Roles in Figma

Who can use this feature

Roles are supported on the Professional, Organization, and Enterprise plans.

Figma has two products: Figma design and FigJam. Everyone on a paid plan (Professional, Organization, or Enterprise) will have a role on each product.

A person's role determines their billing status; if they’re included in your billing. It also controls what activities they can do in design or FigJam files. There are three roles: viewer, viewer-restricted, and editor.

On an organization plan (Organization and Enterprise), a person’s team, project, and file permissions also affect their access.

Who can manage roles

Only admins can manage roles for other members and guests.

• Professional plan: team admins can manage roles and permissions.
• Organization plan: only organization admins can manage roles. Team admins manage team-level permissions.
• Enterprise plan: organization admins can manage roles for anyone in the organization. Workspace admins manage roles for people in workspaces they manage. Team admins manage team-level permissions.

Types of roles

Viewer

Viewer is an introductory role that removes barriers to collaboration for new members and guests. Figma doesn't include viewers in the organization's billing.

Viewers can upgrade themselves to a paid editor role by performing an upgrade action. Admins don't need to approve these upgrades: 

• Share a file from their drafts to the organization
• Make an edit to a team or organization file when it is shared with can edit permissions (Professional and Organization plans)
• Click Edit file to edit a file (Enterprise plan only)
• Join a team that doesn't have any editors
• Create a file within a team project

This allows people to get the access they need without requiring approval. Figma only includes them in the organization’s billing when they signal their intent and take an explicit edit action.

Viewer-restricted

Viewer-restricted members and guests can only take some actions within an organization. Figma doesn't include anyone with a viewer-restricted role in the organization's billing.

Admins have explicit control over if and when they get an editor seat. People with viewer-restricted roles can’t upgrade themselves to an editor role.

These members and guests need to request an editor upgrade if they want to edit on Figma design or FigJam. Admins can approve or ignore their request to upgrade them to a paid editor seat on that product.

Editor

Editors are billable members and guests that have edit access to at least one team, file, or project. Despite their billing status, editors don't have edit access to the entire organization, just the resources they have can edit permissions on.

Figma includes anyone with an editor role in the organization's billing. Both members and guests can have editor roles.

Admins can review and manage roles of any editors. They can also downgrade roles before confirming or finalizing billing.

Viewer versus viewer-restricted?

When you add people to a team or organization, Figma gives them an introductory viewer role. Viewers can upgrade themselves to an editor role by performing an upgrade action.

People with a Viewer-restricted role have explicitly restricted access. Viewer-restricted users need to request an upgrade, which can be approved by an admin.

Activities

Some activities are restricted to specific roles. We’ve broken these down into general activities, and activities in Figma design and FigJam files.

General

Action	Viewer	Viewer - restricted	Editor
Create and edit files in drafts	✓	✓	✓
Create new files in teams	Upgrade action	Drafts only	✓
Create new projects	✓	✓	✓
Create new teams	✓	Can create team, but not any files in that team	✓
Duplicate Community files	✓	✓	✓
Request to edit a file	Upgrade action	Requires admin approval	✓
Share files or libraries from their drafts	Upgrade action	✕	✓
Invite people to teams, projects, or files	✓	With can view access only	✓
Join open teams	✓	Can view only	Can view by default
Request to join closed teams	Can view or can edit	Can view only	✓
Access secret teams (by invite only)	✓	✓	✓
Get edit access to organization files via link sharing	Upgrade action	✕	✓
Use styles from libraries	In drafts	In drafts	✓
Insert components from libraries	In drafts	In drafts	✓
Create and share libraries with the team or organization	Upgrade action	✕	✓

Figma design files

Action	Viewer	Viewer-restricted	Editor
Open and view design files	✓	✓	✓
Select layers in the left sidebar or canvas	✓	✓	✓
Move, edit, or delete layers	✕	✕	✓
Measure distances between layers in design files	✓	✓	✓
Use the inspect panel to view layer properties	✓	✓	✓
Edit design and prototype properties	✕	✕	✓
Insert components from libraries	In drafts only	In drafts only	✓
Use styles from libraries	in drafts only	In drafts only	✓
Add, reply to, or resolve comments	✓	✓	✓
View the version history of a file, then duplicate or share links to specific versions	✓	✓	✓
Create and name file versions, or restore previous versions of a file	✕	✕	✓
View and interact with prototypes and presentations	✓	✓	✓
View existing prototype flows and connections	✓	✓	✓
Create or edit prototype connections	✕	✕	✓
Save a local copy as .fig (see note below)	✓	✓	✓
Copy frames, components, and layers (see note below)	✓	✓	✓
Export frames, layers, and assets in design files (see note below)	✓	✓	✓
Move and adjust layers on the canvas	✕	✕	✓
Create branches (Organization and Enterprise only)	✕	✕	✓

FigJam files

Action	Viewer	Viewer - restricted	Editor
Pan and zoom in a board	✓	✓	✓
Select, move, and order objects	✕	✕	✓
Add, reply to, or resolve comments	✓	✓	✓
Add temporary emotes	✓	✓	✓
Use cursor chat	✓	✓	✓
High-five collaborators	✓	✓	✓
Copy objects on the board	✓	✓	✓
Export selection as an image	✓	✓	✓
Export board as an image	✓	✓	✓
Export stickies to CSV	✓	✓	✓
Follow along in observation mode	✓	✓	✓
Join audio calls (with captions)	✓	✓	✓
View and interact with link previews	✓	✓	✓
View timer	✓	✓	✓
Use templates in drafts	✓	✓	✓
Use templates in team files	✕	✕	✓
View and use toolbar	✕	✕	✓
Create stickies, shapes, connectors, and text	✕	✕	✓
Use marker, highlighter and eraser	✕	✕	✓
Add stamps to the board	✕	✕	✓
Use stickers from libraries	In drafts	In drafts	✓
Add components from libraries	In drafts	In drafts	✓
Insert code blocks, widgets, or media (Images, GIFs, videos, links)	✕	✕	✓
Interact with widgets	✕	✕	✓
Run plugins in FigJam files	✕	✕	✓
View the version history of a file, then duplicate or share links to specific versions	✓	✓	✓
Create and name file versions, or restore previous versions of a file	✕	✕	✓