When I share a prototype with someone, they are able to view the prototype, AND can also view the whole design file if they go to the top menu dropdown and click “Open in Editor”.
Q: How do I share my prototype without user being able to open my design file? [there are prob ways to keep user from editing the file, but that’s not my concern, because I don’t want them able to view the design file it in the first place.
Set the permission to “can view prototypes” in the sharing settings.
I’m able to share the prototype, that is not the issue. The issue is privacy for my design file, I don’t want my design file to be able to be viewed when I share a prototype. Is there a way to prevent this?
The answer above solves your problem. If you set the permission to “can view prototypes”, you will restrict users to only view prototypes and no one will be able to open and view your design file. Please check out the Help Center article from my post above.
I’m on the free plan, it does not have the “can view prototypes” option, perhaps that is the professional plan only.
Does this mean that for free plan users there is no way they can share their prototype without sharing their entire file?
Yes, this option is only available on paid plans.
For all the hate XD gets, that’s one thing they are (were?) doing better? You could just create a link for a certain flow, an people would get just the flow in preview mode - no unnecessary elements you do not want to share. It’s mind-boggling that Figma doesn’t have a similar option.
At the moment the safest and simplest way to do it is to have a separate file where you just paste your prototype… 
“Can view prototypes” is not an option anymore, unfortunately.
I totally agree, leave aside how many people didn’t realise this and got all their data leaked and shared.
For what’s worth I wasn’t aware of this for quite a while. Without my knowledge and many other ones, you made a change that bypasses the user’s privacy rights. Even now a person won’t notice it until someone starts playing with the prototype link you shared.
Either make it crystal clear or remove it entirely but as of now that’s clearly bypassing user’s privacy rights Figma people. You are a GTPR call away for forcing users to leak their privacy and private data without their knowledge. 
Could we get some guidance here from a Figma community support?
I’m sharing my prototype only through the prototype share panel, but the clients are still getting access, and looking through my complete design files.
Attached is a screenshot of what comes back after I sent them individual email invites through the share prototype panel. I approve this, and they still can look through my design files. This is after I have revoked/removed permissions as well to make sure there’s nothing left over accidentally from earlier.
And then just to provide some further context.
It shows in the design file ‘share’ module that there are several collaborators in the file. These are the people that I invited through the ‘share prototype’ module only.
But in that same file, when I open the prototype and click the ‘share prototype’ module, they don’t show up at all? So I can’t tell (and am can only assume) that they are viewing the design file and not the prototype.
I know this is not the case because I’ve tested with another one of my personal emails, but just wondering what is going on here from a Figma point of view.
Hey All, sorry for the trouble and confusion!
We have recently changed the entry point for sharing prototypes with prototype only viewing access.
To share prototypes only, you will need to share from the “Share prototype” button while in the prototype viewer and not the Share button in the Editor view.
The steps to do this are:
After saving, copy and send the link to those that should have access to view.
For more information on the sharing options, you can also see: Share files and prototypes
