With the latest round of auto layout updates, learn how you can wrap objects to a new line, set minimum and maximum widths and heights, and truncate text based on a set number of lines.
Dylan’s recap of all the updates from the keynote, in a brand-new blog. “Our vision is to build a new kind of design tool — one that is designed for the entire product development team. Today’s launches reimagine how design and development come together in Figma. I’m excited to introduce three ways we’re doing this: making developers feel at home in Figma with Dev Mode, connecting design to the language of code with variables, and putting a step in between a 2D design and a shipped product with advanced prototyping.”
If you have time for only one thing this week, this should be it. First, Figma CEO Dylan Field introduces new features — variables, auto layout updates, and advanced prototyping. Then, CTO Kris Rasmussen talks about rethinking product building from the ground up and how the new Dev Mode is bringing design and engineering closer together. In the end, Dylan talks about file browser refresh, font previews, and what AI could look like in Figma — wrapping things up by announcing the acquisition of Diagram.
I watched every Config keynote over the years, and this year’s announcements were the most anticipated and ambitious ever. It’s incredible to see how Figma is growing in depth and breadth at the same time, now providing incredibly advanced tools while covering an entire product-building process from brainstorming to design to development. Exciting time to be a maker.
Not sure when this was shipped, but this is a fast way to add emojis without opening a picker!
pleasant surprise ☺️ @figma pic.twitter.com/es2TbwfzOh
— gaana! ✨ (@gaanasrini) June 16, 2023
Mal shows hot updates to the new FigJam app for the iPad! It got the new native toolbar with a fresh look and feel. The app was optimized for Apple Pencil, and now it supports a responsive experience for multitasking.
FigJam for the iPad here with some hot updates 🔥 Grab your Apple pencil ✏️ and draw, diagram, and even mood board. You can get the app on the App Store: https://t.co/OLj5XHZ5Ex pic.twitter.com/XfKWuZdOti
— Mal (see u at config) (@mdeandesign) June 13, 2023
Latest diagramming improvements in FigJam:
“Grab teammates’ attention in stickies or any text in your FigJam files by typing @ followed by their name.”
Designer Advocate Mal shows how to use the new memory control features: “To keep you informed of your memory usage, and any potential issues that may arise, we’ve adjusted our memory banners and alerts to live in the sidebar along with your pages and layers. We’ve also introduced a Memory use tool to surface memory consumed in your files by Page Content and Imported Components as well as the ability to show memory usage in the layers panel for all layers.”
Figma updated the memory use tool and warning experience! 🧵 here for more details 😍
— Mal (@mdeandesign) May 24, 2023
FigJam now got a dedicated iPad app. I hope they’re setting the ground for a full-featured Figma for iPad app? Anyway, the new icon is dope!
State management is now standardized for prototypes using interactive components, scrolling, and video so that Figma can memorize the state, share it across the frames, and offer a way to reset. See a deep dive by noodles expert Niko on how to use the new features. (Also, this is my kind of joke.)
“When you select multiple objects across multiple frames, holding Shift now gives you the option to align those objects as groups within their respective frames.”
“When you have multiple vertices selected in vector edit mode, you can now type Mixed + [value] into the X or Y input box to add the same value to each vertex.”
And a niche usability treat: we’ve added support for mixed math while in vector edit mode. Select multiple vertices or bezier handles and modify them all at once with MATH. pic.twitter.com/aSmSnyWhjT
— merp 👾 (@mollymerp) May 18, 2023
After adding screen readers support to Figma prototypes last year, now it’s introduced to FigJam. With this update, screen reader or keyboard users can move focus around the canvas, as well as between different menus and screens, to create, edit, and read out content. I love how these improvements make FigJam better for everyone: “Users can now navigate FigJam files using the Tab key to jump between objects on the canvas, as well as between text nodes for efficient editing. Hold Shift-Tab to tab in reverse.”
The accessibility team also shared a few tips on making FigJam files more accessible: provide “alt” text to images, use Sections to group content, numbered lists to describe order, and underscores to communicate fill-in-the-blanks.
A big update to FigJam — custom templates for your team, stamp your teammates’ faces to files and tag them with @mentions, emoji picker opens by typing a colon (“:”), custom color palettes (coming soon), UserTesting and Great Question integrations, Productboard widget, and new tunes! Also, explore new world-class teams’ templates and see a thread by Cai on the Figma design team’s rituals and templates they use in daily work.
Today we added 10+ new features and integrations to help you work your way in FigJam, including...
— Figma (@figma) May 9, 2023
1. Custom templates
2/3. Team face stamps and @ mentions
4. Custom colors (coming soon)
5. Emoji picker
…and more!https://t.co/osvMlinXQk pic.twitter.com/cmqcqBLTHB
In addition to a bigger release, there are a bunch of good quality-of-life improvements: toggling between thin and thick markers with Command–B (lovely animation!), an addition of Paste to replace (Command–Shift–V) command to FigJam, and connecting two objects by simply clicking on one object followed by clicking on another.
“Navigate FigJam files without taking your hands off your keyboard by using the Tab key to jump between objects on the FigJam canvas, like sections, shapes, and stickies. You can also tab between text nodes while editing text to rapidly make edits across your file. Hold Shift + Tab to tab back in the reverse direction.”
Admins now can select all users in the Members table in the admin console. New customers in Japan, Europe, UK, and Canada who require invoicing can now purchase an Organization or Enterprise plan in the local currency or USD.
Now in FigJam, you can access face stamps from anyone in your organization and add them to your FigJam file. Browse available face stamps in the More menu and easily change an existing face stamp to another teammate’s face. (Available on teams on the Organization and Enterprise plans.)
Amazing intro video of the 5x faster comment replies in the updated mobile apps. See also the comparison of performance before and after this release.
How do you do, fellow kids?
— Hugo (@_hraymond) April 11, 2023
A whole bunch of improvements have dropped on the @figma Mobile App, one of which is a much quicker way to react and reply to comments, check it out!https://t.co/CthBTjbrr8 pic.twitter.com/cv3PNQE9Sy
Is this an important update? No. But is it fun? Hell yes! The FigJam team keeps delivering the most delight per buck.
9/32 Haptics on desktop app (Mac)
— Figma (@figma) March 28, 2023
Feel design and collaboration coming together with new haptics when you emote, high-five in FigJam, and more.
(And if you don't like it, you can turn it on/off in Preferences) pic.twitter.com/9YVbEL7krk