Currently exported .PDFs out of Figma are not accessible, because the text is flattened as images.
I would like to request an option for exported .PDFs to have editable text.
This would be a game changer for our team to move off of Sketch! 😃 (Sketch allows for .PDFs to export with editable text, but Figma does not)
+1! PDF export in Figma is not great as of now.
Yeah, I’m really hoping it improves. It works the way I’d like it to in their competitor Sketch, but not Figma. Would be a game changer for them to consider updating it. Finger crossed!
Just exported my resume as PDF in desktop Figma on Mac. All text seem to be regular selectable text. Also hypertext links open as expected.
I’m very interested in hearing how PDFs from Sketch work and how it’s different from an accessibility point of view. I’m no PDF expert, so I can’t really tell the difference between my PDF and a great accessibility approved PDF.
It may appear text is selectable/accessibile… however when you look closer/click edit you’ll see it’s one big image - all vector and can’t be made accessible. 😕 I wrote to Figma about this, they explained to post about it in the forms and continue to look at their release notes if it’s updated. I’m surprised it’s not solved yet.
Hi Hampus here’s for context: -
Also - If you can vote for this idea that would be greatly appreciated. 🙂 They recommended I post here for visibility.
"Hi Diana,
Unfortunately, per our Guide to exports in Figma
+1 for this feature request. Our team LOVES building documents in Figma. However, due to the PDF output not being accessible by a screen reader, we have to shift back into building docs in InDesign so they’re compliant. It is a painful step backward for our design process – once you start making stuff in Figma, it is REALLY hard to go back to using clunky Creative Cloud apps.
Figma Team: please consider building screen reader accessibility into your PDF export feature! We would love you for it!
Couldn’t agree more. We have a huge team that would get great value from this feature.
YESSSSS PLEASEEEE, Figma make this update! My team and I create in Figma all the time and love it, but have had to recently re-create designs in InDesign for the reason of accessibility.
If you could build in screen reader accessibility into the PDF export, it will make a lot of your users, who are want to also share with the accessible community, very happy!
What Tami said!! I much prefer using Figma to create documents over InDesign, it’s such a smoother process.
I’m currently using the “Pitchdeck Presentation Studio” plugin to export frames that contain pure text to PDF. The free version allows only the export to PDF function. The rest is paid. But the PDF file size with pure text on 3 pages, will be around 4-5 MB. I have no idea why.
If I export the same text document from Google Docs, the PDF file size is around 900kb.
Perfect plugin. I was looking for a plugin for pdf exports with selectable text, I came across copy doc text kit but it allows only 15 trial exports. Thanks for the plugin
On a similar topic, a tweet from Rob has generated a lot of interested in the lack of supporting editable text when exporting PDF on Figma.
Yes, this feature is very important and IDK why Figma still can’t implement it until today.
You can use our new plugin MKitFPdf.
It allows PDF export with selectable and copyable text.
to plugin
Figma, please add this feature, we really need it for our email campaigns.
Please implement this!
Sometimes opening Figma-exported PDFs lags in Adobe Acrobat. And I can’t make a simple text edit without re-exporting the entire PDF in Figma.
It would be great 🙏
I just tested MKitFPDF and my exported PDF (Export frames as PDF) was readable by Mac Preview app. Thank you!
YESS FIGMA PLEASE MAKE THIS HAPPEN!! Accessibility matters!
+1, crucial feature. Not only for accessibility, but for students as well. As a UX student, I am required to submit thematic analysis posters and other documents that have OCR enabled. If I had not looked up if this were the case, I would’ve lost marks.
I think even when submitting resumes it might be a big factor. As all resume scanners might not pick up the text like that.
Yes, please FIGMA make your PDF accessible. I don’t want to have to go back to creating a PDF in InDesign.
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