In this article, you'll learn how to install plugins in Figma. You'll also get to know some really cool Figma plugins that every designer and developer should use.
Plugins help make your design process easier and smoother. From image assets to embedding maps into your designs, plugins are easy to use and they help you create beautiful, complex designs in less time.
How to Install Plugins on Figma
Figma makes it easy for you to install plugins which are quite essential for your designs. You can install plugins from different places.
How to install a plugin from your account
To install a plugin from your account, you just have to:
- Login to your Figma account
- Click on Explore Community at the top-left corner of your screen:
3. Select Plugins from the options at the top:
4. Search for your preferred plugin and install it:
Click on the plugin name to open the plugin page and learn more about it.
You can also see plugins already installed on your Figma account.
How to install a plugin in the file
- Right click on the canvas – your cursor could be positioned anywhere.
2. Hover your cursor on Plugins, which will bring up all installed plugins.
3. Scroll down to Browse plugins in Community and click on it. This will open Figma Community in a separate tab.
How to Add Plugins on a PC
There are quite a number of ways to add plugins to your designs.
Add plugins from the File menu
Access the File menu at the top left corner of your screen in Figma. The File menu contains functions like edit, view, and text. You can also run your plugins from the menu.
- Click on File Menu
2. Hover your cursor on Plugins, which will bring up all your installed plugins.
3. Click on your preferred plugin and apply it to your design.
How to add plugins with Ctrl+/
This is a Quick Action that helps you locate items, including plugins on your Figma file.
- Press Ctrl +/ on your keyboard. This action will lead to a window pop-up.
2. Input the name of the plugin on the pop-up window. There could be different plugins with similar names. In this case, Figma displays all related plugins so you can pick the exact one you want.
3. Press Enter or click on the plugin, once you find it, to start using it in the file.
8 Figma Plugins Every Designer Should Know
There are lots of really helpful Figma plugins out there. Here's 8 really cool ones.
Iconify
Designs can seem incomplete without icons. From Google Material Icons to Carbon icons, this Figma plugin has a wide collection of icons that many developers use to create beautiful, modern user interfaces.
You can get icons in your preferred color, width, height, and size. You can also generate your SVG icon with this plugin.
Pattern Hero
This plugin helps you with different beautiful patterns for your designs. You can shuffle the patterns, and work with different templates. You can also create grids and textures.
Unsplash
You need beautiful pictures to create beautiful designs. This amazing plugin helps you import images for your designs at a single click.
Using Unsplash, you won't need to waste your time searching through various portals for images – you get to download free images directly to Figma. You don't need to worry about the quality of the photos, as Unsplash images are usually of a very high quality.
Remove Backgrounds
Sometimes we download nice pictures for our designs, only to notice that the background of the image does not fit with the design.
As the name implies, the Remove Backgrounds plugin allows you to remove the background from your images. Just keep in mind that you do have to create a remove.bg account before you can use this plugin.
Mapsicle
You don't need to use screenshot images for maps ever again. The Mapsicle Plugin helps you place maps easily into your designs.
With this plugin, you can search for any location in the world, and embed a map into your design. You can also adjust the style of the map.
UI Gradients
Gradients make designs look unique. uiGradients is a great gradient palette with tons of ready-to-use gradients for your next amazing design.
With this plugin, you don't have to worry about which hue is perfect for your design. Just go through the gradients and find the combination that works for you.
Table Generator
Table Generator saves you the time when you're data tables. You just have to copy and paste your data in and voilà! Your table is generated.
This plugin enables you align text, add constraints to your cell frame, and lots more.
StorySet
This is an illustration plugin that lets you add illustrations to your work. StorySet contains hundreds of beautiful illustrations that you can use for your design. What's more, you can edit the illustrations' colors, styles, and backgrounds. You can also animate.
Conclusion
Plugins are essential when you're creating sophisticated designs. Just find the ones useful to you and learn how to add them to your designs.