Figma is the industry standard for UI design, but exporting designs as PDF is surprisingly clunky. Here is how to use Figma's built-in export properly — including the difference between frame export and file export — plus a faster method for prototypes and presentations.
Free — 3 PDFs per month. No credit card required.
Three methods depending on what you need to export.
This method exports selected frames as pages in a single PDF. It gives you the most control over what gets included.
Important: Figma exports each selected frame as a separate page. The order of pages in the PDF matches the order of frames in the layers panel (top to bottom). Rearrange your layers before exporting if the page order matters.
For exporting an entire file or page as a multi-page PDF without manually selecting frames.
This method is faster for multi-page designs like slide decks, but you cannot exclude specific frames — it exports everything on the page. To exclude frames, either move unwanted frames to a different page or use Method 1.
For capturing a prototype exactly as it appears to viewers.
This captures a single screen at a time and includes Figma's prototype toolbar. For cleaner results, use Pretty PDF on the prototype URL to extract just the design without the toolbar.
Figma's PDF export works for designs, but has surprising gaps.
Figma exports require selecting frames manually or using the File menu which grabs everything. There is no simple "export pages 1-5" range selector. For large files with dozens of frames, getting the right subset into a PDF is tedious.
Figma sometimes converts text to vector paths (outlines) in PDF exports, especially for custom or non-Google fonts. This makes text in the PDF unselectable and unsearchable — a significant problem for documents that need to be read, not just viewed.
PDF is a static format. Figma prototype interactions, transitions, scroll behaviors, and hover states are all lost in PDF export. The PDF only captures the static resting state of each frame.
Some Figma community files have export restrictions set by the creator. You may be able to view and duplicate the file but not export frames as PDF. This is a permission issue that Figma enforces at the file level.
To export specific frames, you must manually select each one while holding Shift. For a 50-screen mobile app design, this means clicking through dozens of frames. There is no "select by tag" or "select by section" feature.
For prototypes, presentations, and shared Figma links, Pretty PDF produces cleaner results.
Important note: For exporting Figma design files (the actual vector designs in the editor), Figma's built-in export is the right tool. It renders the design at the frame level with full vector fidelity. Pretty PDF is not a replacement for Figma's design export.
Where Pretty PDF shines is converting Figma prototypes, Figma presentations (Slides), and shared prototype links to clean PDFs — removing Figma's toolbar, navigation controls, and interface chrome.
Click Play to open the prototype in presentation mode, or open a shared prototype link in Chrome. Navigate to the screen you want to capture.
The extension extracts the prototype content and removes Figma's toolbar, navigation arrows, comment overlays, and device frame chrome.
The Corporate template works well for design presentations. Click Generate PDF for a clean document with selectable text and professional formatting.
| Feature | Figma Export | Pretty PDF |
|---|---|---|
| Design file export | Native — full vector fidelity | Not designed for this |
| Prototype capture | Browser print only | Clean extraction, no toolbar |
| Text selectability | Often renders as outlines | Selectable text preserved |
| Templates | None | 5 professional templates |
| Frame selection | Manual multi-select | Captures current view |
Free — 3 PDFs per month. No credit card required.
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