Swapping instances in Figma - Step-by-Step Guide

Introduction

Swapping instances lets you quickly replace one component instance with another in your design. This helps keep your work consistent and saves time when updating repeated elements.

When you want to change a button style across your design without redoing each one

When updating icons in multiple places to a new version

When switching between light and dark theme components in your layout

When testing different component variants to see which fits best

When fixing a mistake by replacing the wrong component instance

Steps

Step 1: Select the instance you want to swap

- Canvas or Layers panel

The instance is highlighted and its properties appear in the right sidebar

Step 2: Click the 'Instance' section in the right sidebar

- Right sidebar under Design tab

The current component name and a dropdown arrow appear

Step 3: Click the dropdown arrow next to the component name

- Instance section in the right sidebar

A list of available components appears

Step 4: Select the new component you want to swap in

- Component list dropdown

The selected component replaces the old instance on the canvas

Step 5: Check the swapped instance for correct size and position

- Canvas

The new component fits in place with previous layout preserved

Before vs After

Before

Canvas shows a blue button instance named 'Primary Button'

After

Canvas shows a green button instance named 'Secondary Button' in the same place

Settings Reference

Instance dropdown

📍 Right sidebar under Design tab when an instance is selected

Choose which component to swap the selected instance with

Default: Current component instance

Reset overrides

📍 Right-click menu on instance or top right of Instance section

Decide whether to keep or remove custom changes after swapping

Default: Keep overrides

Common Mistakes

Swapping an instance without checking overrides

Overrides like text or color may not apply correctly to the new component

Review and reset overrides if needed after swapping to ensure consistency

Trying to swap a non-instance layer

Only component instances can be swapped, not regular shapes or groups

Select a component instance before attempting to swap

Summary

Swapping instances replaces one component instance with another quickly.

It keeps your design consistent and saves time updating repeated elements.

Remember to check overrides and only swap actual component instances.