Figma has revolutionized the world of UI/UX design, offering a collaborative and versatile platform for creating stunning interfaces. But what happens after you’ve crafted your masterpiece? Knowing how to effectively download assets and designs from Figma is crucial for developers, marketers, and anyone involved in bringing your vision to life. This comprehensive guide will walk you through every aspect of downloading from Figma, ensuring you can seamlessly export your work in the optimal format for any purpose.
Understanding Figma’s Export Capabilities
Figma offers a wide array of export options, allowing you to download individual layers, groups, frames, and entire components. You can customize the file format, resolution, and even add prefixes and suffixes to your filenames. This flexibility ensures that you can tailor your exports to meet the specific requirements of your project.
Key Export Settings:
- File Formats: Figma supports a variety of file formats, including PNG, JPG, SVG, and PDF. The best format for you depends on the type of asset you’re exporting and its intended use.
- Resolution: You can control the resolution of your exported images by specifying a scale factor (e.g., 1x, 2x, 3x) or a specific width and height. This is particularly important for ensuring your assets look crisp and clear on different devices.
- Suffixes: Adding suffixes to your filenames is a great way to organize your exports and ensure that developers can easily identify the correct asset for each screen or component. Common suffixes include `@2x`, `@3x`, `_dark`, and `_hover`.
- Prefixes: Similar to suffixes, prefixes can be used to categorize your assets, especially when working with large design systems.
- Exporting Code: While not strictly a download, Figma allows you to inspect and copy code snippets (CSS, iOS, Android, React Native) for your designs, facilitating seamless integration with development workflows.
Step-by-Step Guide to Downloading from Figma
Let’s dive into the practical steps of downloading assets from Figma. We’ll cover different scenarios and provide detailed instructions for each:
1. Selecting the Elements to Export
Before you can download anything, you need to select the elements you want to export. This can be a single layer, a group of layers, a frame, or even an entire page.
How to Select Elements:
- Using the Layers Panel: The most common way to select elements is through the Layers panel on the left side of the Figma interface. Simply click on the layer name to select it. You can select multiple layers by holding down the Shift or Cmd/Ctrl key while clicking.
- Clicking on the Canvas: You can also directly click on elements on the canvas to select them. If an element is nested within a group or frame, you may need to double-click to drill down to the specific layer you want to select.
- Right-Clicking: Right-clicking on an element on the canvas provides a context menu with options to select parent frames or specific layers within a group.
2. Accessing the Export Settings
Once you’ve selected the elements you want to export, you need to access the export settings. There are two primary ways to do this:
Option 1: Using the Export Panel
- Select the element(s) you want to export.
- Look for the “Export” section in the right-hand sidebar. If you don’t see it, ensure that the selected element is something that can be exported (e.g., a vector shape, an image, a frame).
- Click the “+” button to add a new export setting. This will reveal the format, size, and suffix options.
Option 2: Right-Clicking and Selecting Export
- Select the element(s) you want to export.
- Right-click on the selected element(s).
- Choose “Export…” from the context menu. This will open the export settings directly in a modal window or in the right-hand panel.
3. Configuring the Export Settings
This is where you customize how your assets will be downloaded. Let’s go through each setting in detail:
a) File Format
Click the dropdown menu to choose the desired file format. Here’s a breakdown of the most common options:
- PNG (Portable Network Graphics): PNG is a raster graphics format that supports lossless compression and transparency. It’s ideal for icons, logos, and illustrations with sharp edges and transparency. PNG files tend to be larger than JPG files. Use PNG when quality and transparency are paramount.
- JPG (Joint Photographic Experts Group): JPG is a raster graphics format that uses lossy compression to reduce file size. It’s best suited for photographs and images with complex gradients. JPG doesn’t support transparency. Be mindful of compression levels, as high compression can lead to noticeable artifacts.
- SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics): SVG is a vector graphics format that uses XML to describe images. It’s ideal for icons, logos, and illustrations that need to scale without losing quality. SVG files are typically smaller than PNG or JPG files and can be edited in a text editor. Use SVG for elements that need to be responsive and scale well on different devices. Not suitable for photographs.
- PDF (Portable Document Format): PDF is a versatile format for documents that can contain text, images, and vector graphics. It’s often used for exporting entire screens or components as a single file. While technically you can export from Figma to PDF, it’s often better to copy and paste vector information if the end goal is to edit the vector information.
b) Resolution (Scale)
The resolution setting determines the size of your exported image. You can choose from several options:
- 1x: Exports the image at its original size.
- 2x: Doubles the size of the image (recommended for high-resolution displays).
- 3x: Triples the size of the image (suitable for very high-resolution displays).
- 0.5x: Halves the size of the image.
- Specific Width/Height: You can also specify a custom width or height for your exported image. Figma will automatically scale the image to fit the specified dimensions.
Best Practices for Resolution:
- For web assets, 1x is often sufficient for standard displays, while 2x or 3x is recommended for retina displays.
- For iOS development, use 1x, 2x, and 3x assets for different screen densities.
- For Android development, use different resolution assets (mdpi, hdpi, xhdpi, xxhdpi, xxxhdpi) to support a wide range of devices.
c) Suffix
The suffix setting allows you to add a custom suffix to the filename of your exported asset. This is a great way to organize your exports and provide context for developers.
Examples of Suffixes:
- `@2x`: Indicates a high-resolution asset.
- `_dark`: Indicates a dark-mode version of the asset.
- `_hover`: Indicates the hover state of the asset.
- `_active`: Indicates the active state of the asset.
- `_disabled`: Indicates the disabled state of the asset.
d) Prefix (Less Common)
While less common than suffixes, prefixes can also be useful for categorizing assets, especially in large design systems. For example, you might use prefixes like `icon_`, `button_`, or `logo_` to group related assets together.
e) Ignore Overlapping Layers (For SVG Exports)
When exporting SVGs, Figma provides an option to “Ignore overlapping layers.” This can be useful for simplifying complex vector graphics and reducing file size. However, it’s important to preview the exported SVG to ensure that it looks as expected.
4. Downloading Your Assets
Once you’ve configured your export settings, it’s time to download your assets.
a) Downloading Individual Assets
If you’re exporting a single layer, group, or frame, simply click the “Export” button next to the export setting. Figma will download the asset to your computer’s default download location.
b) Downloading Multiple Assets
If you’ve selected multiple elements, you can download them all at once by clicking the “Export [Number] Assets” button at the bottom of the Export panel. Figma will create a ZIP file containing all of the exported assets.
c) Using the “Export All” Feature
For larger projects, you may want to use the “Export All” feature. This allows you to export all of the assets that have been marked for export in your Figma file.
How to Use “Export All”:
- Go to the “File” menu.
- Select “Export All…”
- Choose a location to save the ZIP file.
- Click “Export.”
Important Note: The “Export All” feature only exports elements that have an export setting defined. If you want to export everything, you’ll need to add an export setting to each element.
Advanced Export Techniques
Now that you’ve mastered the basics of downloading from Figma, let’s explore some advanced techniques that can help you streamline your workflow and optimize your exports.
1. Using Components and Variants
Components and variants are powerful features in Figma that allow you to create reusable design elements and manage different states or variations of those elements. When exporting components, Figma automatically generates the necessary assets for each variant, making it easy to create comprehensive asset libraries.
Exporting Component Variants:
- Create a component with variants.
- Select the main component instance.
- Add an export setting to the main component. Figma will automatically apply this setting to all variants.
- Download the component. Figma will create separate assets for each variant, named according to the variant properties.
2. Utilizing Export Presets
Figma allows you to save your export settings as presets, which can be useful for quickly applying the same settings to multiple assets. This can save you a lot of time and effort, especially when working on large projects with consistent export requirements.
Creating an Export Preset:
- Configure the export settings for an element.
- Click the dropdown menu next to the file format.
- Select “Create new preset.”
- Give your preset a name.
- Click “Create.”
Applying an Export Preset:
- Select the element(s) you want to export.
- Click the dropdown menu next to the file format.
- Select the preset you want to apply.
3. Automating Exports with Plugins
Figma has a thriving plugin ecosystem, with many plugins that can automate various aspects of the export process. These plugins can help you generate assets for different platforms, optimize images, and even upload assets directly to your project’s codebase.
Examples of Useful Export Plugins:
- Export Kit: A comprehensive plugin for exporting entire designs to HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
- ImageOptim: A plugin for optimizing images and reducing file size.
- Iconify: A plugin for accessing a vast library of icons and exporting them in various formats.
- Anima: A plugin for creating interactive prototypes and exporting them to code.
4. Inspecting Code for Development
While this isn’t strictly exporting, Figma allows you to inspect code snippets directly within the design environment. This is invaluable for developers as it provides CSS, iOS, Android, and React Native code for selected elements.
How to Inspect Code:
- Select the element you are interested in.
- Go to the “Inspect” tab in the right sidebar.
- Choose the platform (CSS, iOS, Android, React Native) from the dropdown.
- Copy the generated code snippet.
Troubleshooting Common Export Issues
Even with a solid understanding of Figma’s export capabilities, you may encounter occasional issues. Here are some common problems and their solutions:
- Images are blurry: Ensure that you’re exporting at a sufficient resolution (e.g., 2x or 3x) for the target display. Also, double-check that the original images in your design are high-resolution.
- Transparency is not working: Make sure you’re exporting in a format that supports transparency, such as PNG or SVG.
- File sizes are too large: Optimize your images using a tool like ImageOptim or TinyPNG. Consider using JPG for photographs and SVG for vector graphics.
- Assets are not named correctly: Double-check your suffix and prefix settings. Ensure that you’re using consistent naming conventions throughout your project.
- Exporting is slow: If you’re exporting a large number of assets, it may take some time. Try exporting in batches or using a plugin that optimizes the export process.
- Elements are missing from the export: Verify that all of the elements you want to export have an export setting defined. Also, check that the elements are not hidden or masked.
Best Practices for Figma Exports
To ensure a smooth and efficient export workflow, follow these best practices:
- Plan your export strategy: Before you start designing, think about how you’ll need to export your assets. Define your file formats, resolutions, and naming conventions upfront.
- Use components and variants: This will save you time and effort when exporting assets for different states or variations of your designs.
- Create export presets: This will allow you to quickly apply the same settings to multiple assets.
- Organize your layers: Use clear and descriptive layer names to make it easier to find and select elements for export.
- Test your exports: Always preview your exported assets to ensure that they look as expected.
- Document your export process: Create a guide for your team that outlines your export strategy, naming conventions, and any other relevant information.
- Utilize Figma’s Version History: Before making significant changes to your design that might affect exports, create a version. This allows you to revert if necessary.
Conclusion
Downloading assets from Figma is a fundamental skill for any designer, developer, or project manager. By mastering the techniques and best practices outlined in this guide, you can streamline your workflow, optimize your exports, and ensure that your designs are implemented flawlessly. Experiment with different export settings, explore the power of plugins, and don’t be afraid to iterate on your process until you find what works best for you. Happy designing and exporting!