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Animated guide marker

Turn on the animated guide marker so a pulsing beacon glides between guide steps on the same screen, helping viewers follow the flow of your demo.

Updated Nov 4, 2026

Animated guide marker

Overview​

Walnut's guide marker is the visual cue that draws a viewer's eye to the element a guide step is describing — the pulsing beacon on a button or field. With the animated guide marker turned on, the beacon glides from one step's element to the next instead of jumping, so viewers can follow the flow at a glance.

You turn it on per demo, and every viewer who plays the demo sees the marker animate as they move from one guide step to the next.

How It Works​

When the setting is on, a pulsing beacon in your guides' glow color travels to the next step's element as the guide advances. It's added on top of whatever hotspot each guide step already uses — it doesn't replace it.

The glide only applies when two consecutive guide steps target elements on the same screen. When a step also changes screens, the marker appears on the new screen's element straight away instead of animating across.

The animated marker isn't shown in the mobile view, and viewers whose device is set to reduce motion see it move without the animation.

Turn the Animated Marker On or Off​

  1. Open the demo in the editor.
  2. Open Settings and select the Guides tab.
  3. Expand Styles.
  4. Turn Animate marker between steps on (or off).

Default: The setting follows your workspace's guide defaults, and is off unless your workspace has turned it on.

FAQs​

Why doesn't my marker animate between steps?​

The glide only applies when both steps target elements on the same screen. If your steps span two screens, the marker appears on the new screen instead of gliding. Also check that Animate marker between steps is on in Settings → Guides → Styles.

Do viewers need to opt in to see the animation?​

No. Once you turn the setting on, everyone who plays the demo sees it (except in the mobile view).

Can I choose a different marker shape, like a cursor?​

No. The animated marker is always the pulsing beacon, tinted with your guides' glow color.

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