How do I share a Figma design with a client who doesn't use Figma?
Set the file's link access to Anyone with the link and send the view link: the client can open it in a browser without a Figma account. For clicking through flows, send a prototype link instead. For approval, export the frames to a PDF and send that as a link, so the client signs off on a fixed version and keeps a record, while you carry on editing the Figma file.
Which one to send
| Option | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| View link to the Figma file | Seeing the whole design, with all its pages | The client sees everything in the file, drafts included |
| Prototype link | Clicking through flows like a real app | Only works for frames you have wired up |
| Exported PDF or images | Sign-off, records, people who will not use Figma | A snapshot: it does not update when the design does |
Share a view link
- Click Share in the top right of the file.
- Set link access to Anyone with the link, with can view.
- Copy the link and send it.
With public link access, anyone who has the link can view the file without logging in. If the client works in a company Figma account, their admins may have restrictions; send it early so you find out.
The link opens the whole file, so move draft explorations to a separate file or tidy the pages before you send it. Paid Figma plans can also put a password or an expiry date on a link.
Share a prototype link
Open the prototype with Present, then use Share prototype and copy the link. Pick the starting frame first, so the client does not land in the middle of a flow. On a phone, the prototype fills the screen and behaves much like the finished app.
Export for sign-off
For approval, send a fixed version. It avoids the "that's not what I approved" conversation later.
- Select the frames and export them. In Figma's main menu, Export frames to PDF puts each frame on its own page; the Export panel gives you PNG or JPG files.
- Go to droply.so, type a name such as
northwind-homepage-v3, and drop the PDF. - Send the link. The PDF opens in a viewer with page thumbnails on any phone or computer, and nobody needs an account.
On Starter and above you can turn on comments, so the client writes notes next to the PDF instead of in a long email. For unreleased work, add a password (Plus). For the next round, either update the project so the same link shows the new version, or upload it under a new name if you want each version kept.
Get feedback you can act on
- Number your frames or pages, so "the third screen" means the same thing to both of you.
- Ask specific questions: "Is the pricing table clear?" gets better answers than "What do you think?".
- Set a deadline for each round, and say what happens after it: "If I don't hear back by Thursday, I'll go ahead with this version."
Sending a coded website rather than a design? See How to send a website to a client for review.