How to create a variable in Figma on Mac: step by step for beginners

Variables are named values you reuse across a file. A brand color, a spacing value or a font size can live in one place. When you change the value, every layer that uses it follows.

Check access, plan and version before you start

Variables need edit access to the file. If someone gave you view access, ask the file owner to change it before you start. Otherwise the steps below will stop at the first click.

Variables are listed as available on all plans. Publishing variables to team libraries and using them in prototypes need a Professional, Education, Organization, Government or Enterprise plan.

• Confirm you have edit access to the file you want to change.
• Open the Figma desktop app for Mac, the version this guide covers.
• Check your plan if you need team libraries, prototypes or extra modes.
• Update the app if the Variables tab is missing. The update steps are later in this guide.

Find the Variables tab in the left navigation bar

Figma moved the entry point for variables. Older guides tell you to deselect everything on the canvas, then look in the Properties panel for a Local variables tab. Figma's help center now says to click the Variables tab in the left navigation bar.

A Figma moderator wrote on January 28, 2026 that the change was rolling out as an updated navigation bar. Your file may still show the older layout, so the screen can look a little different. The moderator named 126.0.4 as the latest desktop version at that time.

If you cannot find the tab, update the app before you change anything else. Do not hunt through menus for a hidden option. The update check takes a minute.

Create a variable with a worked example

Here is a worked example. Say you want one brand blue for buttons, links and headers. You create a color variable called brand blue, then use it on each element instead of picking the color by hand every time.

Open a collection before you add anything. Many people keep one collection for colors and another for spacing or type. Choose the type in the dropdown first, since the type decides what kind of value you can enter.

Naming matters more than people expect. Name each variable for its purpose, not its current value. A name that says what it is for keeps working even when the color changes.

• Good names: brand blue, text muted, card padding, button label
• Weak names: blue final, new blue, blue copy again, misc color
• Test: would a teammate know what the variable is for from its name alone?

Enter names and values in the right columns

The first column holds the variable name. The second column holds the value. If your plan allows extra modes, more columns appear, and each one stores another value for the same variable.

Match the value to the type. A color variable needs a color value. A number variable needs a number, and a string variable needs text. Mismatched values are the quickest way to confuse yourself later.

Move on once the row looks right. You can change names and values later, so do not stall on the first one. Build a small set first, then refine it after you use it in a real layer.

Edit a variable name, description and code names

Hover over the variable's row and click the Edit variable icon. The modal lets you change the name and description, edit the values and set the code syntax.

Code syntax gives the variable one name per platform: Web, Android and iOS. A variable can have up to three of these names. Use them when developers read the same token in code and need a platform-specific name.

The Hide from publishing option keeps a variable out of what you publish. Use it for helpers or drafts that your team should not pick up by accident.

Limit where a variable shows with scopes

Scopes control where a variable appears when you pick values. Scoping is available for number, color and string variables. Open the Scope tab inside the Edit variable modal to set it.

The Show in all checkbox is the simplest setting. Clear it when you want the variable only in certain fields. A corner radius number does not belong in the fill color picker, for example.

Scopes are easy to forget. When a value is missing from a picker, check the scope before you assume the variable is broken.

Select, duplicate and rename variables quickly

Hold Command (⌘) and click each variable you want to select. Hold Shift and click to select a range, from the first variable to the last.

After you select, press Shift + Enter to duplicate. Duplicating beats starting from scratch when two variables differ by only one value. Rename the copy right away, or you will end up with two rows that look the same.

Create a new collection and add variables to it

Collections group related variables. To make one, open the variables modal, click More options in the sidebar, then choose Create collection.

Figma's help page says you need a variable before you create a new collection. Add one to a collection you already have, then create the new one.

A small color collection makes a good first project. Add a main color, a muted text color and a background color. Then apply each one to real layers to check that the values behave as you expect.

Plan limits and modes: what you can and cannot add

Figma's help page does not give a per-collection mode limit. It does say each collection can hold up to 5,000 variables. Those are the numbers you can rely on from the help center.

Check your plan in your Figma account before you design a file around modes. The table is a starting point, not a substitute for your account page.

Fix common problems with variables

Several problems come up in Figma's community forum. Each one has a different cause, and none of the threads has an official fix.

• Variables tab missing: update the app, then check whether the file still shows the older layout.
• Mode switching greyed out: community members point to one variable not on the latest version, hidden layers or out-of-sync libraries.
• Duplicate collections greyed out: a forum member suggested enabling All collections under Collection options, or disabling other libraries. The thread does not confirm a fix.

If your problem is not on this list, post your Figma version, your plan and the exact message in the community forum. Specific details get better answers than a vague complaint.

Update Figma on Mac and check the version

Click Figma in the menu bar, then choose Figma > Check for Updates. If you do not see an update option, your Mac may be managed by IT.

Figma says that on admin-managed Macs where the app folder is not writable, it supports desktop app versions only for up to two months. Auto-updates for installs in the Applications folder need write access to the Figma app bundle.

Keyboard shortcuts for variables on a Mac

Figma's keyboard guide does not list a Mac shortcut for opening the Variables panel. It also leaves out shortcuts for Layers, Assets and Properties. The shortcuts below cover the variable work itself, plus the panel that lists every shortcut.

Some third-party guides claim a shortcut for variables. Figma's own pages do not list one, so test any shortcut on your own Mac before you rely on it. A 2023 forum reply pointed to the Toggle variables option in the quick actions toolbar, opened from the Figma logo at the top left.

Mistakes people make with variables

• Naming variables after their value, like blue final, so the name stops making sense.
• Forgetting the scope, then assuming the variable is broken.
• Creating a new collection before adding any variable, then getting stuck.
• Duplicating a variable and forgetting to rename the copy.
• Trusting a shortcut from a guide without testing it first.

Most of these mistakes come down to naming and scope. Fix those first, and the rest of the file stays easier to read.

What to do after your first variable works

Apply the variable to a few real layers first. Change its value and check that the layers update. This is the fastest test that the setup works.

Then build out the rest of your system. Text styles, components and frames are common next steps. These guides cover them in order: create a text style, create a component and create a frame.

Keep your first collection small. Add more once you trust the names and the scopes. A small system is easier to fix when something goes wrong.