Interact with files

    Before you Start

    Who can use this feature

    Users on Any Figma plan

    Files are where most of the design and collaboration process takes place in Figma. Learn more about file structure, permissions, and format in our Files in Figma article.

    Search for files

    Files are just one of the things you can search for in Figma. Find the search bar in the top-left corner of your File Browser.

    Non_Org_File_Browser.png

    Learn more about what you can search in our File Browser articles:

    View and sort files

    You can choose how you want to view files in the File Browser. In the top-right corner of the File Browser, use the grid and list icons to switch between views.

    List view

    List view is a pared back view, which lets you see some basic information about each file. This allows you to quickly find files based on their name and the date they were Last modified.

    Annotated_list_view.png

    1. See the File name
    2. View a miniature file thumbnail
    3. View the date Last modified
    4. View the date Created

    Grid view (default)

    In grid view, the file thumbnail takes center stage, which makes it easier for you to quickly identify a file by its contents. This is the default view in the File Browser.

    You'll have access to more contextual information in grid view:

    Annotated_grid_view.png

    1. View the File Thumbnail: Set a Custom Thumbnail
    2. View the File Name
    3. View the Date and Time you last viewed or edited the File.
    4. If anyone is currently viewing the File, you will see their Profile Picture there.
    5. If you're viewing a File in the Recents File Space, you can see which Project the File is in.

    Sort files

    Choose how to order files in your Drafts, Recents, or projects. Or, in your search results.

    1. Open your Drafts, Recents, or a Project Page in the File Browser.
    2. Click the arrow next to the current sort.
    3. Select the desired sort order from the options. Choose from:
      • File Name
      • Date Created
      • Last Modified
      • Last Viewed (Recent Files only)
      • Date Deleted (Deleted Files)
      • Search Relevance (when Searching for Files)
    4. We will then sort your Files in the order you selected.

    Note: If you are in List view, you only have the option to sort by Last Modified.

    Open files

    There are a few ways to open a file in Figma.

    • To open in the current tab: double-click on the file in the File Browser.
    • To open in a new tab: right-click on the file and choose Open in New Tab.
    • Click on a Figma URL

    Want to open Figma URLs in the Desktop app, instead of the browser? Check out our Open Figma links in the Desktop App article.

    Access the file menu

    Right-click on any file in the File Browser. This allows you to perform the following actions:

    • Open (in the current tab)
    • Open in New Tab
    • Pin to Project (Teams only)
    • Share the File
    • Duplicate the File
    • Rename the File
    • Delete the File

    File_menu.png 

    Tip! If you are viewing a File in the Recent folder, you will have two extra options:

    • Show in Project to open the File in the current folder
    • Remove from Recent

    Related Videos

    • Manage your Recent Files

      Before you Start

      Who can use this feature

      Users on Any Figma plan

      You must be an Editor on the Project to move a File to another Team or Project

      If a File is in your Recent Files, then there are a couple of actions you can perform:

      Note: You must be an Editor on the Project to move a File to another Team or Project

      Show the File

      If you're not sure where the File is located, you can access the File from your Recent Files.

      1. Right-click on the File in your Recent Files.
      2. Select Show in Project
      3. Figma will open the Project Page in the File Browser.

      Remove the File

      To remove a File from your Recent Files:

      1. Right-click on the File in the File Browser to open the File menu
      2. Select Remove from Recent from the options
      3. We will remove the File from your Recent Files. You will still be able to access the File from the appropriate Project or File Space.

      Want to leave the File completely? If Components from that File are still showing up in your other Files, you can leave the File. Learn more in our Remove Files from your Library article.

      Move the File

      You can move Files between Projects, even if these Projects are in different Teams.

      If you move a File outside of a Team, Team members may no longer be able to access it. Only invited Team Members will still have access.

      1. Go to your Recent Files in the File Browser
      2. Right-click on the File to open the File menu and select Share.
      3. Click the arrow next to the current Project and select Move to Project
      4. You can then select which Project to move it to. You can:
        1. Search for the Team or Project using the field provided:
        2. Choose an existing Project within another Team. Only favorited projects will appear in the window.
        3. Click the + New Project link under another Team's name to create a new Project within that Team:
    • Move files between projects, teams and accounts

      Before you Start

      Who can use this feature

      Users on Any Figma plan

      Anyone can move files from their Drafts. You must be an Editor on the project to move a file to another team or project.

      Move files between Drafts, projects, and teams to change its location. You can move files from the Editor, or in the File Browser.

      Note: If you are the Owner of the file or team you will need to transfer ownership of the file first. This makes sure the files aren't lost for other collaborators when you leave the team or delete the files.

      Move files in the Editor

      In the Editor, you can:

      • Move a file from your Drafts to a team
      • Move a file to a different project 
      • Move a file to a project in a different team
      • Create a new project and move a file into it

      Note: If you move a File outside of a team, team members may no longer be able to access it. Only team members who are listed on the file sharing modal will still have access.

      1. Click on an empty spot in the Canvas. This will deselect any layers.
      2. Click the File name in the Toolbar and select Move to Project:
      3. Choose which project to move it to. 
        1. Search for the team or project using the field provided.
        2. Choose an existing project within another team. Only favorited projects will appear in the window.
        3. Create a + New Project in a team
      4. Click Move to confirm.

      Move files in the File Browser

      In the File Browser, you can move files between your Drafts and any projects within a team. 

      Only favorited projects show in the File Browser. It's not possible to move a file into just a team, or into a project that you haven't favorited.

      1. Choose which file(s) you want to move
        • Select a single file to move
        • Hold Shift to select more than one file
        • Click and drag to select multiple files
      2. Drag your selection over the new location in the File Browser. Figma will highlight the project you are moving it to.
      3. Release to move the file.

      Note: It's not possible to move files between Personal Space and Organization Space. One way to move files into an Organization is to export them.

      Move files between accounts

      If you're deleting an old team or handing over files, you may want to move a File to another account.

      There are two different ways you can move a file between Figma accounts.

      Share the file

      Export the file

      You can also export your files as .fig files. This allows you to upload the file to another Figma account.

      We will treat this as a new file and won't copy across any Permissions, Comments or Version History.

      When you import the file again, we will also treat Components as new Master Components. Instances are no longer linked to the original file and won't receive any updates.

      1. Open the file you want to export.
      2. Go to the main menu
      3. Go to File > Save as .fig. Figma will download a copy of the file to your downloads folder.
      4. Open the Figma Account you want to move it to.
      5. Import the .fig file by dragging the file into Figma.

      Tip! Create a duplicate by adding& /duplicate to the end of the file URL. Then you can open the URL in your other Figma account. Figma treats this as a new file, so it doesn't include the existing Permissions, Comments or Version History.