How to Get Your First Framer Template Approved

Here's the thing nobody tells you upfront

A template is NOT a website.

I know, sounds obvious. But this is where most rejections happen. When you're building a website for a client or for yourself, you can make it as custom and specific as you want. But the template needs to work for hundreds of different people, with different content, different brands, different use cases.

Think about it, if you create something super fancy that only works with your exact content and layout, what happens when someone tries to adapt it? They're stuck. They can't customize it without breaking everything. They spend hours trying to figure out your overcomplicated structure. Nobody wins.

This is why having a solid design system and following some structural rules is absolutely crucial. Your template needs to be flexible enough that users can actually make it their own without losing their minds in the process.

And here's what that really means: you need to understand some foundational design principles. I'm talking about visual hierarchy, typography, spacing systems, even color theory. These aren't just nice-to-haves, they're what separate templates that get approved from ones that get rejected.

What Gets Templates Rejected (and How to Fix It)

Look, all of this is actually in Framer's official documentation for template requirements. But here's the problem - most people just skim through it without really understanding what each thing means. So let me break down the most common rejection reasons and show you how to actually fix them:

1. Unoriginal and super basic design

If your template looks like something that took 30 minutes to put together, it's likely getting rejected. You need to bring something unique to the table.

How to fix it: You don't need to create something completely revolutionary, but add your own perspective. Maybe it's a unique layout approach, interesting interactions, or solving a specific problem for a specific niche. Study successful templates. What makes them stand out? It's usually thoughtful details, not flashy effects.

2. Broken responsiveness

Your desktop version might look great, but if everything falls apart at 768px, that's a problem. Text overlapping images on mobile, navigation that doesn't work on tablets - these issues will likely get your template rejected.

How to fix it: Test every breakpoint thoroughly. Don't just rely on Framer's preview - open it in actual browsers and on real devices. Your mobile layout should look intentionally designed for mobile, not just a stacked version of desktop. Make sure all interactions work properly on touch screens.

3. Messy structure of components and pages

Reviewers can see your layers panel. If it's chaos—"Frame 427," "Rectangle Copy 12," components scattered everywhere, it signals a lack of organization. They want to see that you understand how to build organized, scalable systems.

How to fix it: Name everything clearly and use a consistent naming convention. Pick a system like Pascal Case (MyButton, HeroSection), Camel Case (myButton, heroSection), or Title Case (My Button, Hero Section) and stick to it throughout your entire template. This makes it almost impossible to end up with messy naming. Group related elements. Create actual components with variants instead of duplicating elements. Your file structure should be logical, someone should be able to open your template and immediately understand how it's organized.

4. Bad typography system

Random font sizes everywhere, no clear hierarchy, inconsistent line heights. These issues make templates difficult to customize and look unprofessional.

How to fix it: Create a proper type scale and use Framer's text styles feature 100% of the time. This is crucial. Predefine all your typography styles (H1, H2, H3, Body, Caption, etc.) in the text styles panel. Every single text element in your template should use one of these predefined styles, not manual formatting. This way, when someone needs to change the font or adjust sizes, they do it once in the text styles and it updates everywhere automatically. Set consistent line heights and letter spacing for each style. Never manually format text unless you've created a text style for it first.

5. Bad visual hierarchy

Everything has the same visual weight. Nothing guides the user's eye. Elements just exist on the page with no sense of importance or flow.

How to fix it: Learn the fundamentals of visual hierarchy. Use size, weight, color, and spacing to create clear levels of importance. The most important element should be the most prominent. Guide people through your page intentionally. Here's an old-school but effective test: squint your eyes slightly so the screen gets blurry. If you can still recognize the main focus of the page and the hierarchy is clear even when blurred, you're on the right track. If everything blurs together into a uniform mess, your hierarchy needs work. Look at templates you admire and notice how they lead your eye through the content.

6. Bad or inconsistent spacing

Some gaps are 16px, others are 18px, some are 20px for no clear reason. Or everything is hardcoded instead of using a spacing system.

How to fix it: Create a spacing system and stick to it religiously. Use a scale like 8px, 16px, 24px, 32px, 48px, 64px. Since Framer doesn't currently support spacing variables, here's what you should do: write down your spacing scale in your notes app or somewhere you can easily reference. List out what each value is used for. For example, "8px: gaps between related items, 16px: padding inside cards, 24px: section spacing" etc. Consult this document every time you're adding spacing. When you need to add space, pick from your system and don't just eyeball it.

7. Copy errors, typos, and lorem ipsum texts

Typos or Lorem Ipsum - absolutely NO.

How to fix it: Replace all placeholder text with realistic copy. Run spell check. Read through everything carefully. Better yet, have someone else review it or use AI(👀).

8. Missing accessibility tags

Alt text for images and proper heading structure aren't optional.

How to fix it: Add alt text to every image. Use semantic HTML heading tags properly (H1 for main title, H2 for sections, etc.). Check color contrast ratios. Framer has built-in accessibility features, so you should just use them.

9. Missing SEO settings

No meta descriptions or missing social image and favicons can be a problem, especially since people are buying templates to launch real websites.

How to fix it: Fill out page titles, meta descriptions, and images in the site settings. Show users you've thought about how their site will appear in search results and social shares.

10. Inconsistent styles

Border radius is 8px on buttons but 12px on cards and 4px on inputs. Colors are close but not quite the same. These inconsistencies look sloppy.

How to fix it: Since Framer doesn't have variables for things like border radius and shadows, you need to be extra disciplined. Create a style guide document (in a notes app) that lists all your style values: border radius sizes, shadow styles, specific color codes, etc. For colors, use Framer's color styles feature to keep them consistent. For everything else, refer to your style guide every time you're applying these properties. When you decide rounded corners should be 8px throughout your template, write that down and stick to it. This manual consistency is what separates professional templates from amateur ones.

The bottom line: All of this is clearly explained in Framer's documentation. But the easiest way to actually understand what they mean is to look at approved templates. See how they handle typography, spacing, and components. Reverse-engineer what makes them work. That's your real education.

Useful Resources

Here are the tools and resources that will save you hours of headache and help you build better templates:

Essential Tools:

• Framer Official Template Requirements - https://www.framer.com/template-requirements/

  This is the bible. Read it. Then read it again. Everything I mentioned about rejections? It's all documented here.

• Type Scale Generator - https://typescale.com/

  This tool helps you create a proper typographic scale that actually looks harmonious.

• Contrast Checker - https://www.framer.com/marketplace/plugins/contrast-checker/

  Your color combos might look good but fail accessibility standards. This plugin checks if your text has enough contrast against backgrounds. Required for approval.

• 8pt Grid Calculator - https://spec.fm/specifics/8-pt-grid

  Helps you understand and implement consistent spacing systems.

Learning Resources:

• Framer University - https://www.framer.com/academy/

  Official courses on everything from components to advanced interactions. Free and actually useful.

• Laws of UX - https://lawsofux.com/

  Quick reference for UX principles. Understanding these will make your templates more intuitive and user-friendly.

Pro tip: Bookmark all of these and actually use them. The difference between approved and rejected templates often comes down to getting the fundamentals right.