See where component is used / find component Instances across files

[Dennis_N]

As editor and maybe also as viewer I want to be able to see where specific components are used. So I’m basically talking about way to find instances of a component across files.

There’s a plugin called “Instance Finder” but unfortunately it’s just working within one file not across.

For huge design systems with multiple files and different designers working on it this is far from ideal.

This idea is not new but since the other topics are closed I guess I need to open a new thread.

See:

Searching for component instance in a view-only file

I am a manager of the design system library in my org and I am trying to find instances of components in other designer files via the Org Libraries options, to see how components are being used. Clicking on a component takes me to the design file, but it doesn’t link to the frame where the component is used, which is what I would expect (even if it’s used in multiple instances, I would want to see at least one of them). So I have to manually search for the component between dozens of pages and …

How to find where I've used instances of the component?

I’ve created a separate file with a library of my design system. Let’s say I’ve got a component of the checkbox with 3 instances. I open another file with some screens and I would like to see if my second instance is used in any of the screens and if yes then where? I know there is a plugin “Instance finder” but it doesn’t work for different files.

Finding Component Instances

Describe the problem your experiencing and how your idea helps solve this I want to be able to find instances of components within my Figma file. Add as much context as possible (screenshots, Figma files, mockups, etc.) For a huge design system with multiple designers working on it, I often need to find molecules and all the places they’ve been used (organisms/templates), etc. For a big design system, this becomes very difficult and adds a lot of manual time to sift through the hundreds o…

We few can’t be the only ones who are missing this feature. Are we?

[Nicole_Saidy]

It seems like our wish just came true because Figma literally just added support for a global search where you can search for component instances, on view-only files too! https://twitter.com/figma/status/1578046779983011842?s=46&t=wRFgjeJOGqitvkQU7Krsjw

You’d still have to search page by page but for me this is a HUGE improvement. I am now able to search for an instance on a page and find the instances and move through them, rather than literally looking for instances frame by frame!

[Tingting_Cheng]

I’m still having trouble with this feature. I have ‘Used in this file’ instances that have been removed from the original file. But when using the search feature, the component does not show up. So I’m still not able to find ghost components. I believe it’s also not working for hidden stuff…

[Nicole_Saidy]

are you sure you’re searching in the right page? I had this issue too then I realised the search feature works only on the page level and does not search in the entire file… you’d need to search page by page.

[tank666]

@Nicole_Saidy

the search feature works only on the page level and does not search in the entire file

You are wrong. The search function can work on the entire file. To do this, just click the “See results on other pages” item or select “All pages” instead of “This page” in the drop-down menu.

[Nicole_Saidy]

brilliant, didnt see that. Thank you!!

[Tingting_Cheng]

Even with this feature I can’t seem to find ghost instances

[tank666]

It would be interesting to take a look. Could you share an example file?

[Dennis_N]

Yeah that search is nice but I really would like to search across files.

Regarding Tingtings issues: For me hidden components indeed are not findable.
Ghost components on the other hand I am able to find (within a file).

[Tingting_Cheng]

In the attached images you see I have a dropdown field used in this file, when I go to the master component, I’ll go to the file where it used to be, but it’s saying the component has been removed. But when I try to search for it in the file, there are no results annoying as hell

[Tingting_Cheng]

Hm perhaps it’s a hidden ghost component then?

[Tingting_Cheng]

Little update; I managed to find my ghost instance by manually removing stuff per page and putting it back lol. That’s what I do when I’m desperately trying to get rid of ghost components in the assets panel. Anyway, I think the search feature is still buggy, because as it turned out indeed, the instance was hidden. But even after unhiding it, it still doesn’t show search results…

[Graeme_Blackwood]

Not across projects, though, which is essential to find uses of design system components.

[Graeme_Blackwood]

This is literally the one feature missing to enable effective use of Figma to maintain organisation-wide, cross-product design systems.

It’s essential to be able to find where your components are instances are in any file and to preview what impact updates will have.

[Nicole_Saidy]

@tank666 I actually cannot search through pages in a view-only file, only one page at a time. Not sure why. And this is my usual use case (searching through other people’s files that i dont have edit access to, to find component usages)

[tank666]

I don’t know if this is a bug or a missing feature in view-only mode.
If the former, please report the bug to support via this form: Submit a bug report. If the latter, then create a feature request on this forum under the #share category.