Create scroll groups in Adobe XD

Scroll groups in Adobe XD lets you define areas within an artboard that scroll independently from the rest of the artboard to create horizontal or vertical scroll effects. Scroll groups are handy when designing UI elements such as image carousel, product sliders, or interactive maps.

Read on to learn how to use horizontal, vertical, and a combination of both horizontal and vertical scroll groups in XD.

Ensure that you are familiar with the design, prototype, and share modes in XD.

Limitation

Scroll groups does not work in design specs. As a workaround, add scroll groups in a separate artboard and publish them as part of the design specs.

Create a horizontal scroll effect

Want to prototype a carousel using horizontal scroll? Watch this animated illustration and follow these steps to learn how to create a horizontal scroll effect.

1. In the Design mode, select the objects that you want to turn into a scrollable group.
   
2. Click the  icon in the Property Inspector. The viewport automatically adjusts its dimensions to provide an instant preview experience. You can also use ⇧⌘H in macOS and Shift + Ctrl +H in Windows to create a horizontal scroll effect.
   
3.  To preview the entire horizontal scroll effect, select   .
   

Create a vertical scroll effect

Want to prototype your carousel using vertical scroll? Watch this animated illustration and follow these steps to learn how to create a vertical scroll effect.

1. In the Design mode, select the objects you want to turn into a scrollable group.
   
2. Select the  icon in the Property Inspector to scroll up and down. The viewport automatically adjusts its dimensions to provide an instant preview experience. You can also use ⇧⌘V in macOS and Shift + Ctrl +V in Windows to create a vertical scroll effect.
   
3. To preview the entire vertical scroll effect, select   .
   

Create a horizontal and a vertical scroll effect

A combination of horizontal scroll and vertical effects is useful when creating objects that allow you to scroll in all directions such as interactive maps. Watch this animated illustration and follow these steps.

1. In the Design mode, select the objects you want to turn into a scrollable group.
   
2. Select the  icon in the Property Inspector. The Viewport automatically adjusts its dimensions to provide an instant preview experience. You can also use ⇧⌘D in macOS and Shift + Ctrl +D in Windows to create a combination of both horizontal and vertical scroll effects.
   
3. To preview the entire horizontal and vertical scroll effect, select   .
   

Learn more

To learn more about horizontal and vertical scroll groups in XD, watch this video.

Viewing time: 6 minutes

Tips and tricks

Now that know how to create horizontal and vertical scroll effects in XD, here are some handy tips and tricks:

• When previewing your prototype on windows and web, use the trackpad, mouse wheel, and click and drag to check both horizontal and vertical scroll effects.
• On macOS preview, use the trackpad, mouse wheel, and click and drag to check both horizontal and vertical scroll effects.
• Combine scroll groups with component states and action types such as Overlay, Auto-Animate, and Scroll To. 
• Use padding to add better offset controls for your scroll groups.
• Use nested scroll groups when creating multiple levels of scrolling in your designs.

What's next?

We've got you started on how to create horizontal and vertical scroll effects. Take a step forward and learn how to create interactive prototypes and share them with designers or stakeholders for feedback.

Have a question or an idea?