Websites are built for brands to help attract more customers and increase their Return On Investment. However, today almost every other company wants to enhance its online presence with custom and unique websites. And design tools make it possible for them.
Figma and InVision are undoubtedly two of the top players in the market currently regarding UX/UI design tools. And it makes sense why. Figma and InVision are both prototype design tools used by designers around the globe to create prototype versions of websites that developers later transform into fully functional websites.
Ever since the rave about UX/UI design tools, Figma and InVision has been on the rise as two of the handiest tools for prototyping. So what happens when you use both of these tools together to create your ultimate design? And how would you even do that? With that, in this article, we guide you through how to export your Figma files to InVision.
In this article, we are going to walk you through the following:
- What are Figma and InVision?
- Why Do Designers Export Figma Designs to InVision?
- How to Export Figma to InVision: The Process
- Key Takeaways
TLDR
- Figma and InVision are interface graphics design tools used for prototyping website designs.
- In terms of usage, most web designers like incorporating both Figma and InVision in their design process, each for different purposes.
- Exporting Figma to InVision can be daunting, which is why we have broken down the entire process for you.
What are Figma and InVision?
On one side, you have Figma, a web-based interface graphics design tool that allows developers to create prototype versions of your custom website. With the help of advanced tools and a user-friendly interface, Figma has quickly become one of the fan-favorite tools among designers worldwide. This design tool allows you to bring your visions to life in a real-time collaborative process.
On the other side, there is InVision. Another top prototype tool used by developers to do anything from the design process to the development of websites. With the help of detailed features to prototype, this design tool has established a loyal userbase among global companies like Netflix, IBM, and many more.
Figma versus InVision
Even though Figma is comparatively new in the market than InVision, both of these design tools are arguably the most popular among developers. That is why it is difficult to say which one of these tools tops the other.
For instance, when it comes to starting with web designing for the first time, most developers find it easier to work with Figma. This is because Figma has a simpler and easier-to-use userbase that allows designers to prototype faster than other tools available in the market.
Starting at a $12 per month package, Figma focuses on providing users with an easy-to-use process of applying objects to their designs. And on top of all the built-in tools provided to create your custom design, you get to share your design process in real-time with your team.
Many developers prefer using InVision for its detailed prototyping features and easier collaboration system. Although the design process with InVision is comparatively more complex than Figma, InVision allows you to create designs that are more vibrant and have better visuals.
With InVision, you have both a free and paid version, with the paid version starting at $15 a month. This design tool allows developers to learn about each style with the click of one button, called Inspect. Moreover, you can keep all your files in one place and keep your clients updated at all times.
Based on your needs and preferences, you use either one of Figma or InVision or use both of them.
Why Do Designers Export Figma Designs to InVision?
Any developer creating website designs daily for their clients would agree to use more than one prototyping tool. Why? Because each design tool serves different purposes for them.
Developers use each design tool based on the convenience and comfort it adds to the entire design process. And when it comes to using Figma and InVision together, the reasons are somewhat the same.
For instance, most developers love using Figma because of its simple and user-friendly interface. It allows them to prototype faster using flexible features that enable a seamless design experience. That said, Figma lacks the detailed prototyping tools that InVision provides.
InVision is suitable for uploading completed files and Whiteboarding. Since it provides a collaborative experience between shareholders or clients and developers, many developers love using Figma for UI prototyping and then exporting those designs to InVision. That is where they sew all the files together in one place and further modify them in a collaborative process and create the ultimate product.
How to Export Figma to InVision: The Process
The process of exporting Figma files to InVision can easily seem daunting to anyone new to web designing. However, since the process can take some time to wrap your head around, we have simplified all of the steps to help you understand better.
Step 1: Export Your Figma File
Once you create your files or designs on Figma, you can transfer them to InVision to create a working interactive prototype. Now to export your files from Figma, you need to do the following:
Select Objects and Layers
One of the many good traits about Figma is that it allows its users to different sections of the designs, so they do not have to convert the design to code element by element. So once you log in to your Figma account, you can open the file you want to export and select each layer to convert to code. In such a case, you can take help from Figma's built-in tool, named Slice, to export different parts of your Figma design or the entire canvas.
Go to Export Settings
The export setting of Figma allows any developer to modify and select which files they want to export and how they want to transfer them to other apps or design tools. So you have total control over the format and procedure of how you want to export your file.
You will find this export setting on the right side of the sidebar, from where you can view, add, and set the format before exporting any file. First, you start by clicking the export section of the sidebar and selecting the format of the item you want to transfer.
Figma provides a range of file formats, like JPG, PNG, HTML, and SVG. Here, you can select the format using the Suffix field of Figma. Once you have determined the format, you can adjust the size or scale of your design.
At this point, you can choose a scale from the defaults section or customize the size according to your preference from the field provided. To customize, you can add 'x,' 'w,' and 'h' after the value to adjust the multiplier, width, and height, respectively. Even though you can select any value, developers advise setting a larger multiplier so that the outcome has a higher resolution.
Afterward, you can go to other export settings and adjust all of them based on the way you want your file to look. Once you change all of the different export settings, you can go ahead and click on Preview. This option will allow you to see how your file looks after the readjustments.
Edit the Export Settings
Figma allows you to remove or readjust the export settings when you want to export any file or design elements. All you have to do is go to the settings field and select the Export section again. Here you will see a minus icon at the top of the Export sidebar. Once you click the icon, it will remove all the adjustments you have made so far.
Export Your Figma Files
With Figma, you can determine precisely how much of your web design you want to export at a time. How? Figma records all of the assets you make adjustments to in the Export setting. So, when you want to transfer your files, you can do that with just one simple action. Based on how much you want to export, you can select a few layers or the entire bulk.
Export by Layers
You can do this in either of the two ways. Either by adding in terms of layers while adjusting the export settings or by selecting the layers from the asset already within the recorded files.
To do this, you can select the elements you want to export and adjust the export setting. Then all you have to do is click the Export button to export your file.
Export in Bulk
To export your files in bulk means that Figma will export all the recorded files in the Export setting with one click. For this, all you have to do is go to Figma and select your Export file.
From here, you can see all the adjustments made to each file using the Export modal and readjust them if needed. Afterward, you can select the boxes next to each element or layer and click on the Export button to transfer all of them altogether.
Step 2: Import Your Figma Files to InVision
Once you are through the process of exporting your Figma designs, you can start importing them into InVision in the following ways:
Importing Directly to InVision
This method allows you to select your Figma designs from your computer and import them to InVision directly. The process uses a copy and paste process and enables you to choose any layers or files from your PC and export them into InVision.
Using File Importer
File Importer is a built-in feature of InVision that allows files of any size to get imported within the tool. To use this method, you need to log in to your InVision account and go to the File section on the top left of the toolbar.
Next, you need to click on the section and find Import. From here, you can select the files that you need to transfer, and based on the size of the file you choose, InVision will take from one to several minutes to fully import your designs. Once the entire file is uploaded, you can click Done and get back to the browser to start Whiteboarding.
Key Takeaways
Figma and InVision are top-notch prototype tools that you can use to create any website design you want. While each is known for its attributes, you can incorporate both according to your needs. And although there is not a direct process for you to export your files from Figma to InVision yet, you can use the above methods to transfer your files.
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