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• View layers, pages and components (left sidebar)

  Before you start

  Who can use this feature

  Users on any team or plan.

  Users with can edit access can interact with all aspects of the Layers panel

  Users with can view access can only view the Layer list

  When you're in the Editor, you will see a sidebar on each side of the canvas. Along with the toolbar, these sidebars make up the Figma UI.

  The Figma UI allows you to access, create and adjust elements of your design.

  • The sidebar on the Right allows you to view and adjust the properties of any object. You can also access the file's prototype settings and view the code of any selected object(s). We refer to this as the Properties panel. You can learn more about the Properties panel.
  • The sidebar on the Left gives you access to the layers, assets and pages included in your file. We call this the Layers panel.

  In this article, we're going to get you up to speed using the sidebar on the left: the Layers panel.

  Open the Layers panel

  There are three heading at the top the Layers panel. You can use these to switch between each tab, or use the keyboard shortcuts:

  Mac

  • Layers panel and Page List: ⌥ Option - 1
  • Assets panel: ⌥ Option - 2

  Windows

  • Layers panel and Page List: Alt + 1
  • Assets panel: Alt + 2

   

  Tip! You can toggle visibility of the Layers panel using the keyboard shortcut:

  • Mac: ⌘ Command - Shift - \
  • Windows: Ctrl + Shift + \ 

  You can also toggle the visibility of the entire Figma UI by using the Show/Hide UI keyboard shortcut:

  • Mac: ⌘ Command - \
  • Windows: Ctrl + \

  This allows you to view your designs in the canvas, without the Figma UI.

  

  Layers 

  Any Frames, Groups or Objects you add to the canvas will be visible in the Layers panel. You can determine if a Layer is a Frame, Group or a specific type of Object by the icon next to it: 

  

  Figma nests any child objects within their parent Group or Frame. This allows you to collapse and expand layers within a group or Frame.

  New Layers will be added to the top of the list, or the top of the Group or Frame it is contained within. Or, just above the layer you currently have selected. 

  There are lots of interactions you can have in the Layers panel:

  • Select layers, groups and Frames
  • Adjust the z-index with layer order
  • Rename layers
  • Toggle layer visibility
  • Lock and unlock layers

  Tip! You can adjust the width of the Layers panel:

  1. Hover your cursor over the right-edge of the sidebar. A bidirectional arrow will appear.
  2. Click and drag to adjust the width of the panel.
  3. Release to set the sidebar width.

  Tip! You can enable or disable the Highlight Layers on Hover setting. Search for Highlight in the menu. Or head to Menu > Preferences > Highlight Layers on Hover

  Assets panel

  Components are aspects of your designs that you can reuse. These could be buttons or icons, or more complex UI elements like navigation menus or status bars.

  The Assets panel is where you can find all of your Components. You can drag any Component from the Assets panel into the canvas to create an Instance.

  To open the Assets panel, click on the Assets heading in the Layers panel.

  Or, use the keyboard shortcut:

  • Mac: ⌥ Option - 2
  • Windows: Alt + 2

  Once you've opened the Assets panel, you can:

  1. Use the Search field to find a specific Component. We look for Components in the current file, as well as any Libraries you have access to.
  2. Switch between a Grid and List view of Components
  3. Open the Team Library modal
  4. View Local Components that were created in the current file
  5. View Components that are Private to this file
  6. View Components that are Used in the file
  7. Explore Enabled Libraries

  

  Note: We group Components in the Assets panel by heading. If you have many Components, we present them as a path: file > page > Frame

  • Explore a file, page or Frame by clicking on the arrow to expand it
  • Collapse each heading to create more space in the Assets panel
  • We list enabled Team Libraries in the Assets panel
  • Create a Component Instance by dragging a Component from the Assets panel over the canvas

  Team Library

  Team Library allows you to publish Components from your files to your Library. You can then create Instances of your Components and use these in other files.

  If you are in a Professional Team, you can also access the Team Library from the Assets panel. Click the icon to open the Library modal.

  Learn more in our Getting started with Team Library article.

  Pages

  Within a file, you can create as many Pages as you need. 

  Each page has its own Canvas, where you can explore and iterate on your designs. You can even create separate Prototypes on each page. 

  Learn more about using pages in our Create and manage pages article.

• Design, prototype, and inspect (right sidebar)

  Before you start

  Who can use this feature

  Users on any team or plan.

  Users with can edit access to a file can access all of the Properties Panel

  Users with View access to a File can only access the Code section

  When you're in the editor, you will see a sidebar on each side of the canvas. Along with the Toolbar, these sidebars make up the Figma UI.

  The Figma UI allows you to access, create and adjust elements of your design.

  • The left sidebar gives you access to the Layers, Assets, and pages included in your file. We call this the Layers panel. Learn more about navigating the Layers panel.
  • The Design tab of the right sidebar lets you view and adjust the properties of any object. You can also access the file's prototype settings and view the code of any selected object(s) in the Inspect panel.

  In this article, we're going to take you on a tour of the right sidebar. There are three tabs at the top the panel.

  Design

  The Design tab allows you to view, add, remove or change the properties of objects within your design.

  When you have nothing selected in the Design panel, you will be able to view any Styles that are local to the file. You'll also be able to update the background color of the canvas.

  

  Once you select a layer, the Design tab will consist of many different settings. The type of layer you've selected will determine what settings are available in the Design tab.

  For example, select a text object to view and adjust the text formatting. When you select a component, you can view, detach, or swap instances in the Instance menu.

  

  Any properties that are currently active will show up in black. Inactive properties that aren't applied to the selected layer will show as greyed out.

  The following properties are available in the Design tab:

  • Alignment and Distribution
  • Frame Size and Orientation 
  • Position on the Canvas (X and Y) 🔗
  • Dimensions of the Object (Width and Height) 🔗
  • Instance 
  • Constraints 
  • Layout Grid
  • Layer (Blend Modes)
  • Text 
  • Fill 
  • Stroke
  • Effects 
  • Export Settings 

  Prototype

  The Prototype tab gives you access to all the prototyping functionality.

  This allows you to establish connections between frames in your design. You can then apply transitions that simulate how a user might interact with them.

  The Prototype tab consists of five sections:

  1. Choose an Interaction

     Allows you to define the Trigger, Action and Destination for any Interactions.

  2. Apply an Animation

     Allows you to define the Transition that moves the users between Frames. You can also adjust the Direction, Easing, Duration and Smart Animation.

  3. Customize an Overlay

     Allows you to create tool-tips, interactive menus, alerts or confirmations.

  4. Define the Overflow Behavior

     Allows you to define how your prototype responds to scrolling. This allows you to create more advanced user interactions e.g. carousels, galleries or interactive maps.

  5. Adjust the Prototype Settings

     Allows you to adjust the Device, Background, and Starting Frame of your prototype.

  

  Learn more about about prototyping in Figma →

  Inspect

  The third option in the right sidebar is the Inspect tab. This allows you to see how to express elements of your design in code.

  You can choose from the following formats:

  1. CSS (Web Development)
  2. iOS (Swift)
  3. Android (XML)

  You can also toggle between a Code and List view, using the icons provided:

  Learn more about using the Inspect panel →

• Access design tools from the toolbar

  Before you start

  Who can use this feature

  Users on any team or plan can access the toolbar in the Editor.

  Users will need can edit access to use every tool in the toolbar. Users with can view access can use some functions in the toolbar.

  The toolbar contains a variety of tools and functions you might use when in Figma. What appears in the toolbar depends on what you have selected on the canvas.

  Access the toolbar at the top of your screen in Figma.

  

  Menu

  Click the menu icon to access the main menu. The menu contains Figma's search feature and various other functions organized in the menu.

  Search by name, or browse by general section (e.g. file, Edit, View, etc). If there is a keyboard shortcut for the function you're trying to perform, Figma will list it next to the setting.

  • Back to Files: Open the file Browser in the current location.
  • File: Perform file-level permissions, including importing and exporting.
  • Edit: Access undo/redo, copy/paste, and advanced selection functions.
  • View: Control view settings for layout grids and rulers, perform zoom functions, and navigate within a file.
  • Object: Apply object-level functions like grouping, framing, rotating, and more.
  • Text: Format text with bolds or italics, and set size, height, and spacing.
  • Arrange: Tidy up objects with alignment and distribution functions.
  • Plugins: View, manage, and run any plugins you have installed.
  • Integrations: View, manage, and use any applications you have connected.
  • Preferences: Adjust your preferences.
  • Libraries: Open the Library modal.

  Tools

  Move and Scale tools

  When you open files in the Editor, Figma will select the Move Tool V by default .

  The Move tool allows you to select and reorder layers in the Layers Panel, or move objects around on the canvas.

  Click the arrow to the right of the Move Tool to access the Scale tool K. This allows you to resize entire objects or layers.

  Frame and Slice tools

  If you've used design tools before, you'll be familiar with Artboards. Like Artboards, frames allow you to choose an area of the canvas to create your designs in.

  Use the keyboard shortcuts A or F to select the frame tool. Create a frame with your own dimensions in the canvas, or select a frame size from Figma's presets in the right-hand panel.

  Click the arrow next to the frame tool to access the Slice tool. The Slice tool allows you to specify a region of the screen you want to export.

  Use the keyboard shortcut S to select the Slice tool.

  Shape tools

  In addition to drawing your own shapes using the Pen Tool, there are a number of default shapes you can use in Figma. Click the drop down menu to choose from:

  • Rectangle R
  • Line L
  • Arrow Shift L
  • Ellipse O
  • Polygon
  • Star
  • Place Image ⌥ Option ⌘ Command K

  Pen and Pencil tools

  The Pen tool P allows you create custom shapes and icons. Build complex Vector Networks using vector paths, anchor points, and bezier curves.

  The Pencil tool allows you to add freehand drawings or annotations to your design files.

  Figma will apply some basic smoothing to any paths you create with the Pencil tool. Press the Enter / Return key to edit the path and any anchor points in Vector Edit mode.

  MacOS: ⌥ Option P

  Windows: Shift P

  Text tool

  Text is one of the crucial components of interface design. Everything from the placement and arrangement of text, to the choice of font, has a part to play.

  Select the Text tool from the Toolbar, or press the T key to add text layers to your file.

  • Click once in the canvas to add a text layer that grows horizontally
  • Click and drag to create a text layer that is fixed in size

  Learn more about creating text layers.

  Hand tool

  The Hand Tool allows you to click around within a file without accidentally activating hover outlines, making selections, or moving objects.

  If you're using Figma on a device with a touch screen, the Hand Tool allows you to pan around a file using your fingers.

  Tip! Press and hold the Space bar to activate the Hand Tool.

  Comment tool

  The Comment tool allows you to quickly exchange ideas with collaborators. Use comments to respond to feedback, tweak your designs and iterate faster - all from the original design file.

  Comments are accessible to anyone with view or edit permissions to the file.

  Contextual tools

  When you have a layer or object selected, you will see the Contextual tools in the center of the toolbar. Which tools you see here will depend on your specific selection.

  Edit Object

  Click the Edit Object icon to enter Vector Edit mode. This allows you to add, remove, or adjust the individual anchor points within a vector path.

  This option will only be available when you select a single vector path. Learn more about working with Vector Networks.

  Or, click the Enter / Return key to enter Vector Edit mode.

  Reset Instance

  You will see this option when your selection includes a Component Instance with overrides. Click the Reset instance icon to reset any Overrides and restore the main Component.

  Create Components

  Components are elements that you can reuse across your designs. They help to create and manage consistent designs across projects. Click the Create Component icon to create a Component out of your selection.

  If you select more than one layer or frames, use the arrow next to the icon to choose how to create Components:

  • Create Component: Create a single Component from your selection.
  • Create Multiple Components: Create a Component for each layer or frame in your selection.

  MacOS: Control Commmand K

  Windows: Ctrl  Alt K

  Use as Mask

  Masks let you show or hide specific portions of a layer or object. Click the Mask icon to create a mask out of the current selection.

  When you create a mask, Figma will place every layer within that selection inside a Mask group. Figma will use the outline of the current layer to determine what you can see of any layers underneath.

  MacOS: Control Commmand M

  Windows: Ctrl  Alt M

  Boolean Operations and Flatten Selection

  Combine shape layers using Boolean operations, or by flattening the selection:

  • Union Selection: Combine overlapping vector paths into a single path.

  • Subtract Selection: Remove any overlapping paths from the base layer.

  • Intersect Selection: Create a single path from any overlapping paths.

  • Exclude Selection: Create a single path from the part of the layers that don't overlap.

  • Flatten selection: Create a single layer from the selection.

    MacOS: Commmand E

    Windows: Ctrl E

  Note: This option is only available when you have more than one layer selected.

  When you have no layers selected, Figma will show the project and the file name in the middle of the toolbar. This lets you access the following file-level actions:

  • Publish Styles & Components: Open the Library modal
  • Show Version History: Open Version History in the right-hand panel
  • Export: Open the Export List
  • Duplicate: Make a copy of the file in it's current location
  • Rename: Give the file another name
  • Delete: Delete the file for you any collaborators
  • Move to Project: Change the file's location

  Share and view settings

  Multiplayer and observation mode

  See who else is active on the file. This includes anyone who is currently viewing or editing the file.

  Click on a users' avatar to enter observation mode and view their actions in real-time. This is great for presentations and design critiques.

  Share

  Click the Share button to open the share modal. This lets you manage who has access to your file. From the share modal you can:

  • Invite Viewers or Editors to a file
  • Share files with others using Link Sharing
  • Transfer ownership of a file
  • Adjust permissions on a file
  • Remove a collaborator from a file
  • Prevent Viewers from copying, sharing, or export from files

  Present

  Click the Present icon to open the file in Presentation View. This lets you preview your designs and interact with any prototypes you've created.

  View Settings

  Adjust your view settings on your file, including:

  • Zoom Settings
  • Pixel Preview
  • Pixel Grid
  • Layout Grids
  • Multiplayer Cursors

  When you update these settings, they will only apply to your view of the current file.

• Explore the canvas

  Before you Start

  Who can use this feature

  Supported on any team or plan

  Anyone with can view access to a file can explore and move around the canvas

  The canvas in Figma is the backdrop on which all of your frames, groups, and other layers live. It has a finite size of -65,000 through +65,000 on each axis.

  By default, vectors are rendered as resolution-independent paths in the canvas though you can turn on Pixel Preview at 1x and 2x resolutions to enable pixel-precise editing for raster assets.

  The default background color of the canvas will be #E5E5E5, but you can change the background color in the Properties Panel by de-selecting any layers and clicking the color picker labeled Background.

  

  If you like having rulers visible on your canvas, you can use the Shift + R shortcut to enable them. You can also use the search feature under the menu icon to search for rulers. 

  

• Select layers and objects

  Before you Start

  Who can use this feature

  Users on Any plan

  Users with View or edit access to a File can select objects in the Canvas or Layers Panel

  Before you can update any properties associated with an object or layer, you will need to select it. We'll cover all the basics for selecting objects, as well as some lesser known tips and tricks.

  Select individual layers

  You can select layers in the canvas itself, or from the Layers Panel. Click on an object in the canvas to select it.

  

  Select nested layers

  If you're working on more complex designs, you may have objects nested within groups or frames.

  We refer to nested objects as children, and the Frames or Groups that they nest within as parents. Learn more about parent, child and sibling relationships.

  When you click on an object that is part of a group or frame, we'll select the parent by default.

  Double-click on the object - or press the enter key - to select one level of nesting down. Repeat this process until you select the correct child elements.

  Deep Select

  If there are many levels of nesting, you can use Deep select to select a nested child layer. Hold down the modifier key to select a nested layer or object.

  • macOS:  ⌘
  • Windows: Ctrl

  Select layer menu

  We have a couple of different ways to select nested objects. The Select Layer menu allows you to choose which specific you'd like to select, in the canvas.

  1. Right-click to open the context menu:
  2. Hover over the Select layer option.
  3. Select a layer from a list of layers underneath the cursor's location. We show the layer name and icon in the same order as the Layers panel.

  

  Tip! Move between nested objects using the keyboard shortcuts:

  • Select Child enter
  • Select Parent shift enter
  • Select Next Sibling tab
  • Select Previous Sibling shift tab

  Layers Panel

  Every object in the canvas will have a corresponding layer in the Layers Panel.

  Click the Layers tab in the left sidebar to open the layers panel. Or, use the keyboard shortcut:

  • MacOS: Option 1
  • Windows: Ctrl 1

  If you hover over the layer in the panel, a blue box will highlight that layer's location on the Canvas.

  Click on the layer name in the layers panel to select it.

  If there are any Frames or Groups on the canvas, we will nest the child objects within the parent. Click the arrow next to a Frame, Group, or Component to view any child layers.

  

  Can't see the layer highlight on hover? Adjust your preferences in the menu: select Preferences > Highlight on hover.

  Select multiple layers

  You can also select more than one object or layer at a time.

  This is great when you want to:

  • Update a property across more than one layer
  • Resize layers in bulk
  • Move a collection of objects
  • Create a Group, Frame, or Component from the selection

  Note: When you select more than one layer, you can access Selection Colors in the Properties Panel.

  This allows you to update individual Fills, Styles and Strokes in a mixed selection. Learn more in our View and adjust colors in a mixed selection article.

  Canvas

  1. Select an object in the Canvas.
  2. Hold down the Shift key and click on another object.
  3. This will allow you to select as many objects as you like.

  

  Tip! Click an object a second time while holding Shift to remove it from from the current selection.

  Selection marquee

  The marquee tool allows you to select all objects in a specific area of the canvas.

  1. Click and hold on a empty part of the canvas.
  2. Drag the cursor across any objects you'd like to select.
  3. A blue box will appear around each object are in the selection.
  4. To select nested layers, hold down the modifier key and drag the marquee across the objects:
     • Mac: ⌘
     • Windows: Ctrl
  5. To remove an object from the selection, hold down the Shift key and click on the object.

  

  Note: It's possible to select nested objects without selecting the parent object. This is something to be mindful of, especially when selecting objects to move them!

  When you select a parent object, this also selects any child objects. This allows you to move everything at once.

  Select multiple layers in the Layers Panel

  When you select layers in the Layers Panel, there are some different rules:

  To select every layers between two layers:

  1. Click on the first layer to select
  2. Hold down the Shift key
  3. Select the last layer.
  4. Figma will select every layer between those two layers in the Layers Panel.

  To select individual layers:

  1. Click on the first layer to select
  2. Hold down the modifier key
     • MacOS: ⌘
     • Windows: Ctrl (Windows)
  3. Select any other layers you want to select

  

  Select all layers

  The Edit menu allows to select multiple objects based on their properties. This allows you to select all layers in your file that have the same properties.

  This is super handy when you want to adjust the properties of all those layers at once.

  1. Select a layer or layers in the

  2. Go to the File menu ☰ and select Edit from the options.

  3. Choose to Select All other layers that have the same:

     • Properties
     • Fill
     • Stroke
     • Effect
     • Text Properties
     • Font
     • or another Instance

     

  Want to select everything on the canvas? Use the keyboard shortcut: macOS: ⌘ A Windows: Ctrl A

  Locked and hidden layers

  If you hide a layer we won't show in the Select Layer menu. You will need to toggle visibility on to select it.

  If you lock an object or layer, you can't select it via the normal left-click selection process. However, you can select it via the Select Layer process.

  We include locked layers in the Select Layer menu with a padlock icon.

  Tip! Smart Selection allows you to select 2 or more objects in the canvas. From there you can adjust their arrangement, or the spacing between them.

  Create a 1D Smart Selection from a list of objects that align on one axis, like a column or row. Or, a 2D Smart Selection of objects in a grid or gallery-like structure.

  Deselect objects or layers

  To clear your selection entirely:

  • Click anywhere on the canvas
  • Use the keyboard shortcut: Esc

  To remove an object from a selection:

  • Hold down the Shift key and click on the object again

  Note: If you click on a parent object, this will deselect the parent and any child objects within it.

  To select the inverse of your current selection:

  • Use the keyboard shortcut:

    macOS: ⌘ A Shift

    Windows:  Ctrl A Shift

  This removes the current selection, then selects everything on the canvas you didn't select before.

  Select objects in view-only mode

  There are a few ways to select objects in a file, but for collaborators with can view access, the experience is a bit different.

  When you make your selection in the canvas, Figma will:

  1. Outline your selection using a solid purple box.
  2. Outline the parent of your current selection using a dashed purple box.
  3. Show the name of the selected layer(s) at the top of the Inspect panel in the right sidebar.
  4. Show the Parent Component underneath the selected layer in the Inspect panel. Click the in the Inspect panel to select the parent component.

  

• Measure distances between layers

  Before you start

  Who can use this feature

  Users on any team or plan can use this feature.

  Users with can view or can edit access to a File can measure distances between objects in the canvas. You will need to have can edit access to access vector edit mode.

  Measure distances between objects in the canvas with measurement guides. This allows you to measure the distance between:

  • Vector shapes and paths
  • Text layers
  • Frames
  • Components
  • Groups
  • Guides

  

  Note: It's not currently possible to measure the distance between two guides. To calculate the distance between two guides, select the first guide and hover over the second guide. Figma will display the position of both guides on the axis so you can calculate the difference.

  Measure distances

  Measure distances between objects, even if they are nested within Frames, groups, or Components.

  1. Select the first object in the canvas.
  2. Hold down the modifier key:
     • MacOS: ⌥ Option
     • Windows: Alt
  3. Hover over the second object.
  4. Figma will display a red line between the two objects, as well as a measurement in pts (points).

  Measure distances between nested layers

  1. Select the first object in the canvas.
  2. Hold down the modifier keys:
     • MacOS: ⌘ Command ⌥ Option
     • Windows: Ctrl Alt
  3. Hover over the second object.
  4. Figma will display a red line between the two objects, as well as a measurement.

  Note: It's not currently possible to change the weight or color of the red measurement line. If you are working with similar or low-contrast colors, and want to see the measurement line, you can toggle the Fill visibility of the low contrast layer.

  Object bounds

  Figma will measure the distances between the bounds of each object - the bounding box that surrounds an object or layer.

  There are some situations of types of objects where this behavior may not be what you expect.

  • Strokes: If you have strokes applied to an object, Figma will measure to the object's bounds and not the outer limit of the stroke. You will notice this more on objects with Center or Outside stroke.
  • Text layers: Figma will measure the distance from the text layer's bounds. If you're wanting to measure to the baseline of the text, we recommend updating the bounds of the layer to match the baseline. You may also need to adjust the text resizing property.
  • Polygons and stars: If you have shapes with an odd number of sides, an object's bounding box may extend beyond the shape's dimensions.
    
    To snap the bounding box to the shape's true boundary, you can Flatten the shape. Right-click > Flatten, or use the keyboard shortcut:
    • Mac: ⌘ Command E
    • Windows: Ctrl E

  Overlapping layers

  Overlapping layers may prevent you from being able to measure the distance between nested objects. This includes masks, locked layers, and layers with low opacity fills.

  If you're having trouble measuring to a nested layer, we recommend you check the Layers Panel for any of the above layers.

  If there is a layer blocking your measurement, you can:

  • Toggle the layer's visibility to temporarily hide it. Use the keyboard shortcut:
    • MacOS: ⌘ Command Shift H
    • Windows: Ctrl Shift H
  • Toggle the Fill visibility
  • Reorder the layer so that it's below the layer you want to measure to
  • Hold down the modifier key to measure to a nested layer
    • MacOS: ⌘ Command Option
    • Windows: Ctrl Alt

  Tip! Want to add more permanent measurements to a file? Check out the Figma Measure plugin.

  Vector edit mode

  Measure between anchor points when you are in vector edit mode. Use this to measure distances between existing anchor points, or to create a new point.

  1. Select the object you want to edit.
  2. Click Edit object in the toolbar, or press the Enter / Return key.
  3. Click on an anchor point to select that point.
  4. Hold down the modifier key
     • Mac: ⌥ Option
     • Windows: Alt
  5. Hover over an existing to measure the horizontal and vertical distance between those two points.
  6. You can also use the measuring tool to see the distance between the selected point and a new anchor point. Click on the canvas to add a new point in that position.
  7. Press Enter / Return to leave vector edit mode.

  

• Adjust your view settings in the Editor

  Before you start

  Who can use this feature

  Users on any team or plan.

  Users with at least can view access to a file can adjust their view settings. These settings on apply to your view of the file.

  You can customize your Editor preferences in the View Settings menu. You can find this by clicking the Zoom dropdown in the top-right corner of the Editor:

  From here you can toggle your Global settings like viewing Layout or Pixel Grids and Multiplayer Cursors. You can also find your zoom settings here.

  Each setting in this list can be toggled off or on. If there is a check next to the setting then it is currently enabled. If there isn't a check, then it is currently disabled.

  You can then click on the setting from the menu to enable it.

  Zoom Settings

  Tip! Learn how to adjust the scale of the Figma Desktop App interface. If you're using Figma in a browser, use your browser's zoom settings to adjust the size of the interface.

  When you first open a File, the default zoom level will be set to Zoom to Fit.

  You may want to update this to a specific percentage, or use the controls to Zoom In or Zoom Out on the canvas. Any changes you make to the zoom settings will only apply to the current File.

  You have a number of Zoom settings available:

  1. You can use the field provided to enter a specific zoom percentage.
  2. Use the Zoom In and Zoom Out options to adjust the zoom level at pre-determined increments.
     
     Or, you can also use the keyboard shortcuts: Zoom In + Zoom Out -
  3. You can use the Zoom to Fit option Shift - 1 to fit the entire working area of the canvas in screen.
     
     

     Tip! You can also Zoom to Selection by using the keyboard shortcut Shift - 2

  4. You can also zoom to a specific percentage. This will display the canvas at the percentage of the virtual/actual pixel size.
     1. Zoom to 50%
     2. Zoom to 100%
     3. Zoom to 200%

  Tip! If you are opening a Figma URL that links to a specific node, the canvas will be zoomed to fit that specific node.

  You can also use your Trackpad or Mouse to zoom in and out on the canvas:

  Trackpad	Mouse
  Mac + Windows: Pinch two fingers together to zoom out Stretch two fingers apart to zoom in	Windows: Scroll the mouse wheel up (zoom In) or down (zoom Out). Apple Magic Mouse: Double-tap with one finger to zoom in and back out of a webpage or PDF.

  
  Pixel Preview

  By default, vectors in Figma are rendered as resolution-independent. This means that there aren't fixed resolutions for the paths you create in the canvas.

  To support pixel-precise editing, you can enable Pixel Preview. This allows you to preview vector objects in their rasterized format.

  You can view Pixel Preview in either 1x or 2x mode. This allows you to preview how objects will appear on both low and high resolution displays.

  1. Open the View Settings menu.
  2. Hover over the Pixel Preview option. This will open a menu that shows the setting as Disabled: 
  3. Select either 1x or 2x from the options: 

     

  4. A tick will appear next to the setting in the menu. You will also receive a notification in the canvas: 

  To disable:

  1. Head back to the View Settings menu.
  2. Hover over the Pixel Preview option.
  3. Select Disable from the options: 

  Tip! You can also use the Keyboard Shortcut to toggle Pixel Preview off and on:

  • MacOS: Control P
  • Windows: Control Alt P

  Pixel Grid

  For greater accuracy when placing and aligning objects, you can enable the Pixel Grid. 

  Each square in the Pixel Grid represents a single pixel, when exported at 1x resolution.

  1. Click on the View Settings menu:
  2. If there is no check next to it, you can select Pixel Grid to toggle this on:
  3. If there is already a check next to Pixel Grid, you can click it again to toggle it off.
  4. You can also use the keyboard shortcuts to toggle the Pixel Grid off and on:
     1. MacOS: ⌘ '
     2. Windows: Ctrl '

  Snap to Pixel Grid

  The Pixel Grid itself will only be visible at zoom levels of 400% or higher. If you want to use the Pixel Grid while zoomed out, the Snap to Pixel Grid setting is a great tool.

  When you enable this functionality we will align objects to the underlying grid when placing or moving them. This can help to prevent mis-aligned pixel errors when exporting elements.

  

  1. Click on the View Settings menu.
  2. Select Snap to Pixel Grid to toggle this on.
  3. If there is already a check next to Snap to Pixel Grid, click it again to toggle it off.
  4. You can also use the keyboard shortcuts to toggle the Pixel Grid off and on:
     • MacOS: ⌘  '
     • Windows: Ctrl Shift '

  Note: It's still possible to place Objects on sub-pixel values when using the Scale tool.

  Limitations of the Pixel Grid

  Both your browser and your hardware determine what 1 pixel corresponds to on your display.

  As you can use Figma on most operating systems and browsers - with a multitude of hardware options - "1 pixel" is not always the same as the next.

  For this reason, any pixels in Figma are really "virtual pixels".

  If you're wanting to work in a more resolution-independent manner, we recommend using Layout Grids to control placement and alignment of objects. Learn more about creating and using Layout Grids in our Layout Grids article.

  Layout Grids

  You can toggle the visibility of all Layout Grids in your Files, from the View Settings menu.

  This is great if you'd like to preview how a design will look, without having to remove or hide Layout Grids for individual objects.

  

  1. Click on the View Settings menu:
  2. If there is no check next to the Layout Grids option, click to display them:
  3. If there is a check already showing, clicking Layout Grids will hide them:
  4. You can also use the keyboard shortcuts to toggle Layout Grids:
     • MacOS:  Control G
     • Windows:  Ctrl Shift 4

  Learn more about creating and using Layout Grids in our Layout Grids article.

  Multiplayer Cursors

  If you're collaborating with other Team members in a File, you will be able to see their actions via the Multiplayer cursors.

  Your Team member's name and cursor will be shown next to their location on the canvas.

  

  If you don't want to be distracted by other Team member's actions, you can hide their cursors from your view.

  1. Click on the View Settings menu.
  2. If there is no check next to the Multiplayer Cursors option, click to display them.
  3. If there is a check already showing, click Multiplayer Cursors again to hide.
  4. You can also use the keyboard shortcut Option-Command-\to toggle Multiplayer Cursors.
• Color models in Figma

  Before you start

  Who can use this feature

  Colors are available on any team or plan

  Anyone with can edit access to the file can use the color picker and select a color model.

  There are lots of terms used to describe color. In this article, we use the term color model to describe the different ways your can represent a color.

  Figma allows you to see colors across five color models: HEX, HSB, HSL, CSS, and RGB.

  Switching between color models only affects how Figma describes colors, it doesn't affect how Figma renders them.

  

  Color profiles do affect how Figma renders colors. If you are using the Figma Desktop app, you can choose to apply a different color profile to your working space. 

  Regardless of your desired color profile, Figma exports all assets using the sRGB color profile. Learn about color management in the Desktop app.

  Color models in Figma

  By default, Figma represents color values using the HEX model. You can also view color notation for other models in the color picker.

  HEX

  Is the default color model in Figma and refers to the Hexadecimal color. This is an alphanumeric shorthand representative of the RGB values.

  Creators in web, or digital design refer to the notation for this color model as hexcodes.

  RGB

  RGB or Red Green Blue is the most commonly used color model.

  Every color that is rendered on a monitor or screen will be made up of varying amounts of Red Green and Blue.

  You may have also seen RGBa referenced in other resources. The a in RGBa stands for alpha, which represents the opacity of the color. This represents opacity as a value between 0 and 100%.

  HSB

  Hue Saturation Brightness is an alternative representation of the RGB model.

  This is based around how the human eye perceives color, versus how a display would (in RGB).

  All color models will have an additional Alpha channel (or value), which represents the Opacity of the color.This represents opacity as a value between 0 and 100%.

  HSL

  Hue Saturation Luminance is another color model based around how the human eye perceives color.

  Like HSB, it is an alternative representation of the RGB model. The main difference between HSB and HSL is how saturation and lightness are treated.

  CSS

  The CSS color model allows you to view or enter RGBa values using CSS syntax. This includes the format, followed by the values for each color: rgba(47, 128, 237, 1)

  Want to communicate colors to a developer or engineer? The CSS model lets you copy CSS-friendly notation for the selected color. This lets you paste this directly into a stylesheet, formatting included. Learn more about Developer Handoff.

  View Color models in the Color Picker

  While Figma exports everything in the sRGB color model, you may want to view colors in another color model.

  View and update colors across different color models in the Color picker.

  1. Click on the Fill or Stroke in the right sidebar to open the Color picker.
  2. Below the Hue and Opacity sliders you can see the current color model and the corresponding values.
  3. Use the drop down to switch color models. Choose between HEX, HSB, HSL, CSS and RGB:
  4. Figma will show the values in the notation you selected.