Introduction
Adobe XD is one of the most powerful UI/UX design tools, offering an intuitive interface and robust features for prototyping, wiring, and collaboration. While many designers use Adobe XD for its core functionalities, there are hidden features and shortcuts that can significantly enhance productivity and streamline workflows.
If you’re using Adobe XD but haven’t fully tapped its potential, here are some lesser-known features that can elevate your designs to the next level.
- Content-Aware Layout for Smarter Resizing
Many designers manually adjust elements when resizing components, but Content-Aware Layout can automate spacing and alignment when resizing buttons, cards, or other UI elements.
How It Works:
Select a grouped object (like a button with text).
Enable Padding in the right-hand panel.
XD will automatically adjust the padding when you change the text length, keeping proportions intact.
This feature saves time when working with responsive designs and dynamic content. - Stacks for Automatic Spacing Adjustments
Manually moving UI elements to maintain spacing can be tedious. With Stacks, Adobe XD lets you adjust spacing dynamically when adding or removing components.
How It Works:
Group elements together.
Enable Stacks in the right-hand panel.
Drag elements up or down, and it XD will automatically adjust spacing.
This is particularly useful for menus, card layouts, and frequently changing lists. - Scroll Groups for Interactive Prototypes
If you want to create a realistic scroll effect in prototypes, Scroll Groups allow you to define specific scrollable areas within your design.
How It Works:
Select the element you want to scroll (like a list or image carousel).
Click Scroll Group in the right panel and choose Vertical, Horizontal, or Both.
Now, when previewing the prototype, the content will scroll smoothly.
This is ideal for designing feed-style layouts, image galleries, or chat interfaces. - Lottie Animation Support for Motion Graphics
Adobe XD now supports Lottie files, enabling designers to add high-quality animations without heavy file sizes.
How It Works:
Drag and drop a .json Lottie file into your design.
Adjust playback settings like looping and speed.
This is perfect for animated icons, loading screens, and micro-interactions that improve the user experience. - Voice Prototyping for Hands-Free Navigation
Adobe XD supports voice triggers, allowing designers to create voice-activated interactions in prototypes.
How It Works:
In Prototype mode, select an element and set a Voice Command as the trigger.
Enter the phrase that should activate the response.
Preview your design and test the interaction using voice input.
This is especially useful for designing intelligent assistants, voice-activated apps, and accessibility-focused interfaces.
Conclusion
Adobe XD has hidden features that can enhance productivity, improve prototyping, and create more dynamic user experiences. Mastering these tools will elevate your design workflow, whether you use Stacks to automate spacing, Scroll Groups for better interactivity or Lottie files for seamless animations.
Start exploring these hidden gems and unlocking the full potential of Adobe XD!
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