LAUNCHED: Moving or copying variables

Hi Celine,

Thanks for the update that allows us to copy-paste local variables. Though this is helpful for one-off local variables, it is still a manual solution that takes longer the more local variables you have. Would still prefer being able to move variables from one library to another using the cut/paste method - I voted for this feature request.

When I first tried to go step-by-step with the Help Center article, I struggled to find where the variables were after I pressed ‘Copy variables into this file’ from the toast notification. When I clicked ‘Local Variables’ from the right sidebar, it was empty. It wasn’t until I noticed that there was a new Collection on the dropdown menu that I realized the variables were copied over successfully. I suggest making it more clear that there are updates to the variables panel - perhaps with a blue badge similar to library updates.

Thanks!

Hi, it seems this is no longer working…? I dont get any new collection, or the popup that used to ask if i want to copy the variables over. Now nothing happens.

Thanks for your feedback @Cindy_Wong1 , we will share it internally.

@Julia57, this looks odd, we are not aware of this issue. If this still happens, I’d recommend you to reach out directly to the support team so we can take a look at it further: here
Be sure to use your Figma email account, include a quick video recording when you encounter the issue, share the URL of the file and add support-share@figma.com as an Editor in your file, so we can take a closer look. Thank you!

There is a great and cheap plug-in to help doing this - it can also add a lot of value for exporting and bulk editing variables. It’s a one time cost to get the plug-in. Of course would be great if its part of Figma, but until them I recommend this.

https://www.figma.com/community/plugin/1285971940276913396/heron-variable-tools

Hey All,

We just launched the ability to copy and paste variables across collections! 🚀

Thanks, this will help alot

It really should just be move not copy. I don’t need to duplicate all the variables. I need to move and reorganize them without breaking any links.

Both options should be available, as its also nice to be able to copy across files, create new similar variables, etc…

Move or Copy/Paste.

When I paste variables to another file they paste is a random order. Is it possible to fix this as it’s proper annoying.

Oh, and make it so you can reorder them properly rather than having to figure out dragging them in arse about face manner.

Buggy!

+1, I really need a way to move every variable from one file to another. I have to consolidate hundreds of variables and this process is insanely time consuming right now. At least have them paste to the new file in the same order they were copied!

I find it strange variables were launched without a way of copy or moving them between files like styles AND shift any aliases alongside it. Surely the mechanism to ‘move’ things is half there already, just allow variables AND styles to move.

I want to set up a base approach to styles and variables in a canonical library for how our agency builds websites and then copy that to a new library for each new client which then becomes the canonical library for that brand but I have to invest in third-party software to do this?!

Sometimes it feels like Figma product designers are building Figma just for people like themselves, big enterprise product companies that roll out monolithic design systems to lots of designers. There are lots of other types of users out there, like us, a digital agency that is building a new design system every project.

It's absurd that we still need a plugin to move something that was originally created natively. A year has passed, and Figma still hasn't addressed it.

UP post 👆 Keeping this embarrassing broken feature in the spotlight.

Any update on this yet? The manual work involved in inputting variables for a multi-brand design system is huge, we need a way to be able to move (maintaining aliasing and component application) and copy/paste variables between files. This is necessary to allow a design system to grow and develop organically rather than needing to have the entire thing perfectly planned from the outset (silly expectation, reqs change).

“Copy” is great and really helpful for some things, though I’d definitely also echo the desire for a “move” option.

Is it something that might be easier to offer on the collection level than for individual variables? I know for my use cases, I’d already be super happy with these expanded options at just the collection level:

Rename
Delete
-----------

Copy to file

Move to file

-----------

Create collection

I was actually trying to find a solution for this, not sure if is anyone else still searching for it now, but you can actually copy and paste all variables of a collection if you have all the columns required, just select copy and paste in the new file. 
Just need to create the right collections, the number of cols for each colection and copy paste the rows of variables.

Probably is a new functionality that wasn’t enabled before

It’s nice that we can copy now, but moving them (while keeping connections) would be a much bigger deal – and that’s not possible yet. 

Styles and components can be moved from one library to another, but if you have variables in a library, with thousands of instances across files, it’s basically impossible to move away from that library. 

Hey everyone,

I had the same issue and found a solution, pretty simple, actually. Save your file as a Local Copy, then import it into the workspace/location you want. Everything will remain the same: variables stay connected to styles and all. Hope this helps. Good luck!

Not sure how this helps with moving variables to other files without breaking connections.