06

    Adding and Styling Text in Figma

    By Nitin Khatri (Senior UI/UX Designer & Educator)
    Reviewed by Sarah Miller (Principal Product Designer (Reviewer))
    Updated
    Video Lesson: 07:30
    Level: Beginner
    Official References:
    Figma Help CenterFigma YouTube Channel

    Typography is critical for effective communication in UI design. This lesson covers how to add text, manage fonts, and style typography for clarity and visual appeal.

    Complete tasks and quiz to finish this lesson.
    Tasks
    Quiz

    Lesson Video

    Lesson Content

    Learning Objectives

    • •Add and edit text elements within design frames
    • •Apply typographic styles including weight, size, and line height
    • •Understand the difference between point text and area text
    • •Manage font families using Figma's integrated font picker

    What You'll Learn

    1. Introduction to the Text Tool
    2. Configuring text properties in the sidebar
    3. Applying advanced typography settings (casing, alignment)
    4. Using Google Fonts and local system fonts

    Key Concepts

    Typography
    Text Wrapping
    Line Height (Leading)
    Letter Spacing (Tracking)

    Key Takeaways

    • ✓The Text tool is used to create all textual content in Figma.
    • ✓Proper line height and letter spacing improve readability significantly.
    • ✓Area text allows for automatic wrapping within a defined container.
    • ✓Figma provides access to hundreds of Google Fonts by default.

    Practice Tasks

    Typography Hierarchy

    Apply different text styles to create a clear visual hierarchy between headlines and body text.

    • Add a text layer for a 'Headline' using a font size above 32px
    • Add a 'Body' text layer with a font size of 16px
    • Set the line height (leading) of the body text to 150% or 'Auto'
    • Change the font weight of the headline to 'Bold' or 'Black'
    • Change the alignment of a block of text to 'Center'

    Knowledge Check

    Pass with 70% or higher

    1. What is the difference between 'Auto width' and 'Fixed size' text boxes?

    2. Which typographic property controls the vertical space between lines of text?

    3. Where does Figma source its default library of primary fonts?

    Lesson FAQ

    Q: How can I practice what I learned in this lesson?

    We highly recommend opening your own Figma workspace in a side window and repeating the steps shown in the video. Utilize the tasks checklist above for specific practice targets.

    Q: What should I do if my layout behaves differently from the walkthrough?

    Double-check parent-child constraints and resizing values (e.g. Hug vs Fill). Ensure Auto Layout direction is correct and check the related guidebooks below for step-by-step visual references.

    Lesson Resources & Connections

    Prerequisites

    No prerequisites required. This is a foundational starter lesson.

    Related Guidebook

    How to create and manage text styles in Figma

    Read Guidebook →

    How to apply consistent typography across Figma designs

    Read Guidebook →

    Relevant Design Tool

    Font Pairing Tool

    Match typography hierarchies.

    Open Companion Tool →

    Next Lesson

    Using Colors, Gradients, and Fills