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• Create and use component properties

  Before you Start

  Who can use this feature

  Users on any plan

  Anyone with edit access to the Figma file can create, manage, and use component props in Figma design files

  Component properties remove the guesswork out of your design system.

  Define which parts of the component people can change by tying them to specific design properties. This allows you to control things like whether layers are visible, if you can swap an icon or change the text, or if effects are applied.

  Like regular components, you can attach descriptions and links to further documentation. This makes sure the people using your components have the right information and context to apply them.

  You configure all component properties at an instance level. So there's no need to select and override individual layers.

  
  Explore the component properties playground file in the Figma Community →

   

  Warning: It's important to note that component properties don't support prototype interactions. If you want to create prototypes with your components, you'll still need to use variants.

  We recommend reviewing your existing design system before you adopt component properties. That way, you can decide which aspects you can reflect as component properties and which need to be variants. Learn more about interactive components →

  Property types

  Component properties are tied to different design properties. You can create component properties for any main component or component set, and apply them to nested layers of the component or variant.

  Component properties come in different types:

  • Variant properties ↓
  • Instance swap properties ↓
  • Text properties ↓
  • Boolean properties ↓

  Variant property

  A variant is an individual component within a component set.

  A variant property allows you to define attributes of your variants, such as state, color, or size.

  A component set contains multiple variants, and the variants carry attributes that can be defined by variant properties. Variant properties are specific to variants and component sets, and can’t be created or applied to main components. Learn how to create variants and component sets →

  In the example below, we have a button component set with four variants. It has two variant properties, size and color. The size values include small and large, while color values include green and red.

  

  Instance swap property

  An instance swap property indicates which instances in a main component or variant can be swapped. When creating an instance swap property, you can define the default instance value from any local and enabled libraries.

  For anyone using this property, they’ll be provided with an instance swap menu to swap the nested asset out for one within the same component subset, or one from any available library.

  Nested instances with this component property can only be swapped at the top-level layer of its parent component. You won’t be able to swap it for another instance if you select the nested instance.

  Text property

  Use text properties to indicate which text layers should be edited.

  Whether you’re managing a text property’s default value or using an instance containing it, the string of text can be edited either from the right sidebar or on the canvas. The value updates in both directions.

  Layers without this property can still be updated.

  Boolean property

  Use boolean properties to set true/false values, allowing users to toggle a regular property on or off.

  For example, if a design system contains buttons with and without an icon, instead of creating variants for each state, apply a boolean property to the icon’s layer visibility.

  Note: Boolean properties are currently only available for layer visibility.

  Create

  You can create component properties at two levels: the parent layer or the child layer of a component. Parent, child, and sibling relationships →

  Any component property can be created from the parent layer of a component. You can’t create variant properties from a child layer.

  Property	Child layer	Parent layer
  Instance swap	✓	✓
  Text	✓	✓
  Boolean	✓	✓
  Variant	✕	✓

  From the child layers

  Create a component property from a child layer of a variant or main component. This creates the property and applies it to any selected layers at the same time.

  This method supports creating instance swap, text, and boolean properties. You can’t create variant properties from a child layer.

  Instance swap property

  1. Select an instance nested in a main component or variant.

  2. (Optional) Variant only: Click to select similar layers in the component set. These layers are recognized by having the same hierarchy and name.

  3. Next to the swap instance dropdown in the right sidebar, click to create a property. This opens the create component property modal.

     

  4. Give your property a name in the text field

  5. Set the default value by using dropdown to select an instance from local components in the file or any enabled libraries.

  6. Click create property. When applied, you’ll see a purple pill with the property name where the instance dropdown was in the right sidebar.

  Text property

  1. Select a text layer nested in a main component or variant.
  2. (Optional) Variant only: Click to select similar layers in the component set. These layers are recognized by having the same hierarchy and name.
  3. Click in the content section of the right sidebar to create a property. This opens the create component property modal.
     • Use the text field to type in a name for the property.
     • Use the value text field to set a default string of text. If you set the default value to something other than the current string, Figma will update the text string to match this value. This also works the other way around: if you update the text string on the component, Figma will update the default value too.
  4. Click create property. When applied, you’ll see a purple pill with the property name in the content section of the right sidebar.

  Boolean property

  1. Select a layer nested in a main component or variant.
  2. (Optional) Variant only: Click to select similar layers in the component set. These layers are recognized by having the same hierarchy and name.
  3. Click in the layers section of the right sidebar to create a property. This opens the create component properties modal.
     • Use the Name text field to give the property a name.
     • Set the default value to true or false.
  4. Click create property. When applied, you’ll see a purple pill with the property name next to the relevant property in the right sidebar.

  Tip! Want to apply or create a different property? Click the purple pill from the relevant property in the right sidebar.

  From the parent layer

  Create a component property with the component set or main component selected. This method supports creating all property types, including variant properties.

  This approach only creates the property, you’ll need to apply properties to any child layers as a separate step.

  To create a component property from the parent layer:

  1. Select a main component or component set, and click in the Properties section of the right sidebar. A dropdown with component property options will appear.
  2. Select a property from the component.
     • Variant property
     • Instance swap property
     • Text property
     • Boolean property
  3. Use the fields and dropdowns from in the create component property modal to give your property name and default value.

  Creating a component property using the top-down method does not apply them to any nested layers. Learn how to apply a component property ↓

  Apply

  Apply an existing component property to a nested layer at any time.

  1. Select a nested layer in a main component or variant.
  2. (Optional, variants only) Click to select similar layers in the component set.
  3. From the right sidebar, find the section for the property you want to apply. Click to open a dropdown. The dropdown contains relevant, existing properties.If the create component property modal appears instead of the dropdown, then a property of that type doesn’t exist in that component. Learn how to create a component property ↑
  4. From the dropdown, click a property to apply it to the selected layer(s). A purple pill with an icon and property name will appear in the right sidebar.

  Tip! To switch a nested layer’s component property, click the purple pill in the right sidebar to open a dropdown with other existing properties of the same type. Select a property to apply.

  Attach documentation

  Like regular components, you can attach descriptions and links to further documentation. This makes sure the people using your components have the right information and context to apply them.

  1. Select component set or main component.
  2. Click to open component details.
  3. Fill in one or both fields,
     • How to use this component
     • Link to documentation
  4. Click or anywhere outside the modal to apply changes.

  Publish updates

  Publish to the team library when you create or update component sets, main components, properties, or values. This allows you to share them with others or to use them in other files or projects. Learn how to publish to team library →

  Manage

  After creating component properties and their values, you can manage them at any time. Rename, reorder, delete, change default values, and more.

  Manage properties

  Rename

  To rename a component property,

  1. Select component set or main component.
  2. From the Properties section in the right sidebar, double-click a property name.
  3. Type in a new name, then press return or click outside the field to apply.

  Tip! Use the edit property modal to rename a component property by clicking in the right sidebar and typing a new name in the Name text field.

  Reorder

  To change the order of component properties:

  1. Select component set or main component.
  2. Hover over a property to reveal handles.
  3. Click and drag to reorder, then release to apply.

  The order of component properties will also be reflected in the right sidebar when someone is using an instance of the component.

  Note: Variant properties always sit above other property types in the right sidebar. They can be reordered amongst other variant properties, but cannot be reordered with other types.

  Delete

  To delete an existing component property,

  1. Select component set or main component.
  2. Right-click property and click Delete property, or select property and press delete.

  Note: If your component set or main component only contains one variant property, deleting the property will delete the entire component set or main component.

  Detach a property

  Detach text, instance swap, or boolean properties from a layer.

  1. Select a nested layer with a component property applied.
  2. Click in right sidebar panel next to the property you wish to unlink.

  This removes the component property from the layer, but the component property won’t be deleted.

  Note: It’s not possible to detach a variant property from a nested layer.

  Manage values

  Change default value

  Change the default value of a text, boolean, or instance swap property.

  1. Select component set or main component.
  2. Click next to the variant property to open the edit property modal.
  3. Use the text field or dropdown in the Value section to update the default value.

  Updating the default value will reflect on canvas if the associated instance layer has no property overrides applied.

  Note: The default value of a variant property is determined by the variant in the top left corner of a component set. Learn how to change a component set’s default variant →

  Rename

  To rename a value of a variant property:

  1. Select component set or main component.
  2. Click next to the variant property to open the edit property modal.
  3. In the Values section, use the text fields to rename the values.

  Reorder

  To reorder values of a variant property:

  1. Select component set or main component.
  2. Click next to the variant property to open the edit property modal.
  3. Hover over a value to reveal handles.
  4. Click and drag to reorder.

  Delete

  To delete a value of a variant property

  1. Select component set or main component.
  2. Click next to the variant property to open the edit property modal.
  3. Click the handle of a value, and press delete / backspace.

  Use

  When using an instance containing component properties, you can use the controls in the Properties section of the right sidebar to configure the instance.

  You can also check any descriptions or documentation to make sure you’re using the asset correctly.

  Read documentation

  Documentation is essential to ensure accurate and consistent use of a design system. Component documentation can include a description, a link to external documentation, or both.

  If a description was included with a component, they appear in two places:

  • In a tooltip when hovering over the component from the assets panel
  • In the right sidebar when selecting the instance

  If a link to external documentation with a component, it’ll appear as a button in the Inspect panel.

  Configure properties

  When you select an instance containing component properties, the Properties section in the right sidebar will populate with different property controls. Use the accompanying dropdowns, toggles, or text fields to make changes, and they will be reflected in the instance.

  • Dropdowns with denote instances that you can swap.
  • Update the text in text fields to directly change the string of text that appears on the canvas.
  • Use the toggles to turn a setting on and off.

  Reset changes to an instance at any time by clicking in the right sidebar and selecting Reset all changes.

  Note: If you select a nested instance with an instance swap property applied, you won’t be able to swap the instance at this level. You will need to select the top-level component and use the property controls in the right sidebar. You can still, however, detach nested the instance.

  Overrides

  You can still make overrides to non-component properties of a single instance. Figma records the changes you make to an instance and preserves them, even when you swap between instances or select different variants.

  Learn about overrides and override preservation →

• Guide to components in Figma

  Before you start

  Who can use this feature

  Users on any plan

  Users with can edit access to a file can create and edit components.

  Users with can view access to the original file can use components from that Library.

  Video tutorials

  Check out these video tutorials about components:

  Overview

  Components are elements you can reuse across your designs. They help to create and manage consistent designs across projects.

  You can create components from any layers or objects you've designed. These could be a whole range of things like buttons, icons, layouts, and more.

  There are two aspects to a component:

  1. A main component defines the properties of the component.
  2. An instance is a copy of the component you can reuse in your designs. Instances are linked to the main component and receive any updates made to the component.

  You can create components to use within a single file. Or, you can use team library to share components and styles across files and projects.

  Related articles

  Read these articles to learn more detailed and specific information about components.

  1. Create a component
  2. Create and use variants
  3. Create and use component properties
  4. Name and organize components
  5. Create an instance of a component
  6. Swap between component instances in a file
  7. Override properties of an instance
  8. Reset instances to remove overrides
  9. Detach instances from components
  10. Make changes to components and instances
• Create components to reuse in designs

  Before you start

  Who can use this feature

  Users on any plan can create Components. Users on a Starter team can't publish Components to a Library.

  Users with can edit access to a file can create and edit components.

  Users with can view access to a file can use components from a library, if they have access to it.

  You can create a component out of any collection of objects or layers. components can be as simple as shapes, buttons or fields, or more complex design like cards and menus.

  Tip! As you create components and build out your design system, you'll find the need for components that are similar to each other, with only slight differences.

  Variants allow you to group and organize similar components into a single container. This simplifies your component library and makes it easier for everyone to find what they need.

  Learn how to create and use variants →

  Create a component

  You can create a single component out of selection of layers. Or, create individual components in bulk from a selection of objects.

  Create a single component

  There are a few ways to create a component. First, you'll need to select the layers you'd like to include in the component. 

  1. Select the layers you’d like to be included in the component.
  2. You then have a few different methods for create a component:
     • Click Create component in the toolbar.
     • Right-click on your selection and choose Create component.
     • Use the keyboard shortcuts:
       • Mac: ⌥ Option - ⌘ Command - K
       • Windows: Ctrl + Alt + K
  3. Figma will nest the layers within a special component frame. Identify components in the Layers panel using the purple icon.
  4. In the right sidebar, add a Description and Documentation link for collaborators. Collaborators and developers can view this information in the Inspect panel.

  Tip! Figma will create a custom button if you add a link from any of the following domains:

  • Github
  • Notion
  • Storybook
  • Zeroheight
  • Confluence
  • Dropbox Paper

  Create components in bulk

  By default, the Create component action will create a single component from your selection.

  You can also create components in bulk. This allows you to select multiple groups or frames and create components out of them. Create multiple components from:

  • Objects and layers in frames
  • Objects and layers in groups
  • Single layers, like a path or vector network
  • Layers in a boolean operation

  Note: If you select more than one layer that isn't on one of the above configurations, Figma will create a component for each individual layer.

  1. Select the layers you want to create components from,
  2. Click the next to Create component in the toolbar.
  3. Select Create Multiple components from the options.
  4. Figma will create a component for each frame, group, boolean operation, or path.

  

• Create and insert component instances

  Who can use this feature

  Supported on any team or plan.

  Anyone with can view access to the file can use components from that library.

  New to components? Guide to style and component libraries →

  Components are UI elements that you can reuse across your designs.

  • The main component defines the properties of the element.
  • The instance is a copy of the component you can reuse in your designs.

  

  Create instances

  There are a few ways to create instances. Which method you can use depends on whether the components are published or local to the file.

  Method	Local components	Published components
  Assets panel	✓	✓
  Quick insert	✓	✓
  Copy/paste or duplicate	✓	✕

  Assets panel

  The Assets panel in the left sidebar allows you to search for components to add to your file. You can choose which libraries are available in the Assets panel.

  • Manage libraries for your drafts
  • Manage libraries in design files
  • Manage libraries in teams
  • Manage default organization libraries

  To open the Assets panel:

  1. Select the Assets tab in the left sidebar, or use the shortcut:
     • Mac: ⌥ Option 2
     • Windows: Alt + 2
  2. Find the component you want to use:
     • View Local components created in the current file.
     • Explore components from enabled libraries. Open the Library modal to manage available libraries.
     • View private local components and any components Used in the file.
     • Use the and to switch between grid and list view.
     • Use the search field to find components from any library you have access to. This includes team or organization libraries and files you have at least can view access to
  3. Click and drag the component into the canvas to create an instance of that component.

  

  Quick insert

  Insert instances of components from your keyboard using quick insert. Quick insert opens a Components modal where you can find and view components from enabled libraries. 

  The Components modal mirrors what you'd see in the Assets panel. Explore components from libraries you have access to:

  • Recently used components across all your files
  • Local components in the current file, organized by page
  • Select an enabled library to search components in that library

  

  You can keep the modal open while you interact with layers in the canvas or explore layers in the Layers panel.

  1. Use the keyboard shortcut Shift I to open quick insert. This mirrors what you'd see in the Assets panel.
     • Use the search field to find a specific component. Use your mouse or arrow keys to navigate to the relevant component.
     • Use the and icons to switch between grid and list view.
     • Select from Recent components used across your files, or select from an enabled library. If a library isn't showing up here, you'll need to enable the library first. Manage libraries in design files →
  2. To swap: Select or hover over the instance, then hold down ⌥ Option (Mac) or Ctrl (Windows). Swap components and instances →
  3. Press Enter to insert or replace the component.
  4. Click or press Shift I to close quick insert menu.

  

  Tip! You can keep the quick insert modal open and move it around within the file, allowing you to quickly assess components when editing files. It's not possible to minimize the modal.

  Copy or duplicate

  If you're working in the same file, you can copy a component to create an instance. There are a few ways to copy objects in Figma.

  • A

    Duplicate using the keyboard shortcut

    • Mac: ⌘ Command D
    • Windows: Ctrl + D
  • B

    Drag to copy

    Hold down ⌥ Option (Mac) or Alt (Windows) and drag to create an instance.

    Release the click before you release the modifier key. Otherwise, Figma will move the original component instead of duplicate it.

  • C

    Copy and paste

    Copy the component and paste it as an Instance using the keyboard shortcuts:

    • Mac: ⌘ Command - C and ⌘ Command - V
    • Windows: Ctrl + C and Ctrl + V
• Create and use variants

  Before you start

  Who can use this feature

  Variants are supported on any team or plan. Publishing component sets to a library is only supported Professional and Education teams, or Figma Organizations.

  Anyone with Can edit access to a file can create variants and component sets in that file.

  Anyone with Can view access to a file can use components or components sets from that library.

  As you create components and build out your design system, you'll find the need for components that are similar to each other, with only slight differences.

  For example: you might have multiple components for buttons, with separate components for various states and sizes, as well as light and dark modes.

  Variants allow you to group and organize similar components into a single container. This simplifies your component library and makes it easier for everyone to find what they need.

  Customize the properties and values of your variants, to take the guesswork out of your design system and bring your components closer to front-end code.

  Note: We don't recommend using variants to group different icons.If you have different sizes of the same icon, then you could combine these as variants instead.

  Variant properties and values

  Variant properties and their values allow you to define the attributes of your variants. Variant properties are a type of component property specific to variants and component sets.

  You can add as many properties and values as you need, and customize them to suit your design system. You can even map your properties and values to code components in your design system.

  • Variable properties are the variable aspects of our component. For example: the properties of a button component could be the size, state, or color.
  • Values are the different options available for each property. For example: the state property could have default, hover, pressed, and disabled values.

  All variants within the component set should use the same properties and values, but each variant needs to be a unique combination of them. You don’t need to have a component for every possible combination of properties and values.

  Rename your components

  Figma uses the slash naming system to organize components in the Assets panel and Instance menu. Each / in a component's name will create another level of hierarchy.

  This makes it easier to navigate your library, or find and swap related components. Learn how to name and organize components →

  Tip! You can rename layers in bulk using the rename layers modal. Learn more about renaming layers in bulk →

  You can also use this naming system to convert your existing components to variants. To be accurately converted, component names need to follow this structure:

  componentName/property1value/property2value/property3value

  • The text before the first / will become the name of the component set.
  • Figma will create a new property for every other / in the component's name, then add the attribute as a value.
  • If you have used suffixes in your naming system, you will need to add these to the component's name, separated by a /.

  Caution: To make sure your values match up with the same property, every component you are combining needs to have the same number of slashes.

  A button component with the name Button/Primary/Large/Default/False will have the following properties and values:

  Component set name: Button
  Variant: Primary
  Property 2: Large
  Property 3: Default
  Property 4: False

  In the image below, we can see how the rest of our component names (on the left) are converted to variant values (on the right).

  Organize components on the canvas

  Note: Component sets can only contain components, so it's not possible to add text or annotations, nest frames, or group a subset of variants inside a component set.

  When combining components as variants, Figma will apply your existing layout and spacing to variants inside the component set. We recommend organizing your components before converting them, to save you from having to rearrange them after.

  If you have a lot of variants for a particular component, you may want to organize your components in rows, columns, or grids.

  This will help to communicate their multi-dimensional nature to anyone who's using your design system. You can also add text layers beside your component set to annotate the relevant properties and values.

  In our example below, we've arranged our button variants in a grid. We've also added text layers to the canvas that correspond to a property's values.

  Tip! By default, component sets have a dashed-purple stroke and no fill. You can adjust the fill and stroke properties of the component set to better suit your brand or design system.

  Combine as variants

  1. Select the components you want to combine. Learn how to select layers and objects →
  2. In the right sidebar, click the Combine as Variants button.
  3. Figma will add all components to a single component set.

  

  Give properties descriptive names

  As part of the conversion process, Figma will create generic properties and add any attributes you added to the component's name as values.

  As Figma doesn't know the names of the properties, it will name the first property Variant, then number them sequentially: Property 2, then Property 3, and so on.

  You'll need to rename those properties to something more descriptive.

  1. Select the component set.
  2. View the current properties in the Variants section in the right sidebar.
  3. Hover over the property so a grey box appears around it.
  4. Click to edit the property and give it a more descriptive name.
  5. Click outside the property to apply.
  6. Repeat for the remaining properties.

  

  Note: Figma handles component sets the same way as regular components. You can add descriptions and links to documentation to them. You can also drag them into the canvas from the Assets panel, and swap between instances of them.

  Create new variants

  Note: Figma places variants in a single container called a component set. Component sets can only contain components. Click Create component in the toolbar, or use the keyboard shortcut to turn your selection into a component:

  • Mac: ⌥ Option ⌘ Command K
  • Windows: Ctrl + Alt + K

  Learn how to create components →

  There are a few ways to create a new variant. Select a main component and:

  • Click from the toolbar, or
  • Right-click the main component > Main component > Add variant, or
  • Click in the Properties section of the right sidebar > Variant. This creates a new variant property and turns the main component into a component set.
    From there, click below the component set to add a variant.

  Figma will do a few things:

  • Make an identical component with the same properties
  • Add both components as variants to a component set
  • If you used the slash naming convention, the text before the / will become the name of the component set, and the attributes after will be used as values.

  You can also create new variants by combining multiple components ↑. 

  If you have an existing component set, add more variants ↓ to it at any time. 

  Tip! By default, component sets have a dashed-purple stroke and no fill. You can adjust the fill and stroke properties of the component set to better suit your brand or style guide.

  Add properties and values

  Create and apply properties and values to your variants when you first create them, or as your design system evolves. Learn how to create and apply properties and values →

  Fix conflicted value errors All variants within the component set will use the same properties and values, but each variant needs to be a unique combination of them.

  If any variants have the exact same combination of values, Figma will let you know that there is a conflict. You'll see this error even if the variants themselves are visually different.

  To resolve this issue, you'll need to add or update the values of the affected variants, so they have a unique combination of values.

  Add more variants to a component set

  Continue to add variants to your component set using any of the following methods:

  • Select a component set and click in the toolbar.
  • Select a component set and click on just below the component set. You'll only see this option once you have at least two variants.
  • Duplicate existing variant using the keyboard shortcut:
    • Mac: ⌘ CommandD
    • Windows: CtrlD
  • Drag other components into the component set to add them as variants.

  Tip! Dragging in other components won't reflow existing variants. You can use Smart Selection to adjust the layout of your variants. Learn more about smart selection →

  Caution: When you add an instance with variants to a file, Figma will import every variant in that component set. Importing large component sets will impact Figma's speed and performance.

  Manage variants

  Organize variants

  When you add new variants to a component, Figma's default behavior is to add variants in a single column, with equal spacing between them.

  If you have your components in another layout before converting them, Figma will keep the same layout for the component set.

  You can override Figma's default behavior and arrange variants in any way you choose.

  • Select a variant and move it to new co-ordinates within the component set. Figma will allow you to place variants anywhere within the component set, including over the top of other variants.
  • Adjust the dimensions of the component set in the right sidebar, or resize it in the canvas like you would a regular frame.
  • With all variants selected: Use the fields in the right sidebar to adjust the horizontal and vertical space between variants.

  Note: Figma will use the variant in the top-left corner as the default variant. This variant will represent the entire component set in the Assets panel.

  Manage properties and values

  You can rename and reorder properties and values anytime after creation. Remove properties you no longer need. Learn how to rename properties and values →

  • If you reorder properties, Figma will adjust the name and syntax of your variants to match.
  • If you've converted your existing components to variants, you'll need to rename your properties to make them more descriptive.

   

  Fix corrupted variant errors You will get a corrupted variant error if any of your variants do not follow this syntax. This can happen if you mistype a property or value, or use an invalid naming structure when converting existing components.

  To fix this issue, you'll need to rename the properties and values of the variant. While it's possible to rename them using this syntax in the layer name, we recommend renaming properties and values in the right sidebar instead.

  Publish component sets to a library

  If you're a member of a Professional or Education team, or a Figma Organization, you can share your variants with collaborators.

  Publish component sets alongside your styles and regular components to allow members of your team or organization to use them.

  Component sets appear in the Assets panel alongside your other components. Figma will use the variant in the top-left corner of the component set as the default variant.

  Collaborators can then drag the component set into their files to create an instance. They can then access all the other variants in the component set by configuring the property values in the right sidebar.

  Learn how to publish libraries →

  Are you a member of a Figma Organization? Design system analytics allow you to see how members of your organization are using components and variants. Learn how to track component and variant usage →

  Use variants

  Component sets appear in the Assets panel alongside any regular components. So instead of looking for a specific variant in the Assets panel, you only need to select the component set.

  Once you have an instance of that component set on the canvas, you can configure the instance's property values to select a variant.

  Select component sets

  1. Click on the Assets tab in the left sidebar, or use the keyboard shortcut:
     • Mac: ⌥ Option 2
     • Windows: Alt + 2
  2. Click on a component set and drag it on to the canvas. Figma will create an instance of the default variant of that component set.
  3. View the component set's name and properties in the right sidebar.
  4. Use the next to the property to select your preferred combination of values.
  5. Turn specific properties off and on using the and toggle switches.

  Configure variants

  Select other variants in a component set by configuring the properties and values in the right sidebar.

  1. Select the instance.
  2. View the name of the component in the right sidebar. If the component has variants, you'll see fields underneath the component name to configure the properties and values of that component set.
     • Use the next to the property to select your preferred combination of values.
     • Turn specific properties off and on using the and toggle switches

  Override preservation

  Figma will attempt to preserve your overrides when you select a different variant, or swap between instances in the Instance menu.

  Figma uses the following criteria to determine whether to preserve an override:

  • Layer names need to match between the current instance and the variant or instance you're selecting. This applies both when swapping instances and selecting variants
  • When selecting variants, Figma will also check if the layer properties you’ve overridden originally match between variants. If so, Figma will preserve your overrides.

  In our example below, Figma preserves the fill override on Step 3, but not on Step 4. This is because the default primary button and hover primary button both started with the same fill of #1BC47D. Our override was to change the hex code from #1BC47D to #F531B3.

  Figma doesn't preserve our override in Step 4 as the hover secondary variant has a fill of #ffffff, which is different to the fill we applied our original override to (#1BC47D).

  

  Tip! If you're not sure what variants are available in a component set, or their original styling, you can view the component set in the original file. With the instance selected, click the next to the component name in the right sidebar.

• Create interactive components with variants

  Before you start

  Who can use this feature

  Supported on any team or plan.

  Anyone with can edit access can create interactive components.

  Anyone with can edit access to the file can publish components to a library.

  New to Prototyping? Check out our Guide to prototyping in Figma →

  About interactive components

  Interactive components allow you to create prototype interactions between variants in a component set. Any time you add an instance to your designs, those interactions are set up and ready to go. This saves you time when creating prototypes and prevents unnecessary noodle soup.

  • Create interactive elements that automatically switch between variants, like buttons that change from hover to pressed states.
  • Set default interactions at a component level and remove the guesswork when it comes to building prototypes.
  • Reduce the amount of frames and connections needed to prototype input fields, like a set of checkboxes or toggles.

  Note: Interactive components are an extension of variants. If you don't have a component set to work with, you'll need to create one first. Learn how to create and use variants →

  Before

  In the example below we've added all the possible connections to prototype a frame with five checkboxes. Without interactive components, we would need to duplicate the same frame 32 times and create 160 connections between them to prototype every possible combination.

  

  After

  With interactive components, we only need to add an instance of the checkbox to our design and its variant interactions are ready to go. When we view the prototype, Figma automatically switches between the checked and unchecked variants.

  

  Create interactive components

  You can only create interactive components using variants from the same component set. If you don't have a component set to work with, you'll need to create one first. Learn how to create variants →

  Create variant interactions

  Interactive components introduces a new prototype action: Change to.

  1. Select the starting variant for the interaction from within the component set.
  2. Navigate to the Prototype tab of the right sidebar.
  3. Click the on the right of the frame's bounding box and drag it to the destination variant. You can also click the in the Interactions section of the Prototype panel, set the action to Change to, then select the destination variant using the dropdown menu.
  4. Once the connection has been made, use the Interaction details panel to adjust the trigger and action.

  

  Note: The Change to action can only be used on variants in a component set. It's not possible to use this action between two separate components or top-level frames.

  Hands-on learner? Explore the interactive components playground file →

  Use interactive components

  Add instances of interactive components to your designs like any other component. The only difference is the instances already have interactions applied for prototyping.

  To use interactive components:

  1. Add an instance of an interactive component to a frame in your design.
  2. When you're ready to prototype your design, navigate to the Prototype tab of the right sidebar.
  3. Build your prototype.
  4. Preview designs and interactions in Presentation view.

  Note: Figma will use the existing rules to preserve any overrides you apply to the default variant in a component set. For example: changing the contents of a button label or swapping an icon.

  When you add an instance of a component set to the canvas, you also bring along the other variants in that component set. While you can technically still apply overrides to those other variants, Figma won't reflect those overrides in presentation view.

  Add more interactions

  When you're building a prototype with interactive components, you can add regular interactions on top of the variant interactions.

  In the example below, we have added an interaction with a click trigger on top of the variant interaction with delay.

  

  The interaction order will depend on whether the triggers you use are the same triggers as the variant interactions. Learn more about prototype triggers →

  Same triggers

  When both interactions use the same trigger, Figma will use the prototype interaction and ignore the variant interaction.

  For example:

  1. A toggle switch has an On click → Change to variant interaction between the On and Off variants in its component set.
  2. You add an On click → Navigate to interaction from the toggle switch to another frame.

  Figma will navigate to the next frame when the user clicks on the toggle switch.

  Different triggers

  When you add an interaction with a different trigger, Figma will play both the interaction and the variant interactions.

  For example:

  1. A button has an On hover → Change to variant interaction between the default and hover variants.
  2. You add an On click → Navigate to interaction when building your prototype.

  Figma will Change to the hover variant on hover , then Navigate to the next frame On click.

  View interactions

  When using interactive components, you will see separate sections for Interactions and Variant interactions in the Prototype tab of the right sidebar.

  • Use the Interactions section to create prototype interactions and animations
  • Use the Variant interactions section view a variant interaction's details

  Edit variant interactions

  You can override a variant interaction for an instance in your prototype. If you want to edit a variant interaction for the main component, you'll need to do so from the source file.

  To access a component set from an instance and make your edits:

  1. Select the instance.
  2. Click in the Instance section of the right sidebar.
  3. Select Go to main component.
  4. Navigate to the Prototype tab of the right sidebar.
  5. Make your edits to the variant interactions.

  Interactive components with custom fonts

  When using custom fonts for text inside interactive components, keep in mind that prototype viewers might not have those custom fonts installed on their devices. In these cases, Figma uses cached information about variants of interactive components to display custom fonts correctly when presenting a prototype, but may replace a font with Inter when we can’t both preserve text overrides and change font settings for an interaction.

  For example, let's say a person viewing your prototype doesn't have the custom font being used installed on their device. If an instance of an interactive component has a text overrides:

  • Figma may replace the custom font with Inter if the change in variants includes changing a font setting like weight or underline.
  • Figma will display the correct font if the change in variant isn't related to a font setting, like a button's background color.

  We recommend using Google fonts for prototypes that are being shared with viewers who may not have access to custom fonts in your designs. If your team is in a Figma Organization plan, you can ensure that all prototype viewers have access to custom fonts in your prototype by uploading them as shared fonts.

  Turn interactive components off or on for a file

  You can toggle interactive components off or on for a specific file. To do so:

  1. Open the quick actions search bar using the keyboard shortcut:
     • Mac: ⌘ Command / or ⌘ Command P
     • Windows: Control + / or Control + P
  2. Search Enable interactive components.
  3. Press Return / Enter or click the checkbox to toggle interactive components.

  •  

  Tip! Visit the Figma Forum to ask questions, share feedback, and connect with the Figma community!

• Swap components and instances

  Who can use this feature

  Supported on Education, Professional, and Organization, plans

  Anyone with can edit access to a file can insert components into a file.

  New to components and libraries? Guide to style and component libraries →

  Components let you create and reuse elements of your designs to speed up the process and keep things consistent.

  When building interfaces, we often switch between instances of these components for objects like icons, buttons, and cards.

  The Instance menu lets you quickly search, preview, and swap one component for another. There are a few ways you replace or swap instances in Figma.

  Want to swap instances in bulk? Use the Swap libraries feature to replace local instances with components from another library. Swap libraries →

  Note: Figma will try to preserve any overrides when you select a different variant, or swap between instances in the Instance menu. Learn more about override preservation →

  Instance menu

  The Instance menu allows you to find component replacements from the current file and any of your enabled team libraries.

  Access the Instance menu from the properties panel in the right sidebar, when you have a component selected.

  

  Figma orders components in the Instance menu based on the component's Name and Location.

  • Related components are components that share the same hierarchy. This includes components in the same file, page, and frame.
    
    For example: you can have a file containing your app's UI design system, a page for each operating system, and frames within each page where your components are grouped by type.

  • Figma also groups related components organized using the slash naming structure.
    
    For example: Figma considers UI/Button/Active, UI/Button/Hover, and UI/Button/Inactive as related components.

  

  Learn how to name and organize components →

  To swap an instance using the Instance menu:

  1. Select the instance you want to replace. Figma will display the name of the component in the Instance section of the right sidebar.
  2. Click the name of the component to open the Instance menu.
  3. Use the menu to navigate through components:
     1. Select from the group of related components for your selection.
     2. Use the field to search a component by name.
     3. Click to switch between enabled libraries.
     4. Click to navigate to a different group of components.
     5. Use the and to switch between grid and list view.
  4. Select an instance to replace the current selection.

  

  Assets panel

  The Assets panel in the left sidebar allows you to search for components to add to your file. You can find components from any libraries you have access to.

  You can drag a component onto the canvas to create an instance of that component. If you use the modifier key while dragging a component from the Assets panel, you can replace the existing component.

  1. Open the Assets panel and find the component.
  2. Hold down the modifier key: If the component isn't nested within another frame or component
     • Mac: ⌥ Option
     • Windows: Alt
     If the component is nested within another Frame or component
     • Mac: ⌥ Option - ⌘ Command
     • Windows: Alt + Control
  3. Drag the component above the instance you want to swap in the canvas.
  4. Release the mouse, then release the modifier key. If you release the modifier key first, Figma will only add the new component, not replace.

  Note: Figma only preserves text overrides. To keep any changes you've made to text layers, rename the layers so they're unique. If you swap a component with other overrides applied, we won't apply these to the new component. Learn more about overriding properties of an instance.

  Quick insert

  Swap instances of components from your keyboard using quick insert. Quick insert opens a Components modal where you can find and view components from enabled libraries.

  The Components modal mirrors what you'd see in the Assets panel. You can keep the modal open while you explore layers in the Layers panel. Select or hover over a layer or instance to replace it with another component.

  1. Select the layer or instance you want to swap.
  2. Use the keyboard shortcut Shift I to open quick insert. 
     • Use the search field to find a specific component. Use your mouse or arrow keys to navigate to the relevant component.
     • Use the and icons to switch between grid and list view.
     • Select from Recent components used across your files, or select from an enabled library. If a library isn't showing up here, you'll need to enable the library first. Manage libraries in design files →
  3. Hold down ⌥ Option (Mac) or Ctrl (Windows). Press Enter to replace the component.
  4. Click or press Shift I to close quick insert menu.

  

  Tip! You can keep the quick insert modal open and move it around within the file, allowing you to quickly assess components when editing files. It's not possible to minimize the modal.

  Right-click menu

  You can also use the right-click menu to switch between related components. This will only allow you to select components in the same frame or hierarchy.

  1. Right-click on the instance in the canvas.
  2. Hover over the Swap Instance option.
  3. Select an instance from the list of related components.

  

• Apply overrides to instances

  Before you start

  Who can use this feature

  Supported on Education, Professional, and Figma Organization, plans

  Anyone with Can edit access to a file can override properties of an instance in that file.

  Component libraries define and outline the ideal implementation of a design system.

  These components often contain generic information which designers will need to change, like the text on a button or the contents of a menu.

  Overrides are changes you make to the properties of a single instance. They allow you to customize an instance to suit its new context, or explore iterations of a design.

  Figma will record the changes you make to an instance and preserve them, even when you swap between instances or select different variants.

  

  Supported properties

  Figma supports overrides to text, fill, stroke, and effect properties. This allows you to make changes to the more superficial aspects of an instance.

  You can apply the following overrides:

  • Change text properties, including font, weight, size, line height, letter spacing, and resizing
  • Change the fill or stroke of any layers, including the fill type, value, and opacity
  • Add, edit, or remove any shadow or blur effects
  • Add, edit, or remove layout grids
  • Swap nested instances of other components, like icons
  • Add, edit, or remove export settings
  • Change the layer name

  It's not possible to make changes to the underlying structure of an instance. You can't override:

  • The order, or z-index, of any layers within the instance.
  • Position of any layers within the component, including items in an Auto Layout.
  • Any constraints applied to the layers.
  • The bounds of any text layers. You can still change a text layer's resizing properties.

  Tip! If you have applied an override to a specific Instance, copying that Instance will also copy the overrides.

  Preserve overrides

  Figma will attempt to preserve your overrides when you select a different variant, or swap between instances in the Instance menu.

  Figma uses the following criteria to determine whether to preserve an override:

  • Layer names and hierarchy need to match between the current instance and the variant or instance you're selecting. This applies both when swapping instances and selecting variants
  • When selecting variants, Figma will also check if the layer properties you’ve overridden originally match between variants. If so, Figma will preserve your overrides.

  The criteria is less strict for preserving text overrides. Figma will keep any changes you've made to text layers if the name of the text layer is the same between components. Figma will also check if the text layer's hierarchy is similar.

  Push overrides to main component

  You can choose to push your overrides back to the main component. This will apply your overrides to the main component, which will then update any other instances of that component.

  You can only push overrides if the main component is in the same file as the instance. It's not possible to push overrides to components in another file, including published libraries.

  Note: It's not possible to push overrides to a component that's nested within another component. You will need to make those changes to the main component itself.

  1. Select the instance with your overrides applied to it. You'll need to select the instance itself, and not a specific layer within it.
  2. In the right sidebar, click the next to the component name.
  3. Select Push overrides to Main from the options.
  4. Figma will apply your overrides to the main component.

  Tip! If you are working in a published library file, you will need to publish your changes to allow other instances to receive those updates. Learn how to publish updates to a library →

  Reset overrides

  Reset the instance to restore the properties of the main component. You can choose to reset the entire instance, or just a specific property.

  View any overrides for your current selection in the in Instance section of the right sidebar. From there, you can reset overrides for an individual property, or for the entire instance.

  • Select the entire Instance to view and reset overrides for the entire instance.
  • Select a specific layer to view and reset overrides for only that layer.

  1. Select the instance to view overrides for the entire instance, or a specific layer to view overrides for that layer only. Hold down the modifier key to selected a nested layer:
     • Mac: ⌘ Command
     • Windows: Ctrl
  2. In the Instance section of the right sidebar, click the icon.
  3. Figma will open a menu that allows you to view any overrides for your selection. Figma will only list properties that have overrides applied.
     • Select Reset [Property] to reset a specific property.
     • Select Reset All Overrides to reset all properties for that layer.
  4. Figma will reset the property to match the main component.

  Tip! If you know that you want to reset all overrides, you can also reset the instance in a few other places:

  • Right-click on the instance in the canvas and select Reset Instance
  • Click the Reset All Overrides button in the toolbar.
• Edit main components

  Who can use this feature

  Components are supported on any team or plan. You must be on a Professional, Education, or Organization plan to publish components to libraries.

  Anyone with edit access to the file can make changes to the main components in that file.

  New to components and libraries? Guide to style and component libraries →

  Any instance you create is linked to the main component. When you make changes to the main component, Figma will apply any changes you apply to any linked instances.

  If you are using instances within the same file as your main components, Figma applies changes immediately. If the components are published to a library, you need to publish those changes to see those updates in subscribed files.

  Update components

  To make sure Figma applies changes to all instances of a component, you will need to edit the main component. You can only edit main components in the original files where they live.

  • Unpublished components:

    If you're on the Starter plan, or haven't published the components to a library, you can edit your main components like you would any other layers.

    Figma will automatically apply any changes you make to the main component to any local instances in your file.

  • Published components:
    Figma will immediately apply any changes you make to any instances in that file. If you want those changes to apply to instances in other files, you will need to publish those changes to the Library.

  Want to change the location of components? You can move published components between files and libraries. Move published components →

  Find main components

  If you're working with instances in a separate file, use the Go to main component setting to open the library file. From there, you can apply any changes you want to the main component.

  1. Select an instance in the current file.
  2. Open the Design tab in the right sidebar.
  3. Click in the instance section to open the library file.
  4. Select the main component and make any changes. 

  Note: If you accessed the main component from another file, Figma will give you the option to Return to instance after making your changes.

  Push overrides to main component

  There may be situations where you want changes you've applied to an instance to apply to the main component as well.

  You can use the Push overrides to main component setting to apply any overrides to the main component. This will also update any other instances of that component.

  You can only push overrides if the main component is in the same file as the instance. It's not possible to push overrides to components in another file, including published libraries.

  Note: It's not possible to push overrides to a component that's nested within another component. You will need to make those changes to the main component itself.

  1. Select the instance with your overrides applied to it. You need to select the parent frame of the instance, not a sublayer.
  2. In the right sidebar, click next to the component name.
  3. Select Push overrides to main component from the options.
  4. Figma will apply your overrides to the main component.

  Publish changes to the library

  If you make changes to a published style or component, this will only apply those changes to instances in the current file. If you want those changes to be reflected in your library, you will also need to publish those changes to the library.

  Figma will display a blue dot on the icon in the Assets panel of the left sidebar to let you know if there are any updates that need to be published:

  Caution: You can only publish and use components via the library, on the Professional, Education, or Organization plans. Learn more about plans and pricing →

  1. Click either the Assets panel at the top of the left sidebar to open the library modal.
  2. Add a description of any decisions or changes. This will show in the file's version history, and the Updates tab of the Libraries modal.
  3. View a list of changes to the library. This details any styles and components added, modified, or removed.
  4. Choose which changes you want to publish:
     • Check individual components you do want to publish
     • Uncheck individual components you don't want to publish
     • Uncheck Changes to deselect all styles and components
  5. When you've finalized your styles and components, click the Publish button. Figma will show a notification to confirm your file has been successfully published.

  

  Publish styles and components →

  Note: By default, Figma will open the main component file in a new tab. Figma won't show you the Return to instance prompt, but you can switch between tabs to return to the original instance.