Figma Variables

What are Figma Variables?

Figma Variables are dynamic values that you can use throughout your design projects to maintain consistency and adaptability.

By defining variables for common properties like colors, typography, and spacing, you can easily update your designs from a single source, ensuring uniformity and flexibility.

Unlike Styles, Variables are built to hold one or more single, reusable values, but only one value can be expressed at a time.

Benefits of Using Figma Variables

1. Consistency and Uniformity

Variables ensure that your design elements remain consistent across your project. By using variables for properties like colors and typography, you can maintain a cohesive design language throughout your entire project.

2. Efficiency and Speed

Using variables speeds up your design process. Instead of manually updating properties across multiple elements, you can change the variable’s value, and all linked elements will update automatically. This allows you to focus more on the creative aspects of design.

3. Easy Maintenance

Updating designs is simpler with variables. Changes made to a variable automatically propagate to all instances where it is used, ensuring your design stays up-to-date without manual adjustments.

4. Enhanced Collaboration

For teams, variables make collaboration more efficient. Designers can work on different parts of the project while maintaining a consistent design language, reducing the risk of discrepancies and miscommunication.

Key Features of Figma Variables

1. Variables

Define properties that can be used across your entire project. This includes colors, font sizes, spacing values, and more, ensuring consistency throughout your design.

2. Modes of Variables

Modes are values of a particular variable. You can have only 1 mode, or multiple modes to maintain different values for different versions of your design. They are commonly used to define the light and dark modes of the design.

3. Variable Groups

You can further organize variables by adding them to groups within a collection. For example, use one group for colors used for text, and another for colors used on strokes.

Practical Use Cases

1. Creating Design Systems

Variables are foundational to design systems. By defining variables for colors, typography, and spacing, you can create a comprehensive design system that ensures consistency across your entire product.

2. Theming and Branding

Use variables to manage different themes and branding guidelines. By defining variables for brand colors and fonts, you can quickly switch between different themes, for example between light and dark mode of the app's design.

How to Create and Use Figma Variables

Step 1: Define Your Variables

Start by defining the variables you need for your project. This could include colors, font sizes, spacing values, and more. Create these variables in the Figma Variables panel.

Step 2: Apply Variables to Elements

Apply your defined variables to elements in your design. For example, use color variables for backgrounds and text, and spacing variables for margins and padding.

Step 3: Update Variables as Needed

When you need to make changes, update the variable’s value in the Variables panel. All elements linked to this variable will update automatically, ensuring consistency across your project.

Step 4: Customize with Variable Overrides

Customize specific elements using variable overrides. This allows you to change certain properties for individual elements without affecting the overall design.

Step 5: Link Variables for Dynamic Updates

Link related variables together to create dynamic, interdependent properties. This is useful for maintaining a cohesive design scheme that updates automatically.

Summary

Figma Variables are a powerful tool for creating consistent, adaptable, and efficient designs. By mastering variables, you can maintain a uniform design language, speed up your workflow, and enhance collaboration within your team. Whether you’re building a comprehensive design system, designing responsive layouts, or managing branding guidelines, Figma Variables provide the flexibility and control you need.