How to Add Padding in Figma

Updated on:

May 12, 2026

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Use this interactive demo to learn how to set padding on any frame in Figma using Auto Layout.

Quick summary

Adding padding in Figma requires enabling Auto Layout on a frame and then configuring horizontal, vertical, or individual padding values in the Design panel. This step-by-step walkthrough shows exactly where to find the padding controls and how to set precise spacing inside any Figma frame.

Steps

Select the frame in your Figma design canvas where you want to add padding.
Open the right-side panel and locate the Layout section under the Design tab.
Click the Use Auto Layout icon to enable Auto Layout on the selected frame.
Find the Padding option and configure your preferred horizontal and vertical padding values, or enable Individual Padding for more precise control over each side.
Once configured, the padding is applied to the selected frame and your layout updates immediately.

📌 Why this matters

Padding is a foundational layout property in Figma that controls the internal spacing between a frame's edges and its child elements, directly affecting the visual quality and consistency of UI designs. Figma's Auto Layout feature makes padding fully dynamic, meaning spacing adjusts automatically as content changes — a critical advantage for designers building scalable component libraries or responsive interfaces. Understanding how to set horizontal, vertical, and individual padding values in the Design panel helps teams maintain pixel-perfect spacing without manual adjustments. Mastering this workflow accelerates design handoff and ensures developers receive accurate spacing specifications.

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