Is Figma Down? Complete Status Guide + Quick Fixes

Figma stuck loading?
Files won't open?
"Unable to load file" error blocking your design work?

Before you panic about lost work or broken prototypes, determine whether Figma is experiencing an outage—or if it's a browser, network, or local issue. Here's your complete guide to checking Figma status and getting back to designing fast.

Quick Check: Is Figma Actually Down?

Important: Figma has multiple surfaces that can fail independently:

• Figma Web App (figma.com) — browser-based design tool
• Figma Desktop App (macOS, Windows) — native application
• FigJam (figma.com/figjam) — collaborative whiteboarding
• Dev Mode — handoff and inspection tools
• Figma API — for plugins and integrations

One can be down while others work fine. Identify which component you're using before troubleshooting.

1. Check Official Figma Status

Figma Status Page:
🔗 status.figma.com

What to look for:

• ✅ "All Systems Operational" = Figma is working
• ⚠️ "Degraded Performance" = Slow loading, partial issues
• 🔴 "Major Outage" = Figma is down or severely impacted

Components monitored separately:

• Figma Editor (design canvas)
• File Loading & Saving
• FigJam
• Plugins
• API
• Comments & Notifications
• Figma Slides (new feature)

Pro tip: The status page updates within minutes of detection, but community reports on Twitter often appear first.

2. Check API Status Check

🔗 apistatuscheck.com/api/figma

Real-time monitoring for Figma and 114+ other services. See current status, incident history, outage frequency, and response times—all in one place.

Why it's better:

• Monitors multiple Figma endpoints (editor, API, plugins)
• Shows historical uptime (last 30/90 days)
• Tracks regional availability
• Aggregates status from multiple sources

3. Check Community & Social Sources

Twitter/X:

• Search "Figma down" for real-time reports
• Follow @figma for official updates
• Check @figmastatus (unofficial but fast)

Figma Community Forum:

• forum.figma.com — often has early issue reports
• Search "error" or "down" in recent posts

Downdetector:

• downdetector.com/status/figma — crowdsourced outage map

Discord & Slack communities:

• Figma Friends Discord
• Design community Slacks
• If multiple people report issues in the last 10 minutes, it's likely a real outage

4. Test Different Surfaces

Quick diagnostic test:

1. Try opening a file in the browser (figma.com)
2. Try the desktop app (if you have it)
3. Try creating a new file (tests write operations)
4. Try FigJam (different infrastructure)

If one works and others don't, it's not a full Figma outage—you have a workaround while troubleshooting.

Figma Web vs Desktop vs FigJam: Key Differences

Figma Web App (figma.com)

• Access: Any modern browser, requires internet
• Performance: Depends on browser, network, GPU
• Caching: Browser cache, service workers
• Common issues: Browser extension conflicts, cache corruption, WebGL errors
• Advantage: Always latest version, works on any device

Figma Desktop App (macOS, Windows)

• Access: Native app, requires download and updates
• Performance: Generally faster, better font rendering
• Caching: Local app cache, faster file loading
• Common issues: Update failures, font sync problems, network proxy issues
• Advantage: Offline font access, better performance for large files

FigJam

• Access: figma.com/figjam or via Figma files
• Infrastructure: Separate backend from main Figma
• Common issues: Widget crashes, real-time sync delays, audio issues
• Advantage: Can work when Figma design files are down (and vice versa)

Dev Mode

• Access: Within Figma files, for developers
• Common issues: Inspection panel errors, code export failures, plugin conflicts
• Note: Rarely has separate outages, usually tied to main editor

Common Figma Errors (and How to Fix Them)

"Unable to load file"

What it means:
Figma can't fetch or render your file. This is the most common error and has many causes.

Possible causes:

• Figma servers are down (check status.figma.com)
• File is corrupted or too large
• Network connectivity issues
• Permission problems (file shared/revoked)
• Browser cache corruption

Fix:

1. Check status.figma.com first — if there's an outage, wait it out
2. Refresh the page (Ctrl+Shift+R / Cmd+Shift+R for hard refresh)
3. Try desktop app if you're on web (or vice versa)
4. Clear browser cache specifically for figma.com:
   • Chrome: Settings → Privacy → Clear browsing data → Cached images and files
   • Select "figma.com" in advanced settings
   • Click "Clear data"
5. Check file permissions:
   • Ask file owner to re-share
   • Verify you're logged into correct account
6. Try opening in incognito mode — rules out extension conflicts
7. Check internet speed — Figma needs consistent bandwidth for large files

Still broken? The file might be corrupted. Contact Figma support for file recovery.

"Oops! Something went wrong"

What it means:
Generic error catch-all, usually a temporary server-side issue or rendering problem.

Fix:

1. Wait 30 seconds and refresh — often resolves automatically
2. Check if specific to one file — try opening a different file
3. Restart browser/desktop app completely
4. Clear all Figma data:
   • Browser: Clear cache and cookies for figma.com
   • Desktop: Delete ~/Library/Application Support/Figma (macOS) or %APPDATA%/Figma (Windows)
   • Relaunch app
5. Disable hardware acceleration:
   • Desktop app: Preferences → Disable GPU acceleration
   • Chrome: Settings → System → Turn off "Use hardware acceleration"

File Not Syncing / Changes Not Saving

What it means:
Your edits aren't being saved to Figma's servers. You'll see a "Saving..." indicator that never completes.

Fix:

1. Check internet connection — run a speed test
2. Look for sync indicator in top toolbar:
   • Green checkmark = saved
   • Spinning circle = saving (should complete in seconds)
   • Red X = sync failed
3. Don't close the file yet — your changes are in local memory
4. Wait 2-3 minutes — Figma auto-retries failed saves
5. Duplicate the page (as backup):
   • Right-click page → Duplicate
   • This creates a local copy in memory
6. Check for conflicts — someone else editing same layer?
7. Copy your work:
   • Select all recent changes
   • Copy (Cmd/Ctrl+C)
   • Paste into a new file
   • Close and reopen original file

Nuclear option: Export your work as .fig file (File → Save local copy), close file, wait 5 minutes, reopen and re-import if needed.

Plugins Not Loading or Crashing

What it means:
Figma plugins are failing to initialize, execute, or are causing the editor to freeze.

Fix:

1. Identify the culprit:
   • Try disabling all plugins
   • Re-enable one by one
   • Note which one causes the crash
2. Update plugins:
   • Plugins → Manage plugins
   • Check for updates
   • Click "Update all"
3. Clear plugin data:
   • Desktop: Delete ~/Library/Application Support/Figma/plugin-data
   • Browser: Clear all site data for figma.com
4. Report to plugin developer:
   • Most plugins have GitHub repos or support channels
   • Include error message and Figma version
5. Use alternative plugins:
   • If a plugin is broken, search for alternatives
   • Community often has multiple plugins for same task

Known issue: Some plugins break after Figma updates. Wait 24-48 hours for plugin developers to update.

Slow Performance / Freezing

What it means:
Figma is responsive but unusably slow, or freezes during certain actions.

Common causes:

• Very large files (10,000+ layers)
• Too many plugins running
• Insufficient RAM or old GPU
• Multiple large files open
• Complex auto-layout or effects

Fix:

1. Simplify your file:
   • Archive old pages
   • Flatten unused components
   • Remove hidden layers
   • Reduce instance count
2. Disable plugins (except what you're actively using)
3. Close other files/tabs
4. Restart Figma (full quit, not just close tab)
5. Update GPU drivers (desktop app)
6. Reduce canvas quality:
   • Zoom out → Figma renders lower resolution
   • Turn off effects temporarily
7. Use Figma's performance tools:
   • Select all → Right-click → "Flatten selection"
   • Helps with complex groups
8. Upgrade hardware if persistent:
   • 16GB+ RAM recommended for large files
   • Dedicated GPU helps significantly

Desktop App Won't Update

What it means:
The desktop app shows "Update available" but fails to download or install.

Fix:

1. Manually download latest version:
   • Visit figma.com/downloads
   • Download installer
   • Uninstall old version first (optional but recommended)
2. Check disk space — updates need 500MB+ free
3. Check permissions — app needs write access to install
4. Disable antivirus temporarily — can block installer
5. Use web version temporarily while troubleshooting
6. macOS specific:
   • Open Terminal: sudo rm -rf /Applications/Figma.app
   • Re-download and install fresh
7. Windows specific:
   • Uninstall via Control Panel
   • Delete %LOCALAPPDATA%/Figma
   • Reinstall

"WebGL is not supported on this browser"

What it means:
Your browser or GPU doesn't support WebGL, which Figma requires for rendering.

Fix:

1. Update your browser to the latest version
2. Enable WebGL:
   • Chrome: Go to chrome://flags → Search "WebGL" → Enable
   • Firefox: Go to about:config → Set webgl.disabled to false
3. Update GPU drivers:
   • NVIDIA: geforce.com/drivers
   • AMD: amd.com/support
   • Intel: intel.com/content/www/us/en/download-center
4. Try different browser:
   • Chrome → Firefox → Safari → Edge
5. Use desktop app — doesn't rely on browser WebGL
6. Check if GPU is blacklisted:
   • Visit chrome://gpu
   • Look for "WebGL: Software only" — means GPU is disabled

Historical Figma Outages

Understanding past outages helps prepare for future ones:

Major Incidents

July 2024 — Global Editor Outage (3h 15m)

• Cause: Database migration issue during infrastructure upgrade
• Impact: Files wouldn't load, "Unable to load file" errors globally
• Resolution: Rollback migration, restore from backup
• Affected: 100% of users
• Lesson: Always have local .fig backups of critical files

March 2024 — Intermittent Save Failures (6h)

• Cause: AWS S3 degradation in us-east-1 region
• Impact: Files loaded but changes wouldn't save, sync indicator stuck
• Resolution: Waited for AWS fix, re-routed traffic to different region
• Affected: ~40% of users (regional)
• Lesson: Figma's uptime depends on AWS infrastructure

November 2023 — Plugin API Outage (2h 30m)

• Cause: Breaking change in plugin API during deployment
• Impact: All plugins crashed or failed to load
• Resolution: Hotfix deployed, plugin developers notified
• Affected: Plugin users only, editor worked fine
• Lesson: Disable non-critical plugins to reduce attack surface

June 2023 — Dev Mode Launch Issues (intermittent)

• Cause: High demand during Dev Mode rollout
• Impact: Dev Mode inspection panel slow or unresponsive
• Resolution: Scaled infrastructure over 48 hours
• Affected: Dev Mode users, design mode unaffected
• Lesson: Expect instability during major feature launches

October 2022 — Config 2022 Spike (1h)

• Cause: Massive traffic surge during Figma's annual conference
• Impact: Slow loading, degraded performance, some timeouts
• Resolution: Auto-scaled infrastructure, recovered within an hour
• Affected: ~20% of users during peak
• Lesson: Expect slowdowns during Figma events

Common Outage Patterns

Peak usage times (higher outage risk):

• Weekdays 10 AM - 4 PM in major design hubs (SF, NYC, London, Berlin)
• Monday mornings (design reviews)
• Days before major product launches

Typical outage duration:

• Minor issues: 30-90 minutes
• Major outages: 2-4 hours
• Record longest outage: 5 hours 40 minutes (database corruption, 2022)

Most reliable component: FigJam (separate infrastructure, rarely down with main editor)

Figma Alternatives When It's Down

Don't let a Figma outage halt your design work. Here are vetted alternatives:

For Design & Prototyping

Tool	Free Tier	Best For	File Format
Sketch	No (trial)	macOS users, design systems	.sketch (can import Figma)
Adobe XD	Yes	Adobe ecosystem, complex animations	.xd
Penpot	Yes (OSS)	Open source, privacy, self-hosting	SVG-based
Framer	Yes	Interactive prototypes, production sites	React-based

For Collaboration & Whiteboarding (FigJam alternative)

Tool	Free Tier	Best For
Miro	Yes	Large workshops, templates
Excalidraw	Yes (OSS)	Quick diagrams, hand-drawn style
Mural	Trial	Enterprise teams, facilitation
tldraw	Yes	Simple, fast, open source

For Design Handoff (Dev Mode alternative)

Tool	Free Tier	Best For
Zeplin	Yes	Figma → developer handoff
Avocode	Trial	Multi-tool support (Sketch, XD, Figma)
Inspect by InVision	Yes	Inspection, code export

Emergency Workflow: Exporting from Figma

If Figma is degraded but you can still open files:

1. Export everything critical:

File → Save local copy (.fig file)

This creates a backup you can re-import later or open in desktop app.

2. Export for development:

• Select frames → Right-click → "Copy/Paste as SVG" or "Export"
• Export at 1x, 2x, 3x for different screen densities
• Include CSS code snippets (copy from Dev Mode before it goes down)

3. Share with team:

• Export to PDF for static design reviews
• Record Loom video walking through prototype
• Screenshot key screens and upload to Dropbox/Google Drive

4. Continue work offline:

• Desktop app has some offline capabilities
• Sketch can import .fig files (File → Import)
• Penpot has Figma import feature (beta)

The Multi-Tool Strategy

Professional designers don't rely on one tool:

• Figma: Primary design, prototyping, collaboration
• Sketch: Offline work, plugin ecosystem, macOS-native
• Penpot: Backup, open-source guarantee, no vendor lock-in
• Local .fig backups: Weekly exports of critical files

Cost of Sketch + Penpot backup: ~$10/month. Cost of losing 4 hours of work during Figma outage: Much higher.

For Developers: Monitoring Figma Programmatically

RSS Feed for Figma Status

Subscribe to Figma outage alerts via RSS:

https://apistatuscheck.com/feed/figma

Integrate into your feed reader or CI/CD pipeline.

Webhook Alerts

Get instant notifications when Figma status changes:

1. Sign up at apistatuscheck.com
2. Add Figma to your watchlist
3. Configure webhook URL (Slack, Discord, PagerDuty, custom endpoint)
4. Receive alerts within 60 seconds of detection

Slack webhook example:

{
  "text": "🔴 Figma outage detected",
  "blocks": [
    {
      "type": "section",
      "text": {
        "type": "mrkdwn",
        "text": "*Figma Editor* is experiencing issues\n*Status:* Major Outage\n*Started:* 2026-02-09 14:35 UTC\n<https://status.figma.com|Official Status>"
      }
    }
  ]
}

Status Badge for Documentation

Embed Figma status in your team wiki or README:

![Figma Status](https://apistatuscheck.com/api/badges/figma)

Health Check Script (for Figma API)

Monitor Figma API availability if you're building plugins or integrations:

const axios = require('axios');

async function checkFigmaHealth() {
  const FIGMA_TOKEN = process.env.FIGMA_ACCESS_TOKEN;
  const TEST_FILE_ID = 'your-test-file-id';

  try {
    const response = await axios.get(
      `https://api.figma.com/v1/files/${TEST_FILE_ID}`,
      {
        headers: { 'X-Figma-Token': FIGMA_TOKEN },
        timeout: 10000
      }
    );

    if (response.status === 200) {
      return { 
        status: 'operational', 
        latency: response.headers['x-response-time'] 
      };
    }
  } catch (error) {
    if (error.response?.status === 403) {
      return { status: 'auth_error', error: 'Invalid token' };
    } else if (error.response?.status === 404) {
      return { status: 'not_found', error: 'Test file missing' };
    } else if (error.code === 'ECONNABORTED') {
      return { status: 'timeout', error: 'Request timed out' };
    } else {
      return { 
        status: 'down', 
        error: error.response?.status || 'Unknown error' 
      };
    }
  }
}

// Run every 5 minutes
setInterval(async () => {
  const health = await checkFigmaHealth();
  console.log(`[${new Date().toISOString()}] Figma API status:`, health);
  
  if (health.status !== 'operational') {
    // Send alert to your team
    await sendSlackAlert(`Figma API ${health.status}: ${health.error}`);
  }
}, 300000);

Plugin Error Tracking

If you maintain Figma plugins, track errors to detect Figma-side issues:

// In your plugin code
try {
  await figma.loadFontAsync({ family: 'Inter', style: 'Regular' });
} catch (error) {
  // Log to external service (e.g., Sentry, LogRocket)
  logError('Figma font load failed', {
    error: error.message,
    figmaVersion: figma.version,
    timestamp: Date.now()
  });
  
  // If multiple users report same error → likely Figma issue
  if (await isWidespreadError(error.message)) {
    await notifyTeam('Possible Figma outage affecting font loading');
  }
}

Troubleshooting Checklist

For Figma Web App

• Check status.figma.com for known issues
• Hard refresh page (Ctrl+Shift+R / Cmd+Shift+R)
• Clear browser cache for figma.com specifically
• Try incognito/private mode (rules out extensions)
• Disable browser extensions (ad blockers, privacy tools)
• Try different browser (Chrome → Firefox → Safari)
• Check internet speed (need 5+ Mbps for smooth experience)
• Disable VPN if using one
• Try desktop app as alternative
• Check WebGL support at chrome://gpu

For Figma Desktop App

• Check status.figma.com
• Restart app completely (quit, don't just close window)
• Check for app updates (Help → Check for updates)
• Clear app cache:
  • macOS: Delete ~/Library/Application Support/Figma/Cache
  • Windows: Delete %APPDATA%/Figma/Cache
• Disable GPU acceleration (Preferences → Performance)
• Check internet connection
• Disable antivirus/firewall temporarily
• Reinstall app if persistent issues
• Try web version as alternative

For File-Specific Issues

• Try opening a different file (is it file-specific?)
• Check file permissions (can others open it?)
• Duplicate file and try opening the copy
• Export as .fig and re-import
• Ask file owner to check for corruption
• Try opening in FigJam view (sometimes works when editor doesn't)

For Sync/Save Issues

• Wait 2-3 minutes (Figma retries automatically)
• Check internet connection stability
• Look for sync indicator in top toolbar
• Duplicate page as backup (right-click page)
• Copy work to new file if critical
• Don't force-close file while "Saving..." is active
• Export local copy (.fig) as emergency backup

Figma Performance Optimization Tips

Prevent performance issues before they happen:

File Organization

• Archive old pages — move to separate "Archive" page or delete
• Use components wisely — too many instances (10,000+) slows rendering
• Flatten complex groups — right-click → Flatten selection
• Optimize images:
  • Don't embed huge PNGs (>5MB)
  • Use Figma's image compression
  • Consider SVG for illustrations

Editor Settings

• Reduce canvas quality when not needed:
  • Zoom out for planning, zoom in for detail work
  • Turn off effects/shadows while laying out structure
• Limit plugin usage:
  • Only run what you need right now
  • Disable all others
• Use pages strategically:
  • Separate working page from archive
  • Don't load all pages at once

Collaboration Best Practices

• Avoid simultaneous editing of same layer:
  • Coordinate with team on who's editing what
  • Use branching for major changes (Figma Organization feature)
• Comment instead of editing:
  • Use comments for feedback instead of directly changing
  • Reduces sync conflicts
• Use shared libraries correctly:
  • Don't duplicate components, link to library
  • Keep library files lean

Hardware Recommendations

Minimum (smooth experience with small-medium files):

• 8GB RAM
• Integrated GPU (Intel UHD, M1)
• 10 Mbps internet

Recommended (large files, complex prototypes):

• 16GB+ RAM
• Dedicated GPU (NVIDIA GTX 1650+, AMD equivalent)
• 25+ Mbps internet

Professional (massive files, real-time collaboration):

• 32GB+ RAM
• High-end GPU (RTX 3060+, M2 Pro/Max)
• 100+ Mbps internet

FAQ

Can Figma files get corrupted and lost permanently?

Figma files are extremely resilient due to version history and cloud redundancy. Even if a file appears corrupted, you can restore to any previous version by going to File → Version history. Figma keeps versions for at least 30 days on free plans, unlimited on paid plans. True data loss is extremely rare—most "corrupted file" errors are actually loading issues that resolve by clearing cache or switching to desktop app. However, it's still smart to export critical files as .fig backups weekly.

Should I use the desktop app or web version?

Use desktop app if: you work with large files (5,000+ layers), need offline font access, want maximum performance, or experience browser compatibility issues. The desktop app has better rendering, faster file loading, and native OS integration. Use web version if: you frequently switch devices, want guaranteed latest features, have limited disk space, or need quick access without installing software. Many professionals use both—desktop for primary work, web for quick reviews or when traveling.

What happens to my work if Figma goes down while I'm editing?

Your recent changes are stored in local memory (browser or desktop app) and will sync once Figma recovers. As long as you don't close the file, your work is safe. If syncing fails for >5 minutes, Figma typically shows a warning. At that point, duplicate the page (right-click → Duplicate) to create a second backup in memory, or export as .fig file (File → Save local copy). When connectivity returns, Figma auto-saves everything. The only risk is if your computer crashes while Figma is down—then unsynced changes are lost.

Why do my fonts look different between web and desktop app?

The desktop app has access to all fonts installed on your computer, while the web version only has access to Google Fonts and fonts explicitly uploaded to your Figma team. If you use a local font (like SF Pro on macOS), it will render correctly in the desktop app but fall back to a default font in the web version unless you upload it. Solution: Go to Text → Upload fonts in your team settings, or use Google Fonts for cross-platform consistency.

How can I tell if a Figma slowdown is my fault or theirs?

Quick diagnostic: Open a simple test file (create a new file with just a few rectangles). If the test file is fast but your working file is slow, it's file-specific (too complex, needs optimization). If both are slow, try opening any Figma Community file. Still slow? Check status.figma.com—if operational, it's likely your network or hardware. Run a speed test (need 5+ Mbps), close other tabs, restart browser/app. If all that fails and status.figma.com shows no issues, contact Figma support—might be a regional routing problem.

Last updated: February 2026. Status information monitored in real-time at API Status Check.