How to Create a Component in Figma: Step by Step for Beginners
· 3 min read · by the ProFigma team
A component is a design you build once and use many times. Buttons, cards, navigation bars and form fields are the usual first ones. When you change the original, every copy follows, so one edit updates the whole design. This guide shows how to create a component in Figma, from the first click to editing and reusing it.
Before you start: set up the layers
A good component starts with tidy layers. Do these three things first:
- Put everything inside one frame. This becomes the component.
- Turn on auto layout (Shift + A) so padding and spacing adjust when the text changes.
- Give the layers clear names, for example "Label", "Icon" and "Background". You will thank yourself later.
Step 1: Select the layers
Click the frame or the group of layers you want to turn into a component. For a button, select the button frame with its text inside it.
Step 2: Create the component
Use any of these:
- Click the Create component button in the toolbar.
- Right click and choose Create component.
- Press Ctrl + Alt + K on Windows or Option + Command + K on Mac.
The layer gets a purple diamond icon in the layers panel. That marks it as a main component. Name it with a slash to group related parts, such as "Button / Primary". Figma shows the slash names as folders in the Assets panel.
Step 3: Place instances
Instances are the copies you use in your designs. There are three easy ways to place them:
- Copy the main component and paste it where you need it. The pasted copy is an instance.
- Hold Alt and drag the main component to duplicate it as an instance.
- Open the Assets panel and drag the component onto the canvas.
Instances show an empty diamond icon. They follow the main component.
Step 4: Edit the main component
Select the main component and change anything: color, radius, spacing, font. Every instance updates at once. This is the real value of components. A design with 40 buttons needs one edit, not 40.
Use overrides on instances
Instances can be different from the main component in some ways without breaking the link. You can change the text, swap fills, hide a layer or change an icon. These changes are called overrides. They stay on the instance, and the rest still follows the main component. If you reset overrides, the instance goes back to the original.
Add variants for states and sizes
One button is rarely enough. You need primary and secondary, small and large, default and disabled. Instead of making many components, add variants to one component. Select the main component, click the plus next to Variants in the Design panel, and set the properties such as Size and State. Figma groups the variants into a component set that you can switch from the right panel on any instance. Our guide to component properties and variants explains the options.
Mistakes beginners make
- Skipping auto layout. The component breaks as soon as the text is longer than the sample.
- Using hard coded colors. Use color styles or variables so a theme change takes one edit.
- Detaching too soon. If an instance is almost right, try an override or a variant first. See how to remove or detach a component for when detaching is right.
- Vague names. "Frame 214" is hard to find in the Assets panel.
Quick answers
What is the shortcut to create a component in Figma?
Ctrl + Alt + K on Windows and Option + Command + K on Mac.
What is the difference between a main component and an instance?
The main component is the original. Instances are the copies that follow it.
Can I turn a component back into a frame?
Yes. Undo right after creating it, or create an instance, detach it and delete the original.
To see well-built components, copy a few from our free Figma components and look at their layers and variants.
