How to Add an Image in Figma (and Replace It Later)

• Images: JPG, PNG, HEIC, WebP, GIF, and TIFF (TIFF only in Safari).
• Video: MP4, MOV and WebM, on paid plans.
• SVG doesn't come in as an image. Figma converts it to editable vector layers.
• Size: anything larger than 4096 × 4096 px is scaled down so its longest side is 4096 px. Some metadata can be lost.

Select the shape, click its fill swatch in the right sidebar, switch the picker to Image/Video and choose Upload from computer. You can also drag an image file onto the fill swatch. The shape keeps its size, corner radius and effects, and the photo fills it.

This is the cleanest way to build avatars and cards. Draw the frame or ellipse at the final size first, then fill it, so every image in a list lines up no matter how big the source photo was.

• Fill covers the whole layer and trims what overflows. It's the right default for photos in cards and avatars.
• Fit shows the whole image inside the layer, which can leave empty space on two sides. Use it for logos and screenshots that must not be cut.
• Crop remembers exactly which part of the image you framed. See how to crop an image in Figma.
• Tile repeats the image at a percentage size, for textures and backgrounds.

Click the image swatch in the Fill section to open the image settings. Next to the fill mode you get sliders for Exposure, Contrast, Saturation, Temperature, Tint, Highlights and Shadows, plus a button to rotate the image 90°. Use them to match a set of product shots to the same warmth without leaving Figma.

Select several files in the place image dialog, then click Place all to drop them at a single spot on the canvas. For a gallery, draw the empty frames first, then fill each one through its swatch, so every thumbnail has the same size.

Drag the new file over the image swatch in the Fill section, or over the preview in the image picker. Figma swaps the picture and keeps the existing fill settings, including the mode and adjustments.

To swap one layer for another you've copied, select the target and use Paste to replace (⇧⌘R / Ctrl+Shift+R). It replaces the selected layer with whatever is on your clipboard.

Replacing an image in a component instance

Select the image layer inside the instance and replace its fill the same way. The new image is an override on that instance only, and the main component is untouched. To go back to the main component's image, use the Reset option in the instance menu next to the component name.

Figma's help center doesn't have a single troubleshooting page for this, so check the format first:

• A TIFF only imports in Safari. Convert it to PNG or JPG for other browsers and the desktop app.
• An SVG arrives as vector layers, not an image fill, so look for it in the Layers panel as a vector group.
• Video needs a paid plan.
• Very large images are scaled down to 4096 px, which can make them look softer than the original when zoomed in.

If the file slows to a crawl after you place many large photos, Figma slow and memory issues covers memory limits.

For early layouts you don't need real photos, but a grid of identical grey boxes hides problems. Mock Master AI, our free plugin, generates avatars as image fills in the frames you select, in ten styles from Realistic to Minimalist, or from your own prompt. Draw your avatar frames first, select them, and fill them all at once. The mock data guide covers the text side.

Need to cut a person or product out of a photo after placing it? See how to remove a background in Figma.