November Update of Adobe Experience Design CC (Beta)

If you’re reading this post, it’s hopefully because you’ve downloaded Adobe XD and are decimating design deliverables with the 50+ features we’ve added since March. But maybe you’ve been waiting for a few more features before switching over to XD.

With the November release, we believe Adobe XD is ready for everyday use on macOS. We want XD to be the single space where you design, prototype, and collaborate – the program you start your day with and hang your hat on every night, putting behind the days of stitching a myriad of apps together to do your work.

Based on your feedback, the November release of Adobe XD includes the following major functionality:

Layers
Symbols
Commenting on Shared Prototypes

Don’t forget to check out XD for iOS and Android, which was introduced in September. Preview your designs and prototypes in real time on iOS and Android devices with the XD companion apps for both platforms.

If you haven’t tried XD yet, or are still figuring out what it is and how it can help you, check out this video.

What’s New?

Layers

Layers are here, and that means it’s easier to navigate between artboards and to work with the elements that are on each artboard. Layers in XD are an adaptation of the Layers functions in Illustrator and Photoshop, re-imagined for the UX design workflow. You can work faster in XD because it’s easy to find only the elements you’re looking for – keeping your view of the XD interface clean and uncluttered.

Open the Layers panel by clicking on the icon in the lower-left corner of the application window, or via shortcut (Cmd+Y). The Layers panel will open on the left, revealing all of the artboards in your document.https://blog.adobe.com/media_97073aadd614953e524c36c814ccee5c6ae45484.gif
Easily navigate to the artboard you need by double-clicking its icon. XD will automatically pan and zoom to that artboard, fitting it into the application window.
The Layers panel contextually displays only the layers for the artboard that you select. Double-clicking on groups allows you to explore and navigate to nested elements.
Reorder, rename, show/hide, export, make symbols and lock/unlock layers quickly and easily.

Watch a short video about Layers:

[playlist type=”video” ids=”32359″]

Symbols

Based on customer feedback, we are pleased to announce that Symbols are now available in XD. Symbols are objects that you can reuse throughout your design and that all change simultaneously when you change one instance.

Open the Symbols library by clicking on the icon in the lower-left corner of the application window or via shortcut (Shift+Cmd+Y).https://blog.adobe.com/media_4ca9c1fdc9bd7b8f2f50664df6227e192f85d894.gif
You can create a Symbol in one of several ways:
- Right-click on an element and select “Make Symbol” from the contextual menu
- Select an element on the canvas and click on the “+” button in the Symbols library
- A keyboard shortcut (Cmd+K)
You can edit a Symbol directly on the canvas by double-clicking on it (without entering an isolation mode). Any changes you make to the Symbol are instantly propagated to all other instances, across all artboards.
Use the Symbol library to view all Symbols in your document.
Create a new instance of a Symbol by dragging it from the library onto the canvas.

https://blog.adobe.com/media_acbe6e5b96a872f5ab95044497d9bf654dca1960.gif

Commenting on Shared Prototypes

Up until now, you’ve been able to create and share prototypes with stakeholders and other designers, but in this release, we’re adding powerful new functionality to your shared prototypes: commenting. Get fast, consolidated feedback on your designs by enabling commenting on your prototypes. Make changes in the authoring environment, update the link, and your web-based prototype automatically updates to reflect the feedback you’ve received. Anyone you send the link to can sign in to create comments. The Creative Cloud desktop app notifies you when someone leaves a new comment. Say goodbye to email threads and extra steps to incorporate feedback.

https://blog.adobe.com/media_45933bf1b6527fbdf69620473a2e981417178e22.gif

Preview designs and prototypes on iOS and Android devices, in real-time

In case you didn’t hear the news in late September, we now have Adobe XD companion apps for iPhones, iPads, and Android phones (tablet support is on the way). By connecting your mobile device to your computer with a USB cable, you’ll be able to preview your XD design, test your interactions, and make changes all in real-time. This is a major time saver that revolutionizes the way mobile experiences are created, giving you the power to see and feel your design before the development process begins.

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Download the XD companion apps from the App Store for iOS or the Google Play store for Android and let us know what you think.

What’s next for Adobe XD?

We’re ready for everyday use now, but that doesn’t mean we’re slowing down. You can expect another update before the end of year.

Thank you

Adobe XD 💜 the Design Community

Designers from all over the world are influencing how we prioritize features. Not only do they provide fuel for us to rethink and challenge existing mental models, but they’re ensuring that we deliver the right value to our customers. Our team takes feedback seriously, so we monitor channels daily, including UserVoice, Public Forums, Private Prerelease (apply now!). We’re also gathering feedback through frequent customer meetings and demos.

Thank you for all the feedback!

You can follow us @AdobeXD for updates or reach the team on Twitter using the #AdobeXD. You can also talk to us using Facebook where we answer questions during live sessions, share videos, and publish other updates. And don’t forget to get our latest insights about UX design on Medium.

#MadeWithAdobeXD

While sharing your prototypes on Behance, don’t forget to tag them with #MadeWithAdobeXD and select Adobe Experience Design under “Tools Used.”

Adobe XD Private Pre-release Program Application

Interested in accessing XD’s latest and greatest features before they make the public releases? Every month, we’ll select 50 people to join our Adobe XD Private Pre-release Program. Apply now!

Please download the latest version of Adobe XD and let us know what you think. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.

FAQs

Where can I download and try Adobe XD? How much does it cost?

Adobe XD is in Beta, and is available to any Creative Cloud member for free. You can download it from xd.adobe.com or from your Creative Cloud desktop app. Please note that the XD Beta is currently available for Mac only, with a Windows version coming soon.

I noticed that “Preview” was changed to “Beta.” What is the reason for this?

We replaced “Preview” with “Beta” to align with Adobe’s overall branding approach, and this does not represent a change in our development process.

Why is Adobe XD called a Beta release?

Adobe XD is still in development, with frequent updates that incorporate both customer feedback and new functionality. By offering early looks at technology we are working on, customers are encouraged to share feedback that will ultimately shape its future.

How do I provide feedback for Adobe XD?

You can share product feedback such as feature requests and bugs by visiting us at adobexd.uservoice.com. For general feedback, you can also find us on Twitter or Facebook.

What languages are supported by Adobe XD?

You can download and use Adobe XD in English, French, German, Japanese, or Korean.

Where can I learn more about Adobe XD?

We have a number of resources to help you learn about Adobe XD: