Patrick Morgan Profile picture
Aug 15, 2022 18 tweets 34 min read Read on X
I asked designers for their favorite @figma keyboard shortcuts.

220+ responses and hours of synthesis later...

Here are the top 10 keyboard shortcuts to supercharge your workflow:
@figma #10: Copy properties → ⌥ ⌘ C

Easily transfer styles from one shape to the next. Amazing!

via @ImAndrewPons copy properties
@figma @ImAndrewPons #9. Pick color → ⌃ C or I

Just tap `⌃ C` or `I` and be amazed as a color picker appears out of thin air.

And here I was using the Apple digital color meter like a chump…

via @TeeAnn__ pick color
@figma @ImAndrewPons @TeeAnn__ #8. Scale tool → K

Put your proportional scaling troubles to bed.

Tap 'K' to switch from the move tool (V) to the scale tool and resize away!

via @SuperAmar Scale
@figma @ImAndrewPons @TeeAnn__ @SuperAmar #7. Copy as PNG → ⇧ ⌘ C

Endless exports be gone!

Copy a PNG to the clipboard with this shortcut and be on your way!

via @joeyjungle Copy as PNG
@figma @ImAndrewPons @TeeAnn__ @SuperAmar @joeyjungle #6. Duplicate selection → ⌥ (while moving) or ⌘ D

It's only right that there are two ways to duplicate:

Hold ⌥ while moving a Frame to summon a copy from the great beyond.

Or just whack ⌘ D.

The choice is yours!

via @liz_shinn Duplicate selection
@figma @ImAndrewPons @TeeAnn__ @SuperAmar @joeyjungle @liz_shinn #5. Quick actions → ⌘ P or ⌘ /

Command palettes are so hot right now 🔥

Figma's is already strong and I imagine it will only grow stronger with time.

via @pherkan quick actions
@figma @ImAndrewPons @TeeAnn__ @SuperAmar @joeyjungle @liz_shinn @pherkan #4. Paste to replace → ⇧ ⌘ R

Might this be the lowest profile, highest utility feature ever created?!?!

It's not sexy, but it's a workflow beast.

via @TheObiLeonard Paste to replace
@figma @ImAndrewPons @TeeAnn__ @SuperAmar @joeyjungle @liz_shinn @pherkan @TheObiLeonard #3. Show/Hide UI → ⌘ . or ⌘ \

Are you presenting and want to clear away the clutter?

Or maybe you're on a laptop and need more space?

The show/hide shortcut has your back.

Show the UI you need, just when you need it.

via @ProductDisrupt show-hide
@figma @ImAndrewPons @TeeAnn__ @SuperAmar @joeyjungle @liz_shinn @pherkan @TheObiLeonard @ProductDisrupt #2. Undo → ⌘ Z

We all know designers never make mistakes 😉.

But in those rare instances when we do, it brings us a deep comfort to fall back on old faithful: ⌘ Z to undo.

via @abbybright14 Undo
@figma @ImAndrewPons @TeeAnn__ @SuperAmar @joeyjungle @liz_shinn @pherkan @TheObiLeonard @ProductDisrupt @abbybright14 #1. Add auto layout → ⇧ A

The tutelage of @zander_supafast is spreading far and wide:

“Whack shift A! Lovely Jubbly! Supafast!”

via @oamclean add auto layout
@figma @ImAndrewPons @TeeAnn__ @SuperAmar @joeyjungle @liz_shinn @pherkan @TheObiLeonard @ProductDisrupt @abbybright14 @zander_supafast @oamclean Honorable mention: Mental health shortcut → ⌘ Q

Don’t forget this critical part of the design process and go touch grass! 🍀

via @RicoSmith_ quit
@figma @ImAndrewPons @TeeAnn__ @SuperAmar @joeyjungle @liz_shinn @pherkan @TheObiLeonard @ProductDisrupt @abbybright14 @zander_supafast @oamclean @RicoSmith_ And if you want a powerful tool for referencing or studying Figma keyboard shortcuts, you're in luck!

I built a @NotionHQ database containing all 155+ @figma keyboard shortcuts with flash card visuals, favoriting and more...

Available now on @gumroad!

itspatmorgan.gumroad.com/l/figma-shortc…
@figma @ImAndrewPons @TeeAnn__ @SuperAmar @joeyjungle @liz_shinn @pherkan @TheObiLeonard @ProductDisrupt @abbybright14 @zander_supafast @oamclean @RicoSmith_ @NotionHQ @gumroad That does it!

If you enjoyed this thread:

1. Follow me @itspatmorgan for more systems and tools for design
2. RT the tweet below to share this thread with your audience
@figma Also, for anyone who's wondering, these are ordered by the total number of submissions from the community.

Not super scientific, but also not just my preference!
@figma If you dig this thread, come join my growing positive design community 'Better By Design', where we dig into nerdy design stuff like this every week. 🤓 🎨

itspatmorgan.substack.com

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More from @itspatmorgan

Feb 25, 2023
Feeling like your @figma account could use some tidying? I know, I've been there.

Here are the 8 steps I follow to build a file thumbnail component that's minimal, consistent, and scales:
1. Make a Frame that's the right size (1600x960 suggested)

Name it 'File Thumbnail'
2. Match the Frame background color to the theme you prefer

(use color #FFFFFF for light, #2C2C2C for dark)
Read 12 tweets
Aug 17, 2022
I bet you recognize this emoji: 🎸

But have you ever wondered why the @Fender #Stratocaster became so iconic?

Here are three reasons it's a timeless design:

itspatmorgan.substack.com/p/design-grati…
@Fender Rams Principle #1: It’s innovative

The #Strat has many little innovations, but a big one is the tremolo.

#Fender’s unique design opened up a new level of expression for the instrument.

That expressiveness became an iconic, sonic building block for Clapton, Hendrix and more!
@Fender Rams Principle #2: It makes a product useful

Its form is lovely, but its function is superb. As Eric Clapton once said:

“...With the #Strat its functionality really steers it. That’s what makes the design so beautiful. It’s superbly thought out.”
Read 4 tweets
Aug 8, 2022
Once you craft a presentation in @figma, traditional slide tools just feel... insufficient.

But to unlock that power, I needed to set guardrails to give structure to the blank canvas.

7 small enhancements made all the difference:
@figma 1. Keep it to one presentation per file

I set that limit because I found it became hard to find old presentations if I tucked them away in multiple pages of one file.

File level separation resolves that issue. One presentation per file
@figma 2. Use a basic, but clear page structure

Main: The presentation itself, so that it loads by default when the file opens.
Extra: Fully fledged ideas that just didn’t make the final cut.
Archive: Ideas you probably won’t come back to, but... just in case... 😎 File page structure
Read 10 tweets
Apr 26, 2022
For those interested in my @figma project cover organization and workflow, here’s a quick intro to the library I maintain for my team to make designing in Figma even easier.🧵
The Project Thumbnail - I use it across my files for organization. I have a primary light variant for most projects and a secondary dark variant for libraries. I nest a Status component in each alongside the @jupiterone logo which comes from our logo library.
The Doc Page - I use this as a backdrop behind individual components in our UI libraries. I prefer a page separated component library, so this helps me avoid unwanted nesting in the Assets panel when looking for components.
Read 10 tweets

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