Nested components in Figma - Step-by-Step Guide

Introduction

Nested components let you build reusable parts inside other reusable parts. This helps keep your design organized and makes updates faster because you change one place and it updates everywhere.

When you want a button inside a card that appears many times in your dashboard

When you have a chart with repeated legends that share the same style

When you want to update a small icon used in many places without changing each one manually

When building a navigation menu with repeated items that share the same look

When creating a template with multiple reusable sections that contain smaller reusable parts

Steps

Step 1: Create a component for the smaller reusable part

- Design panel

The smaller part becomes a component with a purple outline

💡 Name your component clearly to find it easily later

Step 2: Drag an instance of the smaller component into your larger component frame

- Canvas

The smaller component appears inside the larger component

💡 Use the Assets panel to find and drag components

Step 3: Select the larger component frame and create a new component from it

- Right-click menu or top toolbar

The larger component now contains the smaller component nested inside

💡 Nested components keep their own properties and can be edited separately

Step 4: Edit the smaller nested component

- Assets panel or by selecting an instance on the canvas

All instances of the smaller component inside the larger component update automatically

💡 This saves time when you want consistent changes everywhere

Step 5: Use instances of the larger component in your design

- Assets panel

You see the nested smaller components inside each instance of the larger component

💡 You can override some properties on instances without breaking the nested structure

Before vs After

Before

A large component with repeated elements manually duplicated on the canvas

After

A large component containing nested smaller components, all linked and reusable

Settings Reference

Component naming

📍 Layers panel

Helps identify components and nested components clearly

Default: Untitled

Instance overrides

📍 Properties panel when an instance is selected

Allows customizing instances without changing the main component

Default: No overrides

Swap instance

📍 Right-click menu on an instance

Lets you change nested components inside a larger component easily

Default: Current nested component

Common Mistakes

Editing an instance of a nested component instead of the main nested component

Changes only affect that instance and do not update all other instances

Edit the main nested component in the Assets panel to update all instances

Not naming nested components clearly

Makes it hard to find and manage components in complex designs

Use clear, descriptive names for all components and nested components

Summary

Nested components let you build reusable parts inside other reusable parts for better design organization.

Editing a nested component updates all its instances inside larger components automatically.

Name components clearly and edit main components, not just instances, to keep changes consistent.

Practice

1. What is a nested component in Figma?

easy

A. A component that is not reusable

B. A component placed inside another component

C. A component that cannot be edited

D. A component used only once in a design

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand component basics

   A component is a reusable design element in Figma.

2. Step 2: Define nested component

   A nested component is one placed inside another to build complex designs.

3. Final Answer:

   A component placed inside another component -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Nested component = component inside component [OK]

Hint: Think of components like boxes inside bigger boxes [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing nested components with non-editable elements
• Thinking nested means used only once
• Believing nested components are not reusable

2. Which of the following is the correct way to create a nested component in Figma?

easy

A. Drag one component inside another component frame

B. Copy and paste a component outside any frame

C. Use the text tool inside a component

D. Create a new component without any layers

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify how nesting works

   Nested components require placing one component inside another's frame or group.

2. Step 2: Check options

   Dragging a component inside another component's frame nests it correctly.

3. Final Answer:

   Drag one component inside another component frame -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Drag inside frame = nest component [OK]

Hint: Drag components inside others to nest them [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Pasting components outside frames does not nest
• Using text tool does not create nested components
• Creating empty components is unrelated

3. Given a main component with a nested button component inside, what happens if you update the nested button's style?

medium

A. No changes happen to any components

B. Only the main component updates, nested buttons stay the same

C. All instances of the nested button update automatically

D. Only the current instance of the nested button updates

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand component instances

   Nested components are reusable; updating the master updates all instances.

2. Step 2: Apply update logic

   Changing the nested button's style updates all places it is used, including inside main components.

3. Final Answer:

   All instances of the nested button update automatically -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Update nested master = update all instances [OK]

Hint: Change master component to update all nested instances [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking only main component updates
• Believing changes affect only one instance
• Assuming no automatic updates happen

4. You tried nesting a component inside another, but the nested component does not appear in the main component. What is the likely issue?

medium

A. The nested component was placed outside the main component frame

B. The nested component is locked and cannot be seen

C. The main component is not selected

D. You need to restart Figma to see changes

Solution

1. Step 1: Check nesting placement

   For a component to be nested, it must be inside the main component's frame or group.

2. Step 2: Identify common mistake

   Placing the nested component outside the frame means it won't appear inside the main component.

3. Final Answer:

   The nested component was placed outside the main component frame -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Nested component must be inside frame [OK]

Hint: Ensure nested component is inside main component frame [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming locking hides nested components
• Thinking selection affects visibility
• Believing restart is needed for nesting

5. You have a dashboard component with nested chart and button components. You want to update the button style only in this dashboard without affecting other dashboards. How can you do this?

hard

A. Lock the nested button component to prevent changes

B. Edit the master button component directly

C. Create a new button component and replace the nested one

D. Detach the nested button component instance and edit it locally

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand instance behavior

   Editing the master updates all instances, so direct edits affect all dashboards.

2. Step 2: Use detaching to customize locally

   Detaching the nested button instance breaks the link, allowing local edits without affecting others.

3. Step 3: Avoid unnecessary replacements

   Creating a new component is extra work; detaching is simpler for one-off changes.

4. Final Answer:

   Detach the nested button component instance and edit it locally -> Option D

5. Quick Check:

   Detach instance = local edit only [OK]

Hint: Detach nested instance to edit without global changes [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Editing master affects all instances
• Replacing components wastes time
• Locking does not allow editing