Figma offers the flexibility to edit layers with tools curated based on the type. If you’re new to Figma and are trying to rotate a layer, it can be done in two ways. In this guide, we will present both approaches through a guide to get you covered.
Note: While Figma lets you rotate arguably most layers, it cannot rotate the effects attached that are applied to the layers.
Rotate a Layer in Figma
- Open Figma on your browser and sign in with your credentials. After you have successfully logged in, open the existing design you want to work with from Recents.
- After the design is loaded, click on the layer you want to rotate to open the Properties panel on the right. For demonstration, we have added an image to work with.
- In the Design tab of the Properties panel, look for the Rotation input box and enter the value. If you’re using a rotation tool for the first time, positive values turn counterclockwise, and negative values turn clockwise.
Explanation: Each new layer starts with no rotation, and you can rotate it up to 180° counterclockwise or -180° clockwise, with angles beyond 180° moving back towards 0° in the opposite direction (e.g., 195° becomes -165°).
Rotate Layer from Canvas
Manually entering the value can be difficult as you might not have specific requirements and have to adjust the rotation based on the design. Hence, the best alternative is to rotate the layer from the canvas. Here are the steps for it.
- Start by clicking on the layer you want to rotate to select it. If you do it right, the layer has a blue border with its dimensions displayed.
- Next, hover your mouse outside the layer’s corner to find the cursor changing to the rotation icon and drag it to the direction you want to rotate.
Wrapping Up
Congratulations on learning how to rotate in Figma!
While we have provided both approaches to rotate a layer/element in Figma, we suggest you rotate it from the canvas for ease. However, if you’re working with a large design featuring multiple layers, select the layer/element and manually specify the rotation value.
