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figma-create-new-file

figma/mcp-server-guide

Create new Figma files (design, FigJam, or Slides) before using other Figma tools.

What is figma-create-new-file?

This skill creates a blank Figma file in your drafts folder and must be invoked before calling the create_new_file tool. Use it whenever you need a fresh design, FigJam, or Slides file to work with.

  • Create design files for UI/UX work
  • Create FigJam files for collaborative whiteboarding
  • Create Slides files for presentations
  • Automatically resolve the correct team/plan for file creation
  • Return file_key and file_url for subsequent Figma operations

How to install figma-create-new-file

npx skills add https://github.com/figma/mcp-server-guide --skill figma-create-new-file
Prerequisites
  • Figma account with at least one active plan/team
  • MCP server connection to Figma API
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How to use figma-create-new-file

  1. 1.Invoke the skill with /figma-create-new-file [editorType] [fileName]
  2. 2.Specify editorType as 'design' (default), 'figjam', or 'slides'
  3. 3.Provide a fileName or use 'Untitled' as default
  4. 4.If prompted, select which team/plan to create the file in
  5. 5.Receive file_key and file_url from the response
  6. 6.Use file_key in subsequent Figma tool calls like use_figma

Use cases

Good for
  • Starting a new design project before editing with use_figma
  • Creating a FigJam whiteboard for team brainstorming
  • Setting up a Slides presentation for stakeholder reviews
  • Preparing a fresh file when switching between design types
Who it's for
  • Designers and design teams
  • Product managers creating presentations
  • Teams using FigJam for collaboration
  • Anyone integrating Figma into agent workflows

figma-create-new-file FAQ

Do I have to use this skill before create_new_file?

Yes, this is mandatory. You must load this skill before every create_new_file tool call.

What happens if I don't provide editorType or fileName?

editorType defaults to 'design' and fileName defaults to 'Untitled' if not specified.

Where are the new files created?

Files are created in your drafts folder for the selected plan/team.

What if I have multiple teams?

The skill will ask you to choose which team or organization to create the file in, then uses that plan's key.

Can I use the file_key immediately after creation?

Yes, the file_key is returned in the response and can be used directly with use_figma and other Figma tools.

Full instructions (SKILL.md)

Source of truth, from figma/mcp-server-guide.


name: figma-create-new-file description: "MANDATORY prerequisite — you MUST invoke this skill BEFORE every create_new_file tool call. NEVER call create_new_file directly without loading this skill first. Trigger whenever the user wants a new blank Figma file — a new design, FigJam, or Slides file — or when you need a fresh file before calling use_figma. Usage — /figma-create-new-file [editorType] [fileName] (e.g. /figma-create-new-file figjam My Whiteboard, /figma-create-new-file slides Q3 Review)" disable-model-invocation: false

create_new_file — Create a New Figma File

MANDATORY: load this skill before every create_new_file tool call. It encodes the plan-resolution decision tree, the editor-type contract, and the post-creation handoff to use_figma.

Use the create_new_file MCP tool to create a new blank Figma file in the user's drafts folder. This is typically used before use_figma when you need a fresh file to work with.

Skill Arguments

This skill accepts optional arguments: /figma-create-new-file [editorType] [fileName]

  • editorType: design (default), figjam, or slides
  • fileName: Name for the new file (defaults to "Untitled")

Examples:

  • /figma-create-new-file — creates a design file named "Untitled"
  • /figma-create-new-file figjam My Whiteboard — creates a FigJam file named "My Whiteboard"
  • /figma-create-new-file design My New Design — creates a design file named "My New Design"
  • /figma-create-new-file slides Q3 Review — creates a Slides presentation named "Q3 Review"

Parse the arguments from the skill invocation. If editorType is not provided, default to "design". If fileName is not provided, default to "Untitled".

Workflow

Step 1: Resolve the planKey

The create_new_file tool requires a planKey parameter. Follow this decision tree:

  1. User already provided a planKey (e.g. from a previous whoami call or in their prompt) → use it directly, skip to Step 2.

  2. No planKey available → call the whoami tool. The response contains a plans array. Each plan has a key, name, seat, and tier.

    • Single plan: use its key field automatically.
    • Multiple plans: ask the user which team or organization they want to create the file in, then use the corresponding plan's key.

Step 2: Call create_new_file

Call the create_new_file tool with:

ParameterRequiredDescription
planKeyYesThe plan key from Step 1
fileNameYesName for the new file
editorTypeYes"design", "figjam", or "slides"

Example:

{
  "planKey": "team:123456",
  "fileName": "My New Design",
  "editorType": "design"
}

Step 3: Use the result

The tool returns:

  • file_key — the key of the newly created file
  • file_url — a direct URL to open the file in Figma

Use the file_key for subsequent tool calls like use_figma.

Important Notes

  • The file is created in the user's drafts folder for the selected plan.
  • Supported editor types are "design", "figjam", and "slides".
  • If use_figma is your next step, load the figma-use skill before calling it.

Editor-specific notes

Slides — newly created files have an empty grid

A slides file produced by this tool starts with zero rows and zero slidesfigma.getSlideGrid() returns [], not a default first slide. The page's only child is the SLIDE_GRID node itself, which is empty until you create content. The first call to figma.createSlide() implicitly creates row 0 and inserts the new slide there.

If your follow-up use_figma script assumes at least one slide exists (e.g. to read theme tokens off it), guard for the empty case or call createSlide() first. See figma-use-slides → slide-grid for full details.