Guide: Figma for developers (without paid account)
Honestly, I still see no to little value in dev mode in Figma and I think the most of the FE developers can do the work without it (at least until Figma decides to remove inspecting on the free plan, lol :D)
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Install the desktop app
- Better performance than in browser, especially for large files
- Supports local fonts (no extra work needed)
- Keyboard shortcuts work properly
- Offline access to previously opened files
- Less distractions than browser version
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Create a Figma account
- you can't do much without it (it's free)
- As of the latest update, it's basically unusable without an account: you can only view files
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What you can do as a viewer on a free account
- View comments
- Add comments (including mentions and image uploads)
- See layer dimensions (width, height)
- Measure distances: Select a layer, hold Alt (or Option on Mac), and hover another element
- Inspect layers and copy properties (dimensions, content, colors, typography, etc.)
- Export assets (SVG, PNG, JPG, PDF)
- Run prototypes
- Use built-in voice calls
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What you can't do without a paid seat
- Use any Dev Mode features, even if added in design mode
- Includes annotations (used to be free until May 2025)
- Accurate measurements
Dev Mode trial tip
Ask for edit access on a file — you’ll get 3 days of Dev Mode access while waiting for approval.