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Cmd+Opt+Drag only selects items in bounds


Brian_Clay

Mass selecting elements in Figma can be a pain. Especially with the new changes to auto-layout sometimes elements will get nested 4 or 5 frames deep. In Sketch, you can press Cmd+Opt while dragging to select a group of objects. When you do this it will only select elements completely within the drag area. This makes mass selecting way more powerful. I’d love to see Figma copy it or come up with something better.

39 replies

Steven
  • 122 replies
  • January 26, 2021

It’s seems like it’s an existing Figma feature : Cmd+drag


Brian_Clay
  • Author
  • 9 replies
  • January 26, 2021

CMD+drag is great. But if you have overlapping elements it will select whatever touches the bounding box. My proposal is a way to select only objects that are completely inside the bounds. This would help you avoid unintentional selections. If you have Sketch you should give it a try. It’s a game changer.


Hege
  • 2 replies
  • February 11, 2021

I really need this! I have asked all my designer friends, and they need it too


Hege
  • 2 replies
  • February 11, 2021

I need the feature from Sketch, where you can select only objects entirely contained in the selected area. In Sketch you hold option while draging, and then you could get only the objects you want even if some elements are partly overlapping.

This is an great example: Search for “Sketch shortcut: Precise selection” on this page

invisionapp.com

Amir_Binenfeld

Yes! please make this feature available! it’s a day to day struggle when creating complicated components.


harsha20599
  • New Participant
  • 14 replies
  • February 23, 2021

I literally need this. Please @figma, implement this as soon as possible!


Pushpal_Dey
  1. Selection of elements is harder when they are overlapping.

  2. So when two or more elements overlap e.g. let’s say a bunch of text fields over a box. Now if I want to select only the texts I will have to either lock the box first or move it out of the way to be able to select the texts.

  3. Does anyone else experience this? Is anyone using a plugin or workaround to help solve this?, etc.

SOLUTION

There is a solution for this existing in other softwares. I am not sure if that can be achieved here in figma given that it is online.
You have two different ways to drag select.

  1. If you left click and drag to the right you select everything that your selection box crosses(NOT FULLY INSIDE THE SELECTION BOX)
  2. If you left click and drag to the left then you select everything that comes completely inside the selection box.

For reference check 3d modeling software Rhino3D. The selection of elements there work the same way as explained. Helps in selecting multiple overlapping items.


Sienna
  • 1 reply
  • July 14, 2021

is there any solution for this?
I have the same issue.


Andrew_Rydvansky

they need to vote here


Andrew_Rydvansky

What is the awful logic? see screenshot @figma


Jackie_Hunter

This is driving me crazy. As others have suggested, please implement a solution - either something like Sketch’s Opt-drag, or even better, a setting like Axure’s beloved Selection Mode setting.


Staislav_Pimenov

Lack of this feature stopped me from migration from Sketch to Figma for a several years. This is a huge time saver! But most people come from Photoshop and they are just happy with current selection methods. So this request not so popular unfortunetly :-C


Nicholas_Johnson

Axure has this selection mode, and I am struggling without it. When objects are on top of one another, this option to change selection mode to Contained is very important.

Here’s some evidence of the importance of this feature…A couple years ago, Axure tried to take this selection mode away, but their user community found it so useful that they had to bring it back in short order.


Lior_Daniel

@anon21722796 please add this feature. Believe it or not, the lack of this feature has prevented me from using Figma. It’s super annoying to select objects without it.


Shane
  • 74 replies
  • February 8, 2022

Chiming in here that this is the single thing I miss from Sketch, even years on. Miro has just recently implemented this nicely as well; if you click and hold, after a second the cursor changes to a cross and you can drag a “select only the layers fully inside bounds” box.


Tom_Cohen1

I want this, too.


Roderick
  • 1 reply
  • March 3, 2022

Finally moving over from Sketch and I can’t believe this isn’t a thing
in Figma. SOOOO frustrating!


Martin_Hill
  • New Participant
  • 18 replies
  • March 7, 2022

I love you Figma, but please can we have this.


Another idea:
Left to right drag box selects everything within. Right to left drag selects everything it touches.


David_Humpherys

+1 on a ‘contains’ selection… driving me crazy without it. @figma is this on a roadmap anywhere?


Jakob_Lee

kamil4
  • 1 reply
  • April 25, 2022

Plus one here! Moving a 50 items on a complex screen layout is insane without this feature.


JB16
  • 1 reply
  • May 2, 2022

+1 from me as well, coming from XD where this makes select within a group so simple


Dykas
  • 1 reply
  • May 6, 2022

Desperately, desperately needed feature over here … 😦


Jaime_Alcantara

+1 for this feature. It’s incredible powerful!


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