6 Essential Figma Shortcuts for UI Designers: Boost Your Productivity

In the fast-paced world of UI design, efficiency isn't just about speed; it's about making room for creativity and innovation. Figma has become an indispensable tool for UI designers, streamlining the design process with its collaborative features and intuitive interface. However, even the most seasoned designers might not be aware of all the shortcuts that can further enhance their productivity. In this blog post, we’ll uncover six Figma shortcuts that every UI designer should have in their arsenal to speed up their workflow and make their design process more efficient. 

Auto Layout: Organize Elements Quickly 

Auto Layout is a powerful feature in Figma that allows designers to create responsive designs by automatically adjusting and resizing elements based on their contents and the constraints you set. This feature is particularly useful when you’re working with elements that need to be consistently aligned or need to adjust dynamically as you edit content. 

How to Use: 

• Select the items you want to apply Auto Layout to. 

• Press 'Shift + A' to activate Auto Layout. 

This shortcut instantly organizes your selected elements, making it easier to manage complex designs and ensure consistency across your project. Auto Layout adapts to different screen sizes, making your designs more flexible and responsive. 

Pro Tip: Use Auto Layout in combination with constraints to make your designs even more adaptable to different screen sizes. 

Quick Actions: Access Commands Faster 

Quick Actions is a time-saving feature that helps you find and execute commands without having to navigate through menus or remember specific shortcuts. 

How to Use: 

• Press 'Cmd (Mac) / Ctrl (Windows) + /' to open the Quick Actions search bar. 

• Type the action you are looking for. 

• Hit Enter to execute the command. 

This shortcut is incredibly useful for speeding up your workflow by allowing you to quickly access a wide range of commands, from aligning objects to opening the Layers Panel. 

Pro Tip: Regularly use Quick Actions to learn new shortcuts and commands within Figma, enhancing your efficiency. 

Stroke Swap: Swap Fill & Stroke Easily 

Sometimes during the design process, you might decide that what was initially a fill should become a stroke or vice versa. Figma makes this swap easy with a simple shortcut. 

How to Use: 

• Select the object whose fill and stroke you want to swap. 

• Press 'Shift + X' to swap the fill and stroke. 

This shortcut is handy for experimenting with different design styles without manually adjusting the properties each time, especially useful in logo design or icon adjustments. 

Pro Tip: Experiment with different fill and stroke options to discover unique design styles. 

Scale Tool: Resize with Precision 

Resizing elements is a common task in UI design, and Figma’s Scale Tool allows for precise adjustments while maintaining the element's proportions. 

How to Use: 

• Select the object you want to resize. 

• Press 'K' to activate the Scale Tool. 

• Drag with the arrow key to scale the object to your desired size. 

Using this shortcut ensures that your elements are scaled correctly, maintaining their proportions and alignment relative to other elements. 

Pro Tip: Hold Shift while scaling to constrain the scaling to the original proportions. 

Copy and Paste to Replace: Update Components Swiftly 

When updating components in Figma, it’s often necessary to replace an existing component with a new one. Figma streamlines this process with a simple shortcut. 

How to Use: 

• Copy the component you want to use as the replacement. 

• Select the target component you want to replace. 

• Press 'Cmd (Mac) / Ctrl (Windows) + Shift + R' to replace the selected component with the copied one. 

This shortcut is incredibly efficient for updating components across your design, ensuring consistency without the need to manually replace each instance. 

Pro Tip: Use this shortcut to quickly iterate on designs based on user feedback or testing results. 

Conclusion 

Mastering these shortcuts can significantly enhance your efficiency and productivity in Figma. By integrating these shortcuts into your daily workflow, you can spend less time on repetitive tasks and more time on creativity and innovation in your UI designs. Whether you’re a seasoned designer or new to the platform, these shortcuts are essential tools to help you work smarter, not harder. 

We encourage you to share your favorite Figma shortcuts or tips in the comments below. Let's learn from each other and continue to push the boundaries of what's possible in UI design.