How to Set Up the Figma MCP Server

• Remote server. Hosted by Figma at https://mcp.figma.com/mcp. Available on all plans and seats. It has the write tools: use_figma builds frames, components, variables and auto layout in a file, and generate_figma_design turns a running web page into Figma layers. You pass it a link to a file or layer.
• Desktop server. Runs in the Figma desktop app at http://127.0.0.1:3845/mcp. Needs a Dev or Full seat on a paid plan. It reads whatever you have selected, so you don't paste links. It only runs while the desktop app is open with the file active.

Pick one. If both are configured, your client may connect to the desktop server and never load the remote-only tools.

Figma's docs suggest the plugin first: claude plugin install figma@claude-plugins-official. It adds the server and a set of skills for common tasks. To add only the server, run claude mcp add --transport http figma https://mcp.figma.com/mcp, then type /mcp, pick figma and authenticate. Add --scope user to make it available in every project.

For the desktop server, run claude mcp add --transport http figma-desktop http://127.0.0.1:3845/mcp instead.

Type /add-plugin figma in Cursor's agent chat, or use the install link on Figma's setup page, click Connect next to Figma and authorise. For the desktop server, open Cursor Settings, go to the MCP tab and add a global server with "figma-desktop": { "url": "http://127.0.0.1:3845/mcp" }.

1. Press ⇧⌘P / Ctrl+Shift+P and run MCP: Open User Configuration.
2. Add a server called figma with "url": "https://mcp.figma.com/mcp" and "type": "http" inside "servers".
3. Click Start above the entry and allow access in the browser.

The desktop server in VS Code goes through MCP: Add Server, then HTTP, then the local URL. Figma notes it needs GitHub Copilot turned on.

For Codex, run codex mcp add figma --url https://mcp.figma.com/mcp or install Figma from the plugins list in the Codex app. Other clients connect only if they're in Figma's MCP Catalog at figma.com/mcp-catalog. The list includes Claude, ChatGPT, Google Antigravity, GitHub Copilot CLI, Kiro, Warp, Zed, Replit, Android Studio and more. If your tool isn't there, it can't use the remote server.

"Connecting Figma MCP Server with Google Antigravity" has about 58k views on the Figma forum. The people who got stuck had created their own OAuth app with a client ID and secret. Don't. Use the client's own Figma entry (in Antigravity, the MCP servers menu) and let it run the sign-in.

• Starter plan: up to 20 tool calls a month.
• View or Collab seat on Professional, Organization or Enterprise: up to 6 tool calls a month.
• Dev or Full seat, Professional: up to 200 a day, 10 a minute.
• Dev or Full seat, Organization: up to 200 a day, 15 a minute.
• Dev or Full seat, Enterprise: up to 600 a day, 20 a minute.
• Education plans: the same as Professional.

Limits count tools that read from Figma. whoami, create_new_file and add_code_connect_map are exempt. Writing to the canvas with use_figma needs a Full seat and edit access. Dev seats are read-only. Figma says writing to the canvas is free during the beta and will later be a usage-based paid feature. For how Figma bills its other AI features, see Figma AI credits.

• "Invalid scope: mcp:connect" or "Invalid scopes for app". You're using your own OAuth app. Figma support says the mcp:connect scope "isn't available for general third-party OAuth apps". Use a client from the MCP Catalog and its built-in sign-in.
• 0 tools, or tools not loading. For the desktop server, open the file in the desktop app, switch to Dev Mode (⇧D) and click Enable desktop MCP server. Keep the file open. Then restart Figma and your editor. If you set up both servers, remove one.
• "Invalid sessionId". Old setup instructions caused this. Remove the old entry (for Claude Code, claude mcp remove figma-dev-mode-mcp-server) and add the server again with the /mcp URL. The old /sse endpoint is deprecated.
• Tool calls fail in Cursor. Open the Command Palette, run Clear All MCP Tokens and sign in again.
• "Response exceeds maximum allowed tokens" in Claude Code. The frame is too big for one response. Set the MAX_MCP_OUTPUT_TOKENS environment variable higher (for example 50000) and restart, or link a smaller frame.
• Stuck, slow or "lost connection to MCP server". Usually the selection is too large. Link a card, header or sidebar instead of a whole page.
• Rate limited. You've hit your plan's limit. Wait for it to reset, or move to a Dev or Full seat or a higher plan.

The MCP server is for agents working in your own codebase. Dev Mode is for people inspecting a design by hand. Figma Make builds an app inside Figma from a prompt. The MCP server can also read a Make project's files if you give it a Make link, which helps when you move a prototype into production. See how to export code from Figma Make.

Plugins cover other parts of the handoff, like exporting code or specs without an agent: