# How to create a component in Figma on Mac: shortcut, sidebar and right-click steps

> Learn how to create a component in Figma on Mac with ⌥⌘K, the right sidebar or right-click. Covers bulk creation and common fixes.

URL: https://www.lazur.app/how-to/create-a-component-in-figma
Updated: 2026-11-06

Select the layers you want to reuse, then press Option Command K (⌥⌘K) on your Mac. Figma wraps the selection in a component, and the Layers panel marks it with a purple Component icon.

## Quick answer

- Select the layers or frame, then press ⌥⌘K to create a component.
- The sidebar button and the right-click menu do the same job as the shortcut.
- For several layers at once, use Create multiple components from the options menu.
- You need edit access to the file. The Mac desktop app has the same features as the browser.

Applies to: Figma desktop app or browser on macOS 12 or later, Intel or Apple silicon. Time: 5 min. Difficulty: Easy.

## What you need

- A Mac running macOS 12 or later, Intel or Apple silicon
- Edit access to the Figma file
- At least one frame, group or layer selected on the canvas

## How to Create a component in Figma on Mac in Figma on a Mac

1. **Open the file with edit access.** Open the file in the Figma desktop app or in your browser. Confirm that you can edit it. Creating a component needs edit access, so a view-only file will not give you the command. Tip: If the shortcut does nothing, check edit access before anything else.
2. **Select the layers you want to reuse.** Click a frame, group or layer on the canvas. Hold Shift and click to add more. The right sidebar then shows the selection's name at the top. Pick the layers that should work together as one unit. Tip: Clean up the layers before you select them. The component keeps whatever state the layers are in.
3. **Press Option Command K.** Shortcut: ⌥⌘K. Hold Option and Command, then press K. Figma wraps the selection in a component. Use this route when your hands are already on the keyboard. Tip: If a layer turns purple in a way you did not expect, press ⌘Z to undo.
4. **Or click Create component in the right sidebar.** (Right sidebar > Create component) Look at the top of the right sidebar, beside the selection's name. Click the Create component button. This route shows you the command in plain view, which helps when you are still learning. Tip: The button sits next to the name, so check that the name matches your selection.
5. **Or right-click and choose Create component.** (Right-click the selection > Create component) Right-click the selection on the canvas. On a trackpad, use a secondary click. Choose Create component from the menu. All three routes produce the same component. Tip: Pick the route that fits your hands. The result is the same.
6. **Confirm the change in the Layers panel.** (Layers panel) Open the Layers panel on the left side of the window. Find the layer you just turned into a component. It shows a purple Component icon. Rename it here if the name needs work. Tip: Renaming in the Layers panel is the quickest fix for a vague name.
7. **Add a description and a documentation link.** (Right sidebar > Component configuration) With the component selected, open the component configuration settings in the right sidebar. Add a short description. Add a documentation link if collaborators need more context. This step is optional, but it helps teams. Tip: Write the description for someone who has never seen the file.

A component is a master copy of a design element. Every time you place an instance of it, that copy stays linked to the master. Change the master and the linked copies update to match. That link is the whole reason to make components. If you copy a button by hand, you have to fix every copy yourself. With a component, you fix the master once and the rest follow.

## Check edit access and the file before you start

Figma lists components under all plans, so the feature itself is available to most people. Editing or creating components still needs edit access to the file. A view-only link shows you the components, but it will not let you make new ones. That is the most common reason the command appears to do nothing. Ask the file owner for edit access before you spend time on the steps.

> **View-only files:** A view-only link shows the components but blocks new ones. If the command does nothing, ask the file owner for edit access first.

- Open the file in the Figma desktop app or in your browser. The Mac app has the same features as the browser version.
- Confirm you have edit access before you select anything. Your own name should appear in the file's sharing settings with editing rights.
- Decide which frame, group or layer should become the component. Clean it up first, because every instance copies that state.
- If the shortcut fails later, check your keyboard layout too. The K key must send the expected character for ⌥⌘K to fire.

## Create a component with the Option Command K shortcut

On a Mac, hold Option and Command, then press K. The shortcut is ⌥⌘K. It acts on the current selection, so click the layers first and make sure they are highlighted on the canvas. Check the Layers panel afterwards to confirm the change. The new component carries the purple icon.

This shortcut is the one Figma's component help article lists for Mac. Figma's general keyboard help page does not list it, so the component article is the source to trust. If the result is wrong, press ⌘Z to undo. Undo works the same way it does in any Mac app, so one press reverses the change.

![Designer at a MacBook at a desk, working on a Figma layout that will become a reusable component](https://lfobmih1tpj3sgpo.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/content-images/howto/create-a-component-in-figma/how-to-create-a-component-in-figma-1-371d4c.jpg)

## Use the right sidebar or the right-click menu instead

When you select a layer, the right sidebar shows the selection's name at the top. Beside that name sits a Create component button. Click it. This route is slower than the shortcut, but it puts the command in plain sight. Many designers use it until the shortcut feels natural.

The right-click route follows the same logic. Right-click the selection on the canvas, or use a secondary click on a trackpad. Choose Create component from the menu that opens. Figma's help center documents the right-click option as an entry point, so you can rely on it when the other routes are not handy.

| Route | Where to find it | Best when |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Keyboard | Press ⌥⌘K with the selection active | Your hands are on the keyboard and you know the command |
| Right sidebar | Create component button beside the selection's name | You want to see the command before you click |
| Right-click | Create component in the context menu | You work mostly with a mouse or trackpad |

_Three routes to the same component, as documented in Figma's help center._

## What changes after you create the component

The Layers panel shows the new component with a purple Component icon. Every copy you place later is an instance. Instances stay linked to the main component. Edit the main component and the instances update. Override a single instance when one copy has to differ, such as a different label. Detach an instance when a copy must become independent from the master for good.

- **macOS 12** Minimum macOS version for the Figma desktop app on Intel and Apple silicon Macs ([source](https://help.figma.com/hc/en-us/articles/5601429983767-Guide-to-the-Figma-desktop-app))
- **6 months** Time after a desktop app release before Figma removes support for the older version ([source](https://help.figma.com/hc/en-us/articles/5601429983767-Guide-to-the-Figma-desktop-app))

## Create multiple components in Figma at once

Select several layers, then open the Create component options menu next to the selection name in the right sidebar. Choose Create multiple components. Figma then makes components in bulk. This saves time when you have a set of icons, buttons or cards that all need the same treatment.

Bulk creation has rules. It works for objects inside frames, objects inside groups, single layers such as a path or a vector network, and layers inside a boolean operation. Figma says that selecting several layers outside these setups creates one component per layer. Plan your selection with that in mind, or you may end up with more components than you wanted.

- Objects inside a frame
- Objects inside a group
- A single path or vector network layer
- Layers inside a boolean operation
- Several layers outside these setups: Figma creates one component per layer

## Describe the component so your team can use it

Open the component configuration settings in the right sidebar while the component is selected. You can add a description and a documentation link. Collaborators read these details when they decide whether to reuse the component. A short sentence that says when to use it prevents most misuse. Add the link when the rules need a full page to explain them.

Naming matters too. Your team searches for components by name, and vague names like Button 2 make that search slow. Name the component for its job, such as Primary button or Card header, before you publish it. Rename it in the Layers panel if you need to change it later.

## Mistakes people make when creating components in Figma

The most common mistake is making a component from a layer that is still changing. Every instance then inherits the unfinished version, and you spend time fixing copies. Wait until the design settles, then create the component. A second mistake is turning every small element into a component. A plain text label rarely needs one. Components pay off when the same element appears in many places.

The third mistake is deleting a main component by accident. Deleting a main component does not remove its instances. They stay on the canvas. To bring the master back, select an instance and choose Restore Component in the right sidebar. You can also right-click the instance and choose Restore main component.

## Share components across files with a library in Figma

A component made in one file is not available in another file until you publish it. Publish the source file as a library, and its components can appear in the Assets panel of other files. If a teammate cannot see a component you made, the source file is the first place to check.

Publishing is a deliberate step, not something that happens on its own. Changes to the source need to be published again before other files pick them up. Build a short review habit so your team does not work from stale copies.

If you need to hand off images of your components, read [how to export a frame as PNG in Figma on Mac](https://www.lazur.app/how-to/export-a-frame-as-png-in-figma). For a wider look at Figma on a Mac, see [Figma for designers on Mac](https://www.lazur.app/for/designers/figma).

## Does the Figma Mac desktop app change these steps?

No. Figma says the Mac desktop app has the same features as the browser version, so the shortcut, sidebar button and right-click menu work the same way. The desktop app adds plugin and widget development and local font access. Those extras do not change how you create a component.

The desktop app runs on macOS 12 Monterey or later, a release from October 2021. It is optimized for both Intel and Apple silicon Macs. Figma removes support for older desktop app versions six months after each release, and it recommends staying on the latest version. Check for updates before you follow a tutorial, since menus and labels can shift.

![Close-up of a Mac keyboard showing the Option and Command keys used in the Figma component shortcut](https://lfobmih1tpj3sgpo.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/content-images/howto/create-a-component-in-figma/how-to-create-a-component-in-figma-2-614c7d.jpg)

## Keyboard shortcuts for components on Mac

The one shortcut you need for this task is ⌥⌘K, and Figma's component help article lists it for Mac. Figma's general keyboard help page did not list the component shortcuts when checked on 2026-11-07. That page is still the place to find the shortcuts panel, which opens with ⌃⇧?.

A third-party guide also lists ⌥⌘B for detaching an instance, ⌃⌥⌘K for going to the main component, ⇧I for quick insert, and ⌥2 for the Assets panel. Figma's own keyboard help did not confirm these when checked on 2026-11-07. Test each one in a scratch file before you rely on it at work.

## Next steps after your first component

Make one component, then place a few instances on the canvas. Edit the master and watch the copies change. That quick test shows the link without risk to the rest of your file. After it works, build a small set of buttons, icons or labels and publish them as a library so the rest of the team can reuse them.

Keep the first components simple. Once the habit feels natural, look at bulk creation and the documentation fields again. Each one builds on the same master and instance model you just tested. Return to the Create component options menu when you have a whole set of layers ready.

## Shortcuts

- Create component from the selected layers: ⌥⌘K
- Open Figma's shortcuts panel: ⌃⇧?

## If it does not work

- **The shortcut does nothing.** Check that you have edit access to the file. Then check your keyboard layout. A third-party guide suggests the layout check too. The sidebar button and right-click menu are the fallback routes.
- **A layer turns purple after you press the shortcut.** Press ⌘Z to undo. Then check whether you meant to create a component from that layer. The purple Component icon in the Layers panel confirms the result.
- **Library components do not appear in Assets.** The source file needs to be published as a library. Open that file, publish it, then check the Assets panel again in the other file.
- **You deleted a main component and the instances look broken.** Instances stay on the canvas. Select one, then choose Restore Component in the right sidebar, or right-click it and choose Restore main component.

## With Lazur

Lazur is a voice assistant for the Mac that lives in the notch. Hold ⌥ ⌘ and ask; it sees your screen, answers out loud, points at buttons and walks you through apps. Hold fn to dictate. Free for 3 days, then $18/month: https://www.lazur.app/download

- “Where is the Create component button?”: Lazur circles the Create component button in the right sidebar and says where it sits. You make the click yourself. (Points at it)

## FAQ

### Do I need a paid Figma plan to create components on Mac?

Figma lists components under all plans, so the feature is not tied to a paid tier. You still need edit access to the file. Check Figma's pricing page for what each plan includes, since plan details change over time.

### Is there a Create component item in the Figma menu bar?

Figma's help center documents three entry points: the Option Command K shortcut, the Create component button in the right sidebar, and the right-click menu. It does not document a menu bar path for this command, so use one of those three routes.

### What is the difference between a component and an instance?

The component is the master. An instance is a copy placed on the canvas that stays linked to the master. Editing the master updates the instances, while an override changes one copy on its own.

### Can I make a component from a group or a frame?

Yes. Figma says you can create components from any layers or objects you have designed. Bulk creation also works with objects inside frames and groups, single layers such as a path, and layers in a boolean operation.

### Does the desktop app create components differently from the browser?

No. Figma says the Mac desktop app has the same features as the browser version. The desktop app adds plugin and widget development and local font access, and neither changes how you create a component.

### Why does the command not work for me?

The most likely reason is view-only access. Ask the file owner for edit access, then try the shortcut again. A third-party guide also suggests checking your keyboard layout, since a different layout can stop the shortcut from firing.

### What happens if I delete a main component?

Its instances stay on the canvas. Select one instance, then choose Restore Component in the right sidebar, or right-click it and choose Restore main component to bring the master back.

## Sources

1. [Create components to reuse in designs](https://help.figma.com/hc/en-us/articles/360038663154-Create-components-to-reuse-in-designs), Figma Help Center, checked 2026-11-07
2. [Create and use components](https://help.figma.com/hc/en-us/articles/360038662654-Create-and-use-components), Figma Help Center, checked 2026-11-07
3. [Guide to the Figma desktop app](https://help.figma.com/hc/en-us/articles/5601429983767-Guide-to-the-Figma-desktop-app), Figma Help Center, checked 2026-11-07
4. [Use Figma products with a keyboard](https://help.figma.com/hc/en-us/articles/360040328653-Use-Figma-products-with-a-keyboard), Figma Help Center, checked 2026-11-07
5. [How to Create a Component in Figma (Shortcut + Steps)](https://figmaplugins.co/guides/how-to-create-a-component-in-figma/), figmaplugins.co (third party), checked 2026-11-07