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LAUNCHED: Search for files when you start a new tab on desktop


Vanessa_Moh

I’m so used to the browser pattern when when you want to look up something, you open up a new tab to search for it. I keep finding myself doing that with figma where I open a new tab to open up an existing file. It makes me want to search file titles and be able to open it from the new tab rather than clicking back to the home tab and sifting through my files.

22 replies

111571
  • 1 reply
  • May 19, 2021

“Open recent files” feature by clicking and holding “+” button on a files tabs panel.

Like in browsers. Really miss this feature.


andylacko
  • 2 replies
  • November 14, 2021
  1. when I click cmd + t new tabs open allowing me to create new file. I would like to open some project

  2. new tab

  3. Wouldn’t it be nice to have possibility to open projects with cmd + t ? Like in vscode, or chrome, it is pretty common use case nowadays


  • 0 replies
  • January 5, 2022

This topic was automatically closed 30 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.


jeremy_gridwise

I don’t know when I picked up this habit, but multiple times a week now I will accidentally create a new document and then start typing the name of an existing document in order to open it. Maybe I’m the only one, but I think it’d be nice to be able to search for and open existing documents from the new document screen. I mean, right now it’s not doing a whole lot. It just lets you choose between a Figma and FigJam document. There’s certainly room for a search interface, although I understand why it might be undesirable from a focus standpoint.


Tim28
  • 2 replies
  • May 13, 2022

When working in the Desktop App, clicking on “+” leads to frustration 🙂 And I regularly fall into the trap.

I usually switch between the browser and Figma desktop app the whole day. When working with Figma and looking for another project or file, I always click on “+,” known from all browsers, search for that file/page, etc. But in Figma, it brings me to a page to create a new design file or Figjam File. But I also expect to find existing files.

I felt the pain for a while now and don’t get it to be honest 🙂

And I guess a simple search field ( like in browsers or an overview of projects or files in addition to creating new files would help a lot on that page.


Tim28
  • 2 replies
  • May 13, 2022

The confusion might come from the same style of browsers “+” tab and Figma “+” tab.

Bildschirmfoto 2022-05-13 um 09.12.08


Emma_Wiest

It would also be cool to see thumbnails for recent files here as well.


Olaf_Blumenstiel

I would like this feature a lot. This would improve the workflow drastically.


Mehak_Samaiya1

May be having Search on the top bar beside Home can help.
Currently we have to do a lot of back and forth from current file to home - in order to search any file/people.


Hoby-Van-Hoose

Additionally I’d like to be able to search for documents without even opening a new tab, especially in the web version.

  • In the app a search icon could go either beside the Home or 3 dots.
  • In the web, this command could go maybe right after the Figma menu > “Back to files”.

Whether collaborating, presenting, or just working solo—I’m constantly in situations where I’m in a file and I need to quickly open another by name.


Ada_Bernstein

YES. It’s much more common for me to be navigating between existing files than creating a new one. And going back to Home to get the search bar puts more information in front of me than I want. An omni-present file search or search on new tab open would be incredible (that new tab behavior from Chrome is pretty engrained)


bhanuja
  • 2 replies
  • September 15, 2022

+1

This is a very common paradigm in browsers, and not having it in the Desktop client is quite annoying. If anything, the additional step of having to go to the Home page and then search for a file is cumbersome.

I would agree with the ideas established above; a search bar + thumbnails for recent files + a list of favourite projects to open would be incredibly useful.

I’m very unlikely to create a new file using the + New Tab button for established use as I don’t want to go to the dropdown and move it to a project; I’m more likely to navigate to a project and then create a file there to ensure its location.


Henry_Busch1

When using the Figma desktop app, I find myself often opening a new tab and wanting to search for a file. Kind of how in my browser I’ll open a tab and start typing to do a google search or search for a page I’ve closed but is still in my search history.

My habit is to do that, and breaking it and going home first to search is going to be hard break, especially because the tab feature is so much like a web browser.


Henry_Busch1

PLEASE. That habit is going to be hard to break


Mehak_Samaiya1


Florin_Kis
  • New Participant
  • 6 replies
  • March 27, 2023

I need this too


djv
Figmate
  • Community Support
  • 4798 replies
  • March 28, 2023

Hey All,

With the Little Big Updates that were launched today, you can now search for a file when you start a new tab on desktop! 🎉


Shannon_Miwa

Hi there, was a huge fan of this update, but seems like in another recent release since little big updates it’s been removed?


djv
Figmate
  • Community Support
  • 4798 replies
  • April 28, 2023

Hey Shannon, it’s still there and working as expected on our end.

Are you able to send a screenshot or screen recording of what you’re seeing?


Hoby-Van-Hoose

Thanks to everyone for suggesting, supporting, and implementing this feature!

It is very much appreciated and has been saving me a lot of time.


Eric_Phy
  • New Member
  • 3 replies
  • July 7, 2023

I’m also no longer seeing this available; it was previously. Using 116.0.5 Pro Plan - MacOS M1 Desktop.


Eric_Phy
  • New Member
  • 3 replies
  • July 11, 2023

Interesting. Just discovered that 16.0.5 isn’t latest, despite my desktop claiming there are no updates. My MacBook is using 16.10.9. Would be great if version numbers were included in published release notes, so issues like this could be more easily recognizable.


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