Disable 'observe' mode

This realtime observation thing is an abomination! Never felt so uncomfortable using a tool like this one, my first days using Figma and I’m very disapointed with this.

this doesn’t work well if you use variables or layer styles.

It would be great to have this feature, as it’s a must have.

 New css to hide:

.multiplayer_view--multiplayerView---Lf04 {display: none;}

Use Case: Designers/PMs in enterprises need to share designs to multiple customers who copy/past designs to customise it. Customers should not know from each other.

Problem: In Figma you see the cursor, comments from other people, observing other viewers. 

Proposed feature: ‘Confidential shared file’ option to disable observe mode & seeing who has access to the file & who is in the file in viewing mode.

The current Observation Mode in Figma is only useful in very specific cases—mainly when someone is explaining something without using screen sharing. Outside of this, it serves little to no practical benefit and can actually create a negative experience for designers.  

One of the biggest downsides of Observation Mode is the constant feeling of being watched. Designing is a creative and iterative process, and knowing that someone could be passively observing your every move can be uncomfortable, distracting, and even stressful. It’s akin to having a colleague stand behind you and watch over your shoulder while you work, which is rarely a productive or welcome experience.  

Some users resort to working in a separate file to avoid this issue, but that comes with its own serious drawbacks:  
- Losing critical component links and connections to the main file  
- Potentially breaking the design structure  
- Increased effort to merge changes back into the original file  

Given these significant downsides, Figma should introduce a global option to completely disable Observation Mode for users who prefer to work without this level of visibility. This would allow teams to preserve the benefits of collaborative work while still giving individuals the autonomy to protect their creative process from unnecessary surveillance.  

This is a must-have feature that would enhance both privacy and workflow efficiency, making Figma a more user-friendly design tool for professionals.

I have researched and read all the comments and designed something for this! Disable Observe Mode Design Idea  I know there are many different issues, but in my opinion, the main problem is that we just don’t want to feel like someone is watching us while designing. At the very least, we should be able to disable observe mode for an hour or set who can observe us—just like the 'Do Not Disturb' mode on Apple devices. 

I’m having this same issue with Miro

https://community.miro.com/ideas/hide-my-cursor-4709

One commenter there says Mural has quite granular controls over the collaborative features / cursors.

Clearly these collaboration features are a sticking point across all platforms that implement them.

I can’t believe there isn’t a proper fix for this yet. For me this is worse than a missing feature, because it’s a feature that actively makes me uncomfortable in the product and makes me want to use something else.

Still not possible after 4 years?

Funny to see all those AI features but no essentials and basics “features” like this one...

Not trying to start an argument here, but I’m not sure what some people are asking for who wish to fully hide.

Working on a collaboration tool without visibility makes absolutely no sense. If project file layouts changed without any indication that someone was editing them, working on a shared project would be nearly impossible. Imagine designing a website while three anonymous users randomly edit elements—without any visibility of who is doing what. That would never work.

Being anonymous in files (cursor only) is almost just as problematic for various reasons.

My team and I have been using Figma for over five years, and I’ve never heard anyone say that multiplayer mode / observe feature violates their privacy or makes them feel uncomfortable. The entire point of Figma is collaboration and visibility.

If the collaboration feature feels like a spying tool, I’d suggest reflecting on your workflow and whether the working environment is the right fit.

Personally, I hope we never see this feature implemented.