Learn Figma Basics, Part 5: Text tool
Tags: figma, design, tutorial, beginners
Published: 2020-05-01 21:00:10

Figma has a type tool that covers all the necessities to create your typography. It englobes all the basic features like font face, font size, font weight, line height, and different font styles. What’s remarkable about the type tool is its font face library. You have all the google font collection in your hand without installing a single thing. 

![figma text tool](https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/ixGp81GHO2m8VzNihdIQzYtXGCqiC4vW0hbWkaEIYtGYRPfDZTOGPgw0dIqa-qmX2Y10c3YXWOkSenQrGKAME6WUXHwVNlSZbJM8e1zpbnF7r1VpgFwisByc12ltv7djE3My6_jt)
*Google fonts Library*

Lately, Figma added a new feature to its type tool that allows you to add links to your text.

Let’s take a closer look at the type tool.

###**Create a text layer:**

You can create a new text layer using the **Text tool** in the **Toolbar.**

![text tool](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/gb_Od6N5dvyJSLJP2KctYit2AurUr_5W7TmSF7GMsMkBEy7pN426a9bvr6sDvsOCCVIiETImulR3NExHhQf8VpW3QgGhDLxZWTsN6YoouLKv2jzwC6gQhqknYkVXOE_B30dY8g1F)

Once you have the Text tool selected, you can create a **text layer** in the **Canvas**.
- Click once in **the canvas** or,
- **Click and drag** in the canvas

###**Text resizing :**
When you create a text box, you have the ability to set its resizing settings. 
The **Resizing setting** can be found in **the Advanced Type menu.**

![figma text](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Dg8KQMOIM4W0JTKqzEyqv0cMYdY2L4--_UO7JSxugtJHdZ6__8q_5AssyEC4NT8MLmaps2NpeT5UGLPIy-Xydt0JxDRxrcdLunSz2PSZ84Sq2pPRIZwClCFYCT2pxrugEUIzNLgD)

You can set a text box to grow horizontally without line break

![figma text resizing](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/54tFY3w9maYLGVwiLvFNuzzgBgAHY8vi61ltlbfev_c4p0gqpE8cp98DgOnah2g6O7wbpFYUHAPwR6DOgfS5tqyIavrrqLEQ6bKs4VbJxkvVGyAsCyNJ6zOA0h6IUrt48s7maC9J)
*Text resizing: auto width*

Or fix its width and let it grow vertically; 
![figma text resizing](https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/Ie4eiRUN9tUGTzILmjmgOjC5zNUwah1t17obNxPVogKBESDAsuIjru52vB7IYPsVKZSAHcEuOHzqC-gz0yiwPtcLzrlRBxLpy_48EhoG0bJyYZDUH7qfQyeEyuiPpZHBXztG7lZu)
*Text resizing: auto height*

Or fix both directions.
![figma text resizing](https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/kyRUWzMwF9_XP1xuO7ctBnPRYcbakD7xzky2UkXqAFh6su4AWe9lR7YIG9ZsyYBumAEGX-PtqgEaqDj6kvV322Gmjz8muDxK5lC7k5CnIRDxxhMRBo0B06uxAGenUWGlDwux0y6P)
*Text resizing: fixed size*

This feature prevents some text break problems when you modify your content later.

###**Create a link:**
You can select a text layer and assign an external link to it. 
With this feature, you can connect your design and assign external resources to your files.

####**Add a link:**
- Select your text layer
- Click the **create a link** button in the toolbar.

![figma links](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/UBtX7Q9Ys9qZX3FO1u2bnqYAWk9Aywp2yGdDjzEZ--r4R3skE1qlLTXNXyJiQa7cWeuIZVJlS2oU8BxkaFrJ2cDdZ5ZS5z2jWqx71I7rGHWRYCIoGSqDxpslpPuagRdMnFy7d1B_)

- Add your link to the input field.

![figma links](https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/fAs98Aac3tE8bz7tS_Tw8tpNnrKVNsaF8ALHmbIAdmE0jP_hf5RyuilYyUmhc9l4zuWuh5IGq4wSTP-jbdBqHyA_2I6rRjudS2MwCEsJ)

###**Text Settings in the Properties Panel**
![Text Properties ](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/NB-Epq0YRImgO9ne4AVbu2nqJzu_4pwXiR2bMymz3sAlQra2qruVqGWwcAzmjErb2MzunM3EBk9czJNTHRZgXwR-RQWzxZePg4JL3S3mdOPPOBQiOgA9fERX93aQUpe1J0PMc7yW)

From the **Text section** you can:

1. View, create and apply **Text Styles** to **selected text**
2. **Browse a list** of web, local and shared fonts to find the perfect Font
3. Select a Font Style or weight
4. Adjust the size of your text
5. Adjust the Line Height, the vertical distance between lines of text
6. Adjust the Letter Spacing, the uniform distance between letters
7. Adjust the Paragraph Spacing, the vertical distance between paragraphs
8. Offset text with Paragraph Indentation
9. Adjust the Horizontal Alignment of text within the text layer
10. Adjust the Vertical Alignment of text within the text layer
11. Open the **Type Details menu** to explore more **text properties** and OpenType **features**

Source : [help.figma](https://help.figma.com/hc/en-us/articles/360039956474-Create-Type-Layers-with-the-Text-tool)

In the next post, we will discover how to create and modify vector shapes.

This post is a part of a series that cover the basics of designing with Figma.
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