Canvas GUI component and instance identifier icons

Ask the community
1

Hi forum, I am new to Figma and have been using it for just a couple of weeks now. I have watched tutorials on YouTube to get familiarized with how it works. I am using the Figma app on a MacBook Pro M1 and I am wondering if I should use it in the browser instead. I have noticed that a small detail of Figma’s GUI isn’t showing up for me as they are in the videos I watched. Maybe it could be something that is currently in development and changing on different devices and platforms.

I asked the following question on one of Figma’s YouTube tutorials about how components and instances are identified in Figma. Specifically in the canvas.

“Why does Figma’s canvas GUI identify a component with the four little diamond icon but it doesn’t identify an instance of that component with the outline diamond? Why are these icons only shown in the layers left side panel? Is there a way to turn on or off these small icon identifiers in the canvas?”

This is the link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xiRHz72du4&lc=UgxFQbYsNN9QuxPxlVl4AaABAg

My comment has been highlighted but hasn’t been answered so I am writing here in an attempt to get an answer.

Furthermore, besides being able to create instances from components you can also create variants of components. These variant are identifies in the left panel with a solid diamond. But they are not identifies in the canvas? On top of that if you have a component that contains variants you can then create instances of that “variant containing component”. This is what I understood from the following video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwnJyGV-3Zs

Thank you for the help.

2

Hi @Aguiar_Leonardo_extern, Thank you so much for getting in touch about the appearance of Instances on the canvas. We really value your insight!

Figma is predominantly browser-based software, feel free to try using Figma in your browser to see which one suits your needs best. Check out our browser requirements here for a smoother experience: What browsers does Figma support?

At the moment, it appears there’s no option to display the diamond icon on the canvas for an instance, regardless of whether you’re using the Desktop app or browser version. However, we can identify an instance on the canvas by its purple outline and the absence of a name in the top left corner.

Your suggestion about displaying the diamond icon sounds like a fantastic feature request! We encourage you to share this idea in our “Share an Idea” category.
This will allow others who find this idea exciting to vote and show their support, which helps us understand what our community values and aids us in prioritizing accordingly.

I’ve tried to find documents that clearly explain the reason for the appearance of instances on the canvas, but haven’t had any luck yet. Let’s keep an eye out for an answer on that YouTube!

And speaking of YouTube, thank you so much for tuning in!
Since you’re already engaging with our content, I thought you might be interested in some related articles.

And, our community is full of experienced designers who might have some valuable insights on your questions. If any community member has thoughts or ideas, we’d love for you to join the conversation!

Thanks,

1 Like