Connections established between top-level frames not nested elements

Connections between nested elements are supported in Figma so that UI/UX designers can prototype button clicks and other similar interactions.

When creating an animation, user interaction is not supported, so connections should only be established between top-level frames.

🔍 How to identify

Connections to nested elements can be difficult to identify on the canvas, particularly if the element is located near the edge of its top-level parent.

The most reliable way to identify is to:

  1. Open the prototype panel on the right

  2. Select a top-level frame in the layer panel on the left

Any connections that start or end with that frame will be visible on the canvas, and any starting connections will be listed in interactions section of the prototype panel on the right.

Select your top-level frames one by one in the layer panel, starting with the first frame containing your flow starting point. If frames in your flow are missing a starting or ending connection where one is expected, you'll know it's been accidentally established to a nested element.

🔧 How to fix

Delete the connection and re-establish from correct starting to ending top-level frame, then reapply the interaction properties from the interaction dialog box.