13. Prototype: Tap Tabs to Switch Content Panels

Skills: Create content panels for each tab; Add interaction: On click → Navigate to; Sync tab active state with content shown; Test tab switching flow

Now connect your tabs to different content panels. Tapping a tab switches the visible content and updates the tab's active state.

13. Prototype: Tap Tabs to Switch Content Panels — **Figure:** A tab row with an active tab showing a blue underline indicator. Inactive tabs have reduced opacity and no underline.

Step-by-step

Create a content area frame below the tab row — this will hold your panel content (e.g. Overview content, Details content)
Duplicate the entire screen (tab row + content area) for each tab — keep the layout identical, only change the content
On screen 1, set the first tab to Active and the others to Inactive. Place Overview content in the content area
On screen 2, set the second tab to Active. Place different content in the content area
Switch to Prototype mode
Select the second tab (Inactive) on screen 1, add an interaction: On click → Navigate to screen 2
Repeat: wire each inactive tab on each screen to its corresponding screen
Use Smart Animate transition with 250ms for smooth content changes
Set the first screen as the Start frame and press Present to test

Pro tip

Smart Animate works best when layers have matching names across screens. If your content area frame has the same name on every screen, the transition will animate smoothly.