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Keep the original native project, then import a copy through a documented path and inspect the converted file before deleting anything. A project migration is usually a one-time conversion, not a synchronized duplicate. “Another tool” may mean a different design application, another account in the same application, or moving a single asset; each route preserves different parts of your editability.
What “editable” means during a design migration
An exported image proves only that the design looks right at one moment. An editable project retains the objects and relationships you need to change later: layers or groups, live text, component or symbol references, masks, effects, linked or embedded images, and page structure. Those structures belong to the source tool’s native file format and are not guaranteed to survive every export.
For that reason, treat migration as a controlled conversion. Keep an untouched source file, create a working copy, use the destination application’s documented importer, and test the converted result with representative pages and objects. Do not retire the source until the new file passes your checks.
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Choose the route before touching the file
First identify what you are actually moving. The route determines whether a native project can remain editable and whether later changes can flow back to the source.
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| Route | What moves | Expected editability | Does it sync with the source? | Main checks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole-project import | A multi-page or multi-artboard project converted into the destination format | Depends on the documented source-format importer and the objects in your file | No. In Figma’s documented Sketch workflow, later edits to the original Sketch file do not appear in the imported Figma file | Pages, layers, text, fonts, components, effects, masks and images |
| Individual-asset transfer | A vector, image, icon or other selected object | Can remain editable when the destination accepts the asset format; SVG is Figma’s recommended lossless route for this workflow | No project-level synchronization | Paths, fills, strokes, markers, patterns and placement |
| Account or organization move | The same product’s files or folders moved or copied to another account or organization | Can preserve the product’s native structure when the product permits a native copy or folder move | Usually a separate copy or move, not a link between accounts | Ownership, permissions, seat access and local-copy availability |
The table describes documented examples and a practical decision framework, not a universal compatibility matrix. Check the exact source and destination pair before committing to a transfer.
Step 1: Preserve a recoverable source
Keep the native file untouched
Save the project in the source tool’s native format and label that version as the original. Do not overwrite it with an imported or cleaned-up copy. If the source is cloud-based, download a separate local copy when the product allows it. Figma’s local-copy feature supports .fig files for Figma Design, among other native formats; the file owner can restrict copying or exporting.
Store the local copy somewhere you control, such as a secured computer or an external drive, and keep the original cloud permissions intact. A local copy is a backup, not proof that every destination tool can open the file.
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Record what the project depends on
- List the source application and its file format.
- Note the number of pages, artboards or frames and identify a complex representative page.
- Record fonts, linked images, embedded images, symbols or components, masks, blend modes, effects and any plugins or special features.
- Capture a few reference screenshots or a PDF export so you can compare appearance after conversion. These are visual references, not replacements for the native project.
Protect access and ownership
Confirm that you can open, copy and export the source. In collaborative products, ownership and permissions may prevent a local download or restrict copying. Resolve those permissions while the original is still available; do not discover the restriction after deleting the source.
Step 2: Verify a documented import path
Check the exact format pair
Read the destination tool’s current official documentation for the exact source extension, not merely a general statement that the application “supports imports.” Look for the documented conversion result, supported object types and known omissions. Support for one format does not establish support for every other design format.
Figma’s documented Sketch example
Figma documents importing .sketch files and converting them into Figma Design files. After import, Sketch features are treated as Figma features. The result is a Figma file, not a live Sketch document, so changes made later in Sketch are not reflected in the imported file. Keep the original Sketch project if you may need to return to it or repeat the conversion.
Canva’s import example
Canva documents a range of import options, and its developer API includes imports from other applications, including Illustrator-format files. That example demonstrates that an import route can exist, but it does not establish that every Illustrator feature, or every other application’s project format, will remain editable. Confirm the current destination documentation for the specific file you have.
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Do not infer support from an export option
An application may export a format without being able to import it, or may import only a subset of its objects. A PDF, PNG or JPEG export is generally a flattened visual representation; it is useful for reference but does not preserve the complete layer model. If your requirement is editable structure, prioritize a native or documented project importer over a visual export.
Step 3: Run a small representative test
Before converting the entire project, duplicate the source and test a page that includes the features most likely to expose compatibility problems. A simple cover page can look correct while a complex page loses masks, symbols or text behavior.
- Make a test copy. Work from the preserved duplicate, never the untouched original.
- Include varied objects. Select a page containing nested groups, live text in several weights, a component or symbol, a mask, an effect, a placed image and any unusual vector construction.
- Import through the destination’s documented command. Follow the current help page for the exact source extension and note warnings shown by the importer.
- Save as the destination’s native project. This creates a file you can edit in the new application and gives you a stable test result separate from the source.
- Compare structure and appearance. Open layers or object lists, select text, inspect components, toggle masks and effects, and compare against your reference screenshot or export.
- Repeat with another complex page if needed. A single successful page is not evidence that every page or object converted correctly.
If the test fails an essential requirement, stop and choose a different route for that object or page rather than converting the whole project and discovering the same loss repeatedly.
Step 4: Inspect the converted project
Layer and group structure
Expand nested groups and verify that objects are still individually selectable. A visual match can hide a flattened group or a rasterized effect. Check whether page, frame and artboard boundaries remain where expected, and whether hidden or locked objects retained their state.
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Click into representative text layers. Confirm that the text is live rather than an image or outline, that line breaks and alignment match, and that the intended font and weights are available in the destination. If a font is unavailable, record the substitution and correct it deliberately; do not assume a visually similar replacement has identical metrics.
Components, symbols and repeated elements
Inspect a master component or symbol and at least one instance. Verify that changing the master affects its instances as expected in the destination. If instances became independent groups, the design may look right now but lose the reusable behavior that made it editable.
Effects, masks and blending
Toggle shadows, blurs, gradients, blend modes and masks. Compare edges at normal zoom and at a close zoom. Unsupported effects may disappear, change order or be rasterized. A mask that looks correct on one background can still have a different boundary or clipping behavior.
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Images and links
Open placed images and confirm that they are present, correctly cropped and linked or embedded as intended. Look for missing-image indicators and accidental low-resolution previews. Check an image both inside and outside a mask, because clipping and placement are common points of conversion error.
Geometry and placement
Compare dimensions, rotation, spacing and alignment on several objects. Inspect content near page edges and objects with fractional coordinates. Small shifts may be invisible in a thumbnail but matter in production artwork.
Moving individual assets with SVG
When you need one vector asset rather than an entire project, SVG can be a practical bridge. Figma recommends SVG for copying assets between design tools and describes it as lossless for that workflow. This applies to an individual asset transfer; it is not a promise that an SVG can represent a complete multi-page project with all component relationships intact.
Use SVG when the destination needs vector editability
Export or copy the selected vector as SVG, import or paste it into the destination, and inspect the resulting paths, fills and strokes. Keep the source object as a fallback in the native project.
Check SVG-specific omissions
Figma’s documentation notes that SVG marker and pattern elements are not included when pasting into Figma. If your icon, diagram or illustration uses markers or patterns, inspect those elements explicitly and rebuild them in the destination when necessary. Do not treat a successful paste as proof that every SVG feature transferred.
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SVG is suited to a self-contained vector asset. It does not carry the source application’s page organization, component libraries, comments, prototype links or every editing convention. Archive the native project even when all individual assets appear correct.
Moving files between accounts in the same product
An account transfer is different from converting a file format. In Figma, the standard move procedure cannot directly move files between different Figma accounts or organizations. Figma’s help guidance describes alternatives that include moving a folder and saving a copy locally for import into another account. Which option works depends on permissions and seat access.
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Check ownership and permissions first
- Confirm who owns the file and whether you have permission to move, duplicate or export it.
- Verify that the destination account has the required seat or access level to open and edit the project.
- Check whether team or organization policies restrict copying, exporting or external sharing.
Use a folder move when the product supports it
If the product’s documented procedure permits moving a folder, follow that procedure and verify the destination account can open the files. A folder move may preserve native relationships better than exporting individual pages, but it does not override ownership or organization policies.
Use a local native copy as the fallback
When a direct account move is unavailable, save a local native copy if permitted, sign in to the destination account and import that copy through the product’s documented path. Verify the resulting file before removing access to the original account.
What to do when the importer changes the design
Text is no longer editable
Determine whether the source text was converted to outlines or raster content. If the destination importer cannot preserve live text, keep the native source for future copy changes and recreate only the text that must remain editable in the new tool. Record font substitutions so later revisions are intentional.
Components became ordinary groups
Compare a master and its instances. If the destination has no equivalent component model, rebuild reusable elements using its native component feature. Keep the imported groups as visual references while rebuilding, rather than deleting the source relationships prematurely.
Effects or masks look different
Identify the smallest object that exhibits the difference, then rebuild that effect with the destination’s native controls. If the effect is unsupported, a carefully prepared raster layer may preserve appearance, but it sacrifices editability for that effect. Keep the original live effect in the source project.
Images are missing or misplaced
Locate the original image, relink or re-embed it using the destination’s supported method, and check its crop and resolution. If the source used external links that the importer cannot resolve, gather the original assets before closing the source application.
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Do not approve the migration solely from a screenshot or exported image. Open the destination’s object structure and attempt the edits your team actually needs: change a headline, swap an image, edit a component instance and move an individual layer. If those actions are impossible, the file is a visual copy rather than an editable project.
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Validation checklist before retiring the source
Use this checklist for every migrated project:
- The untouched native source and a separate local backup are stored and can be opened.
- The destination file is saved in the destination tool’s native format.
- Every page, artboard or frame appears and has the expected dimensions.
- Representative text remains editable, with fonts and line wrapping checked.
- Layers and groups are selectable and retain meaningful nesting.
- Components, symbols or repeated elements behave as expected, or their loss is documented.
- Masks, effects, blend modes, gradients and clipping boundaries have been inspected.
- Images are present, correctly cropped and available at the required resolution.
- SVG assets have been checked for markers and patterns when those features are used.
- The destination file passes a real editing test, not just a visual comparison.
- Collaborators can open the file with their current permissions and seats.
- The source remains available until all required revisions have been made successfully in the destination.
How to choose between conversion and rebuilding
Prefer conversion when structure is supported
Use the documented importer when the destination explicitly supports the source format and your test confirms that the project’s important structures survive. Conversion is efficient when many pages share compatible layers, text and assets.
Use a hybrid approach for unsupported features
Import the project, then rebuild only the objects that lost essential behavior. Keep the imported file as a visual and layout reference while replacing unsupported components, effects or masks with destination-native equivalents.
Rebuild selectively when editability is the priority
If the test shows widespread flattening or missing structure, rebuilding critical pages may be safer than repairing dozens of converted objects. Preserve the original native file and bring over individual assets, such as SVG vectors, where that saves time without disguising a loss of project structure.
Common mistakes that make files harder to recover
- Deleting the source after an attractive preview: appearance does not prove editability.
- Assuming import means synchronization: the documented Figma Sketch conversion is a separate Figma file; later Sketch edits do not flow into it.
- Using a flattened export as the only backup: PNG, JPEG and similar outputs cannot replace the native project when layers matter.
- Testing only a simple page: complex masks, symbols, effects and fonts reveal problems that a basic page will not.
- Ignoring permissions: account moves can fail because copying, exporting or destination access is restricted.
- Assuming SVG carries the whole project: it is an asset-transfer format, with documented limitations such as omitted markers and patterns when pasted into Figma.
- Fixing the converted copy without recording changes: undocumented repairs make it difficult to reproduce the migration or reconcile future source edits.
A repeatable migration record
For projects that will be transferred more than once, keep a short record beside the destination file. Note the source application and version, source extension, destination application, import date, permissions used, pages tested, known substitutions and objects rebuilt manually. This is especially useful when a source remains active while a team adopts the new tool, because the converted file is not automatically synchronized.
Give the destination file a clear name that identifies it as the working copy and preserve the source name for the archive. Store the reference export or screenshots with the record so another editor can check visual changes without guessing which revision was used.
When the migration is complete
Keep the native source and local backup according to your team’s retention policy. Treat the destination project as the new working file only after it passes the structural and editing checks above. If a later change is made in the source, decide explicitly whether to repeat the import, manually reproduce the change, or continue maintaining both files; the importer will not make that decision for you.
The Bottom Line
Preserve the native source, test a documented import on a representative copy, and verify real edits in the destination before retiring the original. That is the reliable way to move a design project without mistaking a flattened visual export for an editable file.
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