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Design · Tip

Animating Mesh Gradients in Figma

Create and animate soft mesh gradients natively in Figma prototypes

From the Xiry library · Updated 3 October 2026

This technique combines custom vector shapes, a low-opacity background blur overlay, and Smart Animate to produce fluid mesh gradients in Figma. It allows designers to build dynamic iOS-style gradient animations directly within prototypes without needing external plugins or video embeds. Shifting and rotating the shapes across connected frames creates a seamless looping transition.

How it works

  1. Draw several overlapping organic vector shapes using the Pen tool ('P'), fill each with a distinct color, and remove the strokes.
  2. Place them into a mobile frame.
  3. Draw a rectangle ('R') covering the frame. Set its fill to White (#FFFFFF) at 2% opacity.
  4. Add an Effect: select 'Background blur' and set the blur amount to around 160. Slide this rectangle over your shapes to turn them into a smooth mesh gradient.
  5. Add your interface elements (text, buttons) on top.
  6. Duplicate the artboard/frame several times (e.g., 3-4 frames).
  7. In each subsequent frame, select the underlying vector shapes and rotate/reposition them.
  8. Switch to Prototype mode. Connect Frame 1 to Frame 2, 2 to 3, 3 to 4, and loop back if desired.
  9. Interaction settings: Trigger = 'After delay' (1ms), Animation = 'Smart animate', Easing = 'Ease out' (~1000ms).

What it's for

  • Design animated background screens for mobile and web prototypes
  • Create dynamic iOS-style mesh gradient effects without external plugins
  • Prototype looping ambient visual effects directly in Figma

Key points

  • Draw overlapping organic shapes with distinct solid colors using the Pen tool
  • Place a full-frame rectangle with 2% white fill and Background Blur set to ~160 over the shapes
  • Duplicate the artboard across 3 to 4 frames
  • Reposition and rotate the underlying vector shapes on each duplicate frame
  • Connect frames sequentially using 'After delay' triggers (1ms)
  • Apply 'Smart animate' with 'Ease out' transitions (~1000ms) to loop the gradient movement

Pricing

Free

Details

Type
Tip
Category
Design
Topic
Prototyping
Open source
No
Platforms
Web, macOS, Windows
For
UI/UX designers and product designers using Figma
Alternative to
Mesh Gradient Figma Plugin, Lottie animations
Tags
figma, smart animate, mesh gradient, prototyping, ui design, animation

Why it was saved

  • @zanderwhitehurst, 14 June 2023: Creates fluid, trendy iOS-style mesh gradient animations directly within Figma prototypes without external plugins or video renders.

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Updated