Work and creative history

How to download your Figma data

Local copies omit version history and comments, and reimport as new files.

Reviewed 27 October 2026Free guideSource-based research
Method

Partial export or selected records

Verification

Official documentation reviewed

Access

Read the instructions without an account

Manual method

  1. Open a file and choose Main menu > File > Save local copy.
  2. Repeat for every file you want; preserve the returned native extension such as .fig or .jam.
  3. Export important frames to PDF/PNG as separate viewing copies.
  4. Record original file URL, title and capture date, and test reopening a copy in Figma.

Coverage and limitations: Local copies omit version history and comments, and reimport as new files. Viewer copying/export can be disabled. Native formats remain proprietary; a PDF preview preserves appearance but not editability.

Size and time to allow

Illustrative planning size: 5 GB; scenario range 0.05–100 GB. This is a storage-planning example, not a measured average. Your archive may be smaller or larger. About 50 design files averaging 100 MB each; image-heavy projects can be much larger.

Preparation and hands-on time: Allow a few minutes per file plus large-asset transfer. No bulk account-export deadline is promised.

For the 5 GB example, network transfer alone is approximately:

Connection download speed Transfer estimate
10 Mbit/s 1.6 hr
50 Mbit/s 20 min
100 Mbit/s 10 min

These calculations use decimal GB and 70% of the advertised speed. Tiny transfers can take longer because of startup overhead. Local exports do not need an internet download; use these numbers only for a network transfer. Preparation, retries, extraction, checking and a cloud upload are additional; use upload speed for the latter.

Where and how to keep it

An encrypted external SSD/HDD is the practical primary archive. A sufficiently large USB key is useful for an extra transport copy. For off-site protection, add private cloud storage with encryption and enough quota.

Create a dated figma/YYYY-MM-DD/ folder. Keep received originals unchanged, use a separate working copy, and note the account/profile, selected dates, formats and known gaps in a private README. Compare file sizes, check any supplied checksums, and open sample files from the backup before considering the task finished. Repeat after meaningful additions. Follow the storage, archive-checking and large-file guide.

Sources and review

Public documentation was reviewed on 27 October 2026. No signed-in export or restoration was performed. Account options and availability can change; follow the current provider instructions.

This is an informational guide. We have not completed an authenticated export test for this source. Available records and options can vary by account, device and region.
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