Color styles in Figma - Step-by-Step Guide

Introduction

Color styles let you save and reuse colors across your design. This helps keep your visuals consistent and makes it easy to update colors everywhere at once.

When you want all charts in your dashboard to use the same blue for titles and labels.

When you need to change a brand color and want it updated in all visuals automatically.

When you create multiple reports and want to keep the same color theme without manual changes.

When you want to share your color palette with teammates to keep designs uniform.

When you want to quickly apply a saved color to new shapes or text without picking it again.

Steps

Step 1: Select a shape or text with the color you want to save

- Canvas

The color appears in the right sidebar under Fill or Stroke

💡 Use simple shapes or text to pick the exact color you want

Step 2: Click the four dots icon next to the Fill or Stroke color

- Right sidebar color section

A color styles panel opens showing existing styles

💡 This icon opens the color styles menu for managing saved colors

Step 3: Click the '+' button in the color styles panel

- Color styles panel

A new color style is created with the selected color

💡 Name your color style clearly, like 'Brand Blue' or 'Accent Red'

Step 4: Select another shape or text you want to recolor

- Canvas

The shape or text is selected and ready to change color

💡 You can select multiple objects to apply the style at once

Step 5: Click the Fill or Stroke color, then choose your saved color style

- Right sidebar color styles panel

The selected objects update to the saved color style

💡 Using color styles keeps your design consistent and easy to update

Before vs After

Before

Shapes and text use different manual colors like #1A73E8, #1A73E9, #1A73EA scattered across the design

After

All shapes and text use the single saved color style 'Brand Blue' with color #1A73E8, ensuring uniform color

Settings Reference

Create new color style

📍 Right sidebar > Fill or Stroke color > Color styles panel > '+' button

Save a color to reuse it across your design

Default: No color styles saved

Apply color style

📍 Right sidebar > Fill or Stroke color > Color styles panel

Apply a saved color style to selected objects

Default: No style applied

Rename color style

📍 Color styles panel > Right-click on style > Rename

Give a meaningful name to your color style

Default: Original style name

Delete color style

📍 Color styles panel > Right-click on style > Delete

Remove unused or incorrect color styles

Default: Style exists

Common Mistakes

Applying manual colors instead of using color styles

This causes inconsistent colors and makes updates slow and error-prone

Always create and apply color styles for colors used repeatedly

Not naming color styles clearly

It becomes hard to find and reuse the right color later

Use descriptive names like 'Primary Blue' or 'Error Red' for easy identification

Summary

Color styles save and reuse colors to keep your design consistent.

Use color styles to update colors everywhere with one change.

Name styles clearly and apply them instead of manual colors.

Practice

1. What is the main benefit of using Color Styles in Figma?

easy

A. They add animations to elements.

B. They automatically create new shapes.

C. They change font sizes globally.

D. They keep colors consistent across your design.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the purpose of Color Styles

   Color Styles are used to keep colors consistent in a design project.

2. Step 2: Compare options with the purpose

   Only 'They keep colors consistent across your design.' correctly states that Color Styles keep colors consistent.

3. Final Answer:

   They keep colors consistent across your design. -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Color Styles = Consistent colors [OK]

Hint: Color Styles = consistent colors everywhere [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing color styles with font or shape features
• Thinking color styles create animations
• Assuming color styles change font sizes

2. Which of the following is the correct way to create a new color style in Figma?

easy

A. Select a shape with a fill color, then click 'Create Style' in the Fill section.

B. Draw a rectangle and rename it to 'Color Style'.

C. Change the font color and save it as a style.

D. Right-click on the canvas and select 'New Color Style' from the menu.

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify how to create a color style

   In Figma, you create a color style by selecting an object with a fill color and clicking 'Create Style' in the Fill section.

2. Step 2: Evaluate each option

   'Select a shape with a fill color, then click "Create Style" in the Fill section.' matches the correct method. Options B, C, and D describe incorrect or impossible actions.

3. Final Answer:

   Select a shape with a fill color, then click 'Create Style' in the Fill section. -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Create Style button in Fill = new color style [OK]

Hint: Use 'Create Style' button on fill color [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Trying to create color style by renaming shapes
• Assuming font color changes create color styles
• Looking for 'New Color Style' in right-click menu

3. If you update a color style named Primary Blue, what happens to all elements using this style?

medium

A. All elements using Primary Blue update automatically.

B. Elements keep their old color unless manually changed.

C. Only new elements will use the updated color.

D. The color style is deleted after update.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand color style updates

   When a color style is updated, all elements using that style update automatically to reflect the change.

2. Step 2: Analyze each option

   All elements using Primary Blue update automatically. correctly states this behavior. Options A and B are incorrect because changes apply immediately to all linked elements. The color style is deleted after update. is false; updating does not delete the style.

3. Final Answer:

   All elements using Primary Blue update automatically. -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Update color style = auto update all elements [OK]

Hint: Update color style updates all linked elements [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking only new elements update
• Believing manual change is needed after update
• Confusing update with deletion

4. You tried to update a color style, but the elements did not change color. What is the most likely reason?

medium

A. You updated the wrong color style name.

B. Figma does not support updating color styles.

C. The elements are not using the color style but have fixed colors.

D. You need to restart Figma to see changes.

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify why elements don't update

   If elements have fixed colors (not linked to a color style), updating the style won't affect them.

2. Step 2: Evaluate other options

   You updated the wrong color style name. could be possible but less likely if you are sure of the style name. Figma does not support updating color styles. is false; Figma supports updates. You need to restart Figma to see changes. is unnecessary.

3. Final Answer:

   The elements are not using the color style but have fixed colors. -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Fixed colors ignore style updates [OK]

Hint: Check if elements use style or fixed color [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming Figma needs restart
• Confusing style update support
• Not verifying element color source

5. You have a design with multiple color styles for buttons: Primary, Secondary, and Accent. You want to change all buttons to a new shade of blue without changing other elements. What is the best approach?

hard

A. Manually change the fill color of each button individually.

B. Create a new color style named Button Blue and apply it to all buttons, then update it as needed.

C. Update the Primary, Secondary, and Accent color styles to the new blue shade.

D. Delete all existing color styles and create new ones.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the goal

   You want to change button colors without affecting other elements using existing styles.

2. Step 2: Evaluate options

   Update the Primary, Secondary, and Accent color styles to the new blue shade. changes all elements using those styles, not just buttons. Manually change the fill color of each button individually. is manual and inefficient. Delete all existing color styles and create new ones. is disruptive. Create a new color style named Button Blue and apply it to all buttons, then update it as needed. creates a dedicated style for buttons, allowing easy updates without affecting others.

3. Final Answer:

   Create a new color style named Button Blue and apply it to all buttons, then update it as needed. -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Use dedicated color style for buttons [OK]

Hint: Use dedicated color style for buttons to isolate changes [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Updating shared styles affecting unrelated elements
• Changing colors manually one by one
• Deleting styles unnecessarily