each field.
Create an e-commerce product card using nested Auto Layout.
Product Card
|
+-- Product Image
|
+-- Product Details
| +-- Product Name
| +-- Rating
| +-- Price
|
+-- Actions
+-- Add to Cart
Test the card using short and long product names.
Create a responsive navigation bar using horizontal Auto Layout.
Navigation Bar
|
+-- Logo
|
+-- Navigation Links
| +-- Home
| +-- Products
| +-- Services
| +-- About
|
+-- CTA Button
Use consistent gap values and test the layout at different widths.
Create a dashboard containing multiple metric cards.
Dashboard
|
+-- Header
|
+-- Metrics
| +-- Users Card
| +-- Orders Card
| +-- Revenue Card
| +-- Sales Card
|
+-- Charts
|
+-- Table
Use Auto Layout for the dashboard sections and appropriate resizing behavior for the metric cards.
Testing is important because a layout that looks correct with one content length may fail with another. Auto Layout components should be tested under different conditions.
Normal Content
|
v
Long Content
|
v
Short Content
|
v
Add Element
|
v
Remove Element
|
v
Resize Parent
|
v
Test Responsive Behavior
|
v
Fix Layout Issues
Auto Layout can support accessible and usable interfaces by making content more adaptable. Designers should ensure that text remains readable and important controls do not become clipped or overcrowded.
| Screen | Typical Layout Behavior |
|---|---|
| Desktop | More horizontal space and multi-column structures. |
| Tablet | Reduced columns and adjusted spacing. |
| Mobile | Mostly vertical flow and stacked content. |
These are general layout patterns rather than strict rules. Actual behavior should be determined by the content and requirements of the product.
| Property | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Flow | Determines the direction and arrangement of content. |
| Padding | Controls space between container and children. |
| Gap | Controls space between children. |
| Alignment | Controls positioning of children inside the container. |
| Hug Contents | Sizes a container based on its content. |
| Fill Container | Allows a child to use available parent space. |
| Fixed | Keeps a defined dimension. |
| Min Dimension | Prevents an element from becoming smaller than a limit. |
| Max Dimension | Prevents an element from becoming larger than a limit. |
| Wrap | Moves items into additional rows or columns when needed. |
| Ignore Auto Layout | Allows an object to remain in the frame without participating in normal layout flow. |
Auto Layout is a Figma feature that automatically arranges and spaces child layers according to defined layout rules.
The commonly used shortcut for adding Auto Layout is Shift + A.
The main flows are Vertical, Horizontal, and Grid.
Padding is the space between the boundary of an Auto Layout container and its child layers.
Gap is the space between child layers inside an Auto Layout container.
Hug Contents allows an Auto Layout frame to size itself according to the dimensions of its child content.
Fill Container allows a child layer inside an Auto Layout frame to use the available space provided by its parent.
Fixed sizing keeps a layer's width or height at a defined value.
Nested Auto Layout allows different sections of a complex interface to have independent layout directions, spacing, padding, alignment, and resizing behavior.
Auto Layout controls the flow and arrangement of content inside a layout structure, while constraints control how supported elements respond to changes in their parent frame.
Auto Layout allows buttons to expand or shrink according to their labels while maintaining consistent padding and spacing.
Yes. Auto Layout can be applied to component structures to create flexible and reusable UI components.
Grid Auto Layout arranges child objects in a two-dimensional row-and-column structure and is useful for dashboards, galleries, product collections, and bento-style layouts.
Wrap allows items to move into additional rows or columns when there is not enough available space in the current flow.
Ignore Auto Layout allows a child object to remain inside an Auto Layout frame without participating in the normal Auto Layout flow.
| Concept | Key Point |
|---|---|
| Auto Layout | Automatically organizes and resizes content. |
| Flow | Determines how content is arranged. |
| Vertical | Arranges content from top to bottom. |
| Horizontal | Arranges content from left to right. |
| Grid | Arranges content in rows and columns. |
| Padding | Space between container edge and children. |
| Gap | Space between child elements. |
| Alignment | Controls child positioning. |
| Hug Contents | Container adapts to content. |
| Fill Container | Child uses available parent space. |
| Fixed | Maintains a defined dimension. |
| Wrap | Moves items into additional rows or columns. |
| Ignore Auto Layout | Removes an object from the normal Auto Layout flow. |
| Nested Auto Layout | Combines multiple layout structures. |
| Component | Reusable UI structure. |
Introduction to Auto Layout in Figma is an essential foundation for anyone learning professional UI/UX design. Auto Layout allows designers to create structured layouts that automatically respond to changes in content, spacing, dimensions, and available space.
By understanding flows, padding, gap, alignment, Hug Contents, Fill Container, Fixed sizing, wrapping, nested Auto Layout, and responsive behavior, designers can build flexible interfaces instead of relying entirely on manual positioning.
Auto Layout becomes even more powerful when combined with Components, Variants, Variables, Constraints, and a consistent design system. These features help create reusable buttons, forms, cards, navigation bars, dashboards, mobile screens, landing pages, and complete responsive products.
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