How to Import from Figma to Framer (A–Z Step-by-Step Guide 2026)

Designing in Figma and building websites in Framer has become one of the most efficient workflows for modern designers, no-code developers, and agencies. Figma is excellent for UI/UX design, collaboration, and prototyping, while Framer is optimized for turning designs into real, fast, SEO-friendly websites.

This guide walks you through the entire process of importing designs from Figma to Framer, starting from preparing your Figma file to publishing a live website. Every step is explained in detail, including best practices, common mistakes, and optimization tips.

Understanding the Figma → Framer Workflow

Before starting, it’s important to understand one key concept:

Figma is for designing. Framer is for building and shipping.

Framer is not just a design mirror of Figma. It converts design elements into real layout structures, responsive stacks, and editable components. This means a clean and well-prepared Figma file directly impacts the quality of your Framer website.

Step 1: Prepare Your Figma File Properly (Foundation Step)

This is the most critical phase. Skipping proper preparation will result in broken layouts and unnecessary rework.

Use Auto Layout Everywhere

Framer relies heavily on Auto Layout concepts, so your Figma design must follow the same logic.

In Figma:

• Select frames, sections, and containers

• Enable Auto Layout

• Use vertical or horizontal stacking

• Define padding and spacing clearly

Avoid:

• Absolute positioning

• Overlapping elements

• Fixed layouts that don’t adapt

Auto Layout ensures your design converts into Framer Stacks, which are essential for responsiveness.

Structure Your Design with Sections

Divide your page into logical sections:

• Header / Navbar

• Hero section

• Features

• Testimonials

• Footer

Each section should be its own top-level frame. This makes it easier for Framer to interpret layouts and for you to manage them later.

Clean Up Layers and Naming

Framer imports layer names directly from Figma.

Best practices:

• Use meaningful names like Hero Title, Primary CTA, Feature Card

• Avoid default names like Frame 12, Rectangle 5

• Group related elements logically

Clean naming improves readability and helps when converting elements into components in Framer.

Convert Reusable Elements into Figma Components

Reusable UI elements should be created as components in Figma:

• Buttons

• Cards

• Navigation items

• Pricing blocks

This makes it easier to:

• Identify reusable parts in Framer

• Convert them into Framer components later

Choose Fonts Carefully

Ensure the fonts you use are supported in Framer.

Recommended:

• Google Fonts (Inter, Poppins, DM Sans, Roboto)

• Avoid locally installed or obscure fonts unless you plan to upload them manually

Using supported fonts prevents text rendering issues after import.

Standardize Colors and Text Styles

Use Figma styles for:

• Colors

• Text styles (H1, H2, Body, Caption)

This ensures consistency and simplifies global design changes in Framer.

Step 2: Create a New Project in Framer

Once your Figma file is ready, move to Framer.

1. Log in to Framer

2. Click New Project

3. Choose Blank Canvas (recommended for full control)

A blank canvas gives you a clean environment to paste your design without restrictions.

Step 3: Copy the Design from Figma

Select the Correct Frame

In Figma:

• Select the entire page frame, not individual elements

• Make sure it’s a top-level frame

Avoid copying partial sections unless you intentionally want only a specific part.

Copy the Frame

Use:

• Cmd + C (Mac)

• Ctrl + C (Windows)

Your design is now ready to be transferred.

Step 4: Paste the Design into Framer

This is where the magic happens.

1. Open your Framer project

2. Select the desired page

3. Paste using:

   • Cmd + V or Ctrl + V

Framer will automatically:

• Convert Auto Layout into Stacks

• Preserve spacing, fonts, and colors

• Create editable text layers

• Import images correctly

At this stage, you’ll see your design visually appear almost identical to Figma.

Step 5: Understand What Framer Imports Well (and What It Doesn’t)

What Works Very Well

• Text content

• Layout structure

• Images

• Buttons

• Colors and typography

• Auto Layout spacing

What Requires Manual Work

• Hover states

• Scroll animations

• Page transitions

• Advanced Figma interactions

• Constraints logic

This is normal. Framer is a website builder, not a prototype viewer.

Step 6: Convert Imported Layouts into Framer Stacks

After import, inspect your layout structure.

Adjust Stack Directions

Framer uses Stacks:

• Vertical Stack → Column

• Horizontal Stack → Row

Check:

• Padding

• Spacing between elements

• Alignment

Make sure everything flows logically, especially for mobile layouts.

Fix Width and Height Settings

Avoid fixed widths where possible.

Best practice:

• Use Fill instead of fixed pixel widths

• Set max-widths for content containers

• Allow elements to scale naturally

This ensures responsiveness across devices.

Step 7: Make the Design Responsive

Responsiveness is where Framer shines—but it requires manual attention.

Switch Between Breakpoints

• Desktop

• Tablet

• Mobile

Adjust:

• Font sizes

• Spacing

• Layout direction

• Visibility of elements

Unlike Figma, Framer builds real responsive behavior, so always test each breakpoint.

Step 8: Convert Sections into Framer Components

Reusable sections should be converted into components.

Examples:

• Navbar

• Footer

• CTA blocks

• Feature cards

How to Create a Component

1. Select the section

2. Right-click → Create Component

3. Reuse it across pages

Components make site-wide updates easy and maintain consistency.

Step 9: Add Interactions and Animations in Framer

Figma animations do not transfer fully.

In Framer, you can add:

• Hover effects

• Scroll-based animations

• Click interactions

• Page transitions

How:

• Select an element

• Open Interactions

• Choose trigger (Hover, Scroll, Click)

• Set animation style

Keep animations subtle for performance and usability.

Step 10: Connect CMS for Dynamic Content (Optional but Recommended)

If your design includes blogs, case studies, or resources, convert static content into CMS-driven pages.

Steps:

1. Create a CMS Collection

2. Define fields (Title, Slug, SEO, Image, Content)

3. Design a CMS template page

4. Bind fields dynamically

CMS allows you to scale content without redesigning pages.

Step 11: Set Up SEO Properly

Framer offers strong built-in SEO tools.

Page-Level SEO

• Open Page Settings → SEO

• Add:

  • Meta title

  • Meta description

  • Social preview image

CMS SEO

• Use dynamic fields for SEO titles and descriptions

• Ensure each CMS item has unique metadata

Also:

• Use only one H1 per page

• Structure headings logically (H2, H3)

Step 12: Optimize Images and Performance

Framer automatically:

• Compresses images

• Serves assets via CDN

• Lazy loads media

Your responsibility:

• Upload optimized source images

• Avoid heavy background videos

• Remove unused elements

Clean designs = faster load times.

Step 13: Set Up Navigation and Links

After import, links need to be added manually.

Fix:

• Navigation menu links

• Button links

• Footer links

Use internal linking wisely to improve SEO and usability.

Step 14: Final Testing Before Publishing

Before publishing, do a full review:

• Desktop, tablet, mobile check

• SEO settings review

• Link testing

• CMS content check

• Animation performance test

Step 15: Publish Your Framer Website

Once everything is ready:

• Click Publish

• Connect your custom domain (optional)

• Your site is live 🎉

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Importing without Auto Layout

• Using fixed widths everywhere

• Ignoring mobile breakpoints

• Overusing animations

• Skipping SEO configuration

Best Practices for Teams & Agencies

• Treat Figma as a design system

• Use Framer for real content and logic

• Maintain reusable components

• Use CMS for scalability

• Regularly test responsiveness

Final Thoughts

Importing designs from Figma to Framer is not just a copy-paste task—it’s a design-to-production workflow. When done correctly, it allows you to move from idea to live website faster than traditional development methods.

With proper preparation, clean layouts, and Framer’s powerful features, you can build production-ready, high-performance websites without writing code.