Switching from Sketch to Figma

Hey @JannickB, welcome to Figma! Thank you for reaching out, and I completely understand how challenging transitions like this can feel. It’s great that you’re already diving into the process, and I’m here to help clarify your questions.

When you import Sketch files into Figma, all your Symbols (now converted into Components) will stay within the original file. To turn this file into a library:

1. Open the design file that contains the components.
2. Review the imported components to ensure everything looks correct and all connections are intact.
3. To move components into a dedicated library file:

• Create a new Figma file to act as your library.
• Copy the components from the original file and paste them into the new library file.

Figma makes it easy to maintain connections between instances and their main components. As long as you copy and paste the components into the library file (instead of recreating them), the instances in other files should automatically relink once the library is published.

To publish the new library:

1. Open your new library file.
2. Go to the Assets tab on the left-hand panel, then click the Library icon.
3. You’ll see a “Publish” button next to the file name. Click it to make the components available across your team.
4. After publishing, you can update your existing design files to point to the new library by relinking instances.

Here’s a helpful guide on how Figma libraries work compared to Sketch and tips for setting them up:

• What to expect when moving from Sketch to Figma
• How to publish and manage libraries

If you’re still unsure or are stuck at a specific step, feel free to ask more questions, I’m happy to guide you further!

Thank you for the quick reply.

If I understand it correctly when copying the components from a design file to a new file (before it ever being published as a library) the components will still be connected to the instances?

Hey @JannickB! If you have a Figma file with main components and instances already connected to those components, copying the design content (instances) into a new file while keeping the main components in the original file is the best approach.

This is because the connection between main components and their instances is tied to the file where the main components are located. Moving the main components to a new file can be riskier and more complicated, so it’s usually better to move the design content instead.

Let me know if this clears your question!

So the best course of action would be to:

1. Import the designs and the components in a single file from sketch to Figma
2. Copy the designs from the original file to a new file
3. Delete the designs from the original file
4. Publish the original file as a library
5. Connect the library to the new design file

Would this mean that the instances in the designs will be connected to the components in the original file or do I have to relink them manually?

I believe it’s important to note that Figma doesn’t automatically convert and connect main components with their instances during the import. You’ll likely need to manually set up the main components in Figma after conversion and then replace the appropriate layers in your designs with instances of those components.

Once that’s done, you can copy/paste the designs into a new file, clean up the mockups in your library file, and publish it as a library. It’s a bit of extra work, but it will ensure that everything is properly linked and organized moving forward.

Let me know if you need further clarification!