- \n
- Adobe XD has been in maintenance mode since 2024: Adobe confirmed it will fix bugs and security issues but is not building new features or pushing the product forward.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- XD stopped selling as a standalone app in mid-2023; it’s now only accessible through Adobe Creative Cloud’s All Apps or Pro\/Standard plans.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Figma is now the clear industry standard for new UI\/UX learners, largely because of the real-time collaboration features XD never fully matched.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- If you already have Creative Cloud access and existing XD files, it’s fine to keep using it; if you’re starting fresh in 2026, most working designers would point you toward Figma instead.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- There’s no officially announced end-of-life date, but with no active development, treat XD as a legacy tool rather than a long-term bet.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
What is Adobe XD?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The number of users Adobe XD has built up over the years is huge, and from this, you can understand the diverse use cases it once served. It’s a vector-based software tool used for digital design and UI\/UX prototyping<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It’s easy to use and offers the functionalities a designer needs to develop strong digital experiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The tool is used for designing the UI or UX for web applications, mobile applications, and any digital product. It’s provided and managed by Adobe Inc. and is available for Windows and Mac OS operating systems<\/a> only.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Adobe’s Creative Cloud Suite has been marked for its domination in the design field, and there are no arguments about the remarkable services provided across its creative tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As we proceed to the next phase, make sure you understand the fundamentals of UI\/UX, which include heuristic analysis, journey maps, testing, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you want to explore more, join HCL GUVI’s UI\/UX Course<\/a> with placement assistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It covers tools like Illustrator, Photoshop, Figma, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Instead, if you would like to explore Figma through a self-paced course, try HCL GUVI’s Figma certification course<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How to Download and Install Adobe XD?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Setting up the design environment is a piece of cake. Follow the steps to download and install the tool on your system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"How](\"https:\/\/www.guvi.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/how_to_download_and_install_adobe_xd_.webp\" "\\"\\"")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n- \n
- Step 1 \u2013<\/strong> Create an account on Adobe Creative Cloud<\/a> by filling in the required information.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Step 2 \u2013<\/strong> Sign in and download the desktop application of Adobe Creative Cloud.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Step 3 \u2013<\/strong> Go to “All Apps” and find Adobe XD in the list.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Step 4 \u2013<\/strong> Select your plan and payment method to download the setup.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Step 5 \u2013<\/strong> Once the installer is downloaded, double-click it to start the installation wizard.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Step 6 \u2013<\/strong> Select the language and location of the application, and start the installation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Step 7 \u2013<\/strong> Once installation is complete, Adobe XD is ready to use.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Find Out How to Install Adobe XD on Windows? A Step-by-Step Guide<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Features of Adobe XD<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Among various design tools available in the market, UI\/UX designers<\/a> once gravitated toward this platform for its explicit features. Let’s look at a few of the most prominent ones:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- User Interface (UI) Design<\/a>:<\/strong> Widely used for designing the visual elements of user interfaces, including layouts, buttons, icons, and other graphical elements.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Prototyping:<\/strong> One of the key features is its prototyping capabilities<\/a>, letting designers create interactive prototypes to simulate user interactions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Wireframing:<\/strong> Often used for creating wireframes<\/a>, low-fidelity representations that help plan structure and layout.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Responsive Design:<\/strong> Allows designers to create responsive designs<\/a> that adapt to different screen sizes and resolutions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Collaboration:<\/strong> Includes collaboration features enabling designers to work together, though this remains one of its weaker areas compared to Figma.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Design Systems:<\/strong> Supports the creation and management of design systems, with reusable components and styles.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- User Flow Diagrams:<\/strong> Used to create user flow diagrams illustrating the paths users take through a digital product.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Animations:<\/strong> Supports simple animations, allowing designers to add motion to prototypes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- User Testing:<\/strong> Prototypes can be used to conduct user testing<\/a> and gather usability feedback.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Integration with Other Tools:<\/strong> Integrates with Photoshop, Illustrator, and third-party plugins for a smoother workflow.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
Adobe XD vs Figma vs Sketch in 2026 \u2014 Which Is Better? (Honest Comparison)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
This is the question every beginner is actually asking in 2026, and the honest answer requires looking past feature lists into what each tool’s future actually looks like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Feature<\/th> Adobe XD<\/th> Figma<\/th> Sketch<\/th> Winner<\/th><\/tr><\/thead> Active development<\/td> None; maintenance mode only since 2024<\/td> Continuously updated, industry leader<\/td> Actively updated, Mac-only<\/td> Figma<\/td><\/tr> Real-time collaboration<\/td> Limited, always secondary to design work<\/td> Best-in-class, built into the core experience<\/td> Good, added later via Sketch Cloud<\/td> Figma<\/td><\/tr> Platform availability<\/td> Windows and Mac only<\/td> Browser-based, works on any OS<\/td> Mac only<\/td> Figma<\/td><\/tr> Pricing model<\/td> Bundled into Creative Cloud plans (~$54.99+\/month)<\/td> Free tier available; paid plans scale per seat<\/td> Standalone pricing, roughly mid-range<\/td> Figma (free tier)<\/td><\/tr> Learning resources in 2026<\/td> Shrinking, since most new tutorials target Figma<\/td> Abundant, the default choice in most courses<\/td> Solid but smaller community<\/td> Figma<\/td><\/tr> Best for<\/td> Existing XD projects and Creative Cloud-locked teams<\/td> New learners, teams, freelancers, almost everyone<\/td> Mac-based solo designers who prefer its workflow<\/td> Figma<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n The honest takeaway:<\/strong> Figma has effectively won this comparison, not because it lacks features, but because Adobe itself stopped investing in it after a blocked acquisition attempt left the product without a clear future. Sketch remains a solid, actively maintained alternative for Mac-only workflows, but for most new learners in 2026, Figma is the safer and more employable skill to build.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Is Adobe XD Still Being Updated? Future of XD<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Here’s the direct answer: no, not in any meaningful way. Adobe confirmed in 2024 that XD has entered maintenance mode, meaning the company will continue fixing bugs and addressing security issues, but will not build new features or push the product forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A quick timeline of what actually happened:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- 2023:<\/strong> Adobe attempted to acquire Figma in a deal reportedly worth around $20 billion. Regulators in the UK and EU blocked the acquisition over competition concerns.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Mid-2023:<\/strong> Adobe XD stopped being sold as a standalone application to new customers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 2024:<\/strong> Adobe officially confirmed XD had entered maintenance mode, with no further feature investment planned.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 2026:<\/strong> XD remains accessible to existing Creative Cloud subscribers, but there’s no public roadmap, no new features, and no officially announced end-of-life date.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
What this means practically:<\/strong> existing files still open, existing subscribers can still use the app, and Adobe is still patching security issues. But there’s no plugin ecosystem growth, no new collaboration features, and no reason to expect that to change. Some industry commentary suggests real usability concerns could surface anywhere between 2027 and 2029 as the surrounding ecosystem (OS updates, plugin compatibility) moves on without corresponding XD updates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Adobe XD Free vs Paid Plan \u2014 What Do You Actually Get?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Its pricing has changed substantially from the earlier “$9.99\/month standalone app” days, and it’s worth being clear about what’s actually available now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Historically, Adobe offered a free “Starter Plan”:<\/strong> a genuinely free tier for personal use, including desktop design and prototyping tools, but with usage limits on premium sharing and collaboration features. This was aimed at students and hobbyists learning UI\/UX rather than professional teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In practice today, most new users only get access through:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Creative Cloud All Apps (or Pro\/Standard) plan:<\/strong> bundles XD alongside 20+ Adobe applications like Photoshop and Illustrator, priced from roughly $54.99 to $69.99 per month depending on the current plan structure.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Existing Creative Cloud subscriptions:<\/strong> if your organization already pays for Creative Cloud, XD is included at no additional cost, since it’s bundled rather than sold separately.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
What you don’t get anymore:<\/strong> a low-cost, XD-only subscription. The old $9.99\/month standalone plan is gone, which means the realistic entry cost for a beginner who only wants XD is the full Creative Cloud plan price, not a lightweight single-app fee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The practical implication:<\/strong> if you’re evaluating cost purely to learn UI\/UX design, Figma’s genuinely free tier (with real, current feature support) is a significantly cheaper way to start than paying for a full Creative Cloud plan just to access a tool that isn’t receiving new features anyway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Top Use Cases of Adobe XD<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Adobe XD is a flexible tool and can be used for a wide range of design projects. Some popular uses include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"Use](\"https:\/\/www.guvi.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/use_cases_of_adobe_xd.webp\" "\\"\\"")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n- \n
- Mobile App Design:<\/strong> Creating the entire user interface and interactive prototypes for mobile applications.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Website Redesign:<\/strong> Visualizing and prototyping new layouts and navigation before development begins.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- E-commerce Platform Design:<\/strong> Designing online shopping experiences, including product pages and checkout flows.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Dashboard Design:<\/strong> Creating dashboards with intuitive layouts for data visualization and analytics.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Social Media App Design:<\/strong> Designing interfaces for social platforms, considering profiles, feeds, and interaction patterns.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Educational App Prototyping:<\/strong> Prototyping educational apps with interactive quizzes, lessons, and progress tracking.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Healthcare Interface Design:<\/strong> Designing interfaces for healthcare applications for patients, doctors, and administrators.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
Benefits of Using Adobe XD<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Some of the benefits UI\/UX designers historically got from this tool:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Website Redesign:<\/strong> Visualizing and prototyping new layouts and navigation before development begins.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Existing Creative Cloud subscriptions:<\/strong> if your organization already pays for Creative Cloud, XD is included at no additional cost, since it’s bundled rather than sold separately.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Mid-2023:<\/strong> Adobe XD stopped being sold as a standalone application to new customers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Prototyping:<\/strong> One of the key features is its prototyping capabilities<\/a>, letting designers create interactive prototypes to simulate user interactions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Step 2 \u2013<\/strong> Sign in and download the desktop application of Adobe Creative Cloud.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Step 1 \u2013<\/strong> Create an account on Adobe Creative Cloud<\/a> by filling in the required information.<\/li>\n\n\n\n