How to Set Up Figma MCP Server for AI Design (2026)

The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is changing how AI assistants interact with external tools. One of the most powerful integrations is connecting Figma to AI coding assistants, letting you go from design to code in a single conversation. This guide shows you how to set up a Figma MCP server and connect it to Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-compatible client.

What Is MCP and Why Does It Matter for Design?

MCP (Model Context Protocol) is an open standard created by Anthropic that lets AI models connect to external data sources and tools through a unified interface. Instead of copy-pasting screenshots or describing layouts manually, MCP lets your AI assistant read Figma files directly, understand component hierarchies, extract design tokens, and generate accurate code.

What You Can Do with Figma MCP

Extract component structures, styles, and layout properties directly from Figma files
Generate pixel-accurate React, Vue, or HTML/CSS code from Figma designs
Read design tokens (colors, typography, spacing) and convert them to code variables
Query specific frames, pages, or components by name
Get auto-layout and constraint information for responsive implementations

Prerequisites

Before you start, make sure you have the following:

Requirement	Details
Node.js	v18 or higher
Figma account	Free or paid (API access works on both)
Figma Personal Access Token	Generated from Figma account settings
MCP-compatible client	Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code with Continue, etc.
npm or yarn	For installing the MCP server package

Step 1: Generate a Figma Personal Access Token

Open Figma and click your profile icon in the top left.
Go to Settings > Account > Personal access tokens.
Click "Generate new token."
Give it a descriptive name like "MCP Server."
Copy the token immediately. You cannot view it again.

# Store your Figma token as an environment variable
export FIGMA_ACCESS_TOKEN="figd_your-token-here"

Step 2: Install the Figma MCP Server

There are several community-maintained Figma MCP servers. The most popular and well-maintained option is figma-mcp-server:

# Install globally
npm install -g @anthropic/figma-mcp-server

# Or install locally in your project
npm install @anthropic/figma-mcp-server

Alternatively, you can use the Figma Developer MCP server directly from Figma's official tooling:

npx figma-developer-mcp --token=$FIGMA_ACCESS_TOKEN

This starts the MCP server on stdio by default, which is what most MCP clients expect.

Step 3: Configure Claude Desktop

If you are using Claude Desktop (the standalone app), add the Figma MCP server to your configuration file:

macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "figma": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["figma-developer-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "FIGMA_ACCESS_TOKEN": "figd_your-token-here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Restart Claude Desktop after saving. You should see a hammer icon in the chat input, indicating MCP tools are available.

Step 4: Configure Cursor

Cursor supports MCP servers natively as of early 2026. Add the server in your Cursor settings:

Open Cursor and go to Settings > MCP.
Click "Add MCP Server."
Configure it with the following:

{
  "name": "Figma",
  "command": "npx",
  "args": ["figma-developer-mcp"],
  "env": {
    "FIGMA_ACCESS_TOKEN": "figd_your-token-here"
  }
}

Alternatively, create a .cursor/mcp.json file in your project root:

{
  "servers": {
    "figma": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["figma-developer-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "FIGMA_ACCESS_TOKEN": "figd_your-token-here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Step 5: Configure VS Code with Continue

If you use VS Code with the Continue extension, add the Figma MCP server to your Continue configuration:

// ~/.continue/config.json
{
  "experimental": {
    "mcpServers": [
      {
        "name": "figma",
        "command": "npx",
        "args": ["figma-developer-mcp"],
        "env": {
          "FIGMA_ACCESS_TOKEN": "figd_your-token-here"
        }
      }
    ]
  }
}

Step 6: Use the Figma MCP in Practice

Once connected, you can ask your AI assistant to work with Figma files directly. Here are practical examples:

Fetch a Figma File Structure

Read the Figma file at https://www.figma.com/design/ABC123/my-design
and list all the top-level frames on the "Homepage" page.

The AI will use the MCP tool to call the Figma API, parse the file tree, and return a structured list of frames with their dimensions and positions.

Generate Code from a Component

Look at the "Hero Section" frame in my Figma file
https://www.figma.com/design/ABC123/my-design
and generate a React component with Tailwind CSS that matches it exactly.

The AI reads the frame's auto-layout properties, colors, typography, spacing, and child elements, then generates code that mirrors the design.

Extract Design Tokens

Extract all the color styles and text styles from my Figma file
and generate a Tailwind CSS config.

This produces a tailwind.config.js with your exact design system colors and typography.

Available MCP Tools

The Figma MCP server exposes several tools that the AI assistant can call:

Tool	Description
`get_file`	Retrieve the full structure of a Figma file
`get_file_nodes`	Get specific nodes by ID
`get_images`	Export frames/components as PNG or SVG
`get_styles`	List all published styles in a file
`get_components`	List all components and their properties
`get_comments`	Read comments on a Figma file
`search_files`	Search for files in a Figma team or project

Troubleshooting Common Issues

"MCP server failed to start" Make sure Node.js v18+ is installed and the FIGMA_ACCESS_TOKEN environment variable is set correctly. Run npx figma-developer-mcp --version to verify the package installs properly.

"Unauthorized" errors from Figma API Your personal access token may have expired. Generate a new one from Figma settings. Tokens do not expire by default, but they can be revoked.

"File not found" when querying a design Make sure the Figma file is shared with "Anyone with the link can view" or that your token belongs to an account with access to the file.

Slow response times Large Figma files with hundreds of frames can take 10-30 seconds to parse. Ask for specific pages or frames rather than the entire file to speed things up.

Comparison: Figma MCP vs. Other Design-to-Code Methods

Method	Accuracy	Speed	Setup Effort	AI-Powered
Figma MCP + Claude	High	Fast	Medium	Yes
Figma Dev Mode (manual)	High	Slow	None	No
Figma to Code plugins	Medium	Fast	Low	Partial
Screenshot + AI	Low-Medium	Fast	None	Yes
Locofy / Builder.io	Medium-High	Medium	Low	Yes

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the Figma MCP work with the free Figma plan? Yes. The Figma REST API is available on all plans, including the free Starter plan. The MCP server only needs a personal access token.

Which AI assistant works best with Figma MCP? Claude Desktop and Cursor both have excellent MCP support. Claude tends to produce more accurate code from design specs, while Cursor is better for iterating on code within the editor.

Can I use MCP to push changes back to Figma? Currently, most Figma MCP implementations are read-only. Write access (creating or modifying Figma elements) is technically possible through the Figma Plugin API but is not standard in MCP servers yet.

Is my Figma data sent to the AI model? Yes. When the AI calls an MCP tool, the Figma file data is sent as context to the language model. If you are working with confidential designs, check your AI provider's data handling policies.

Wrapping Up

Setting up a Figma MCP server is one of the highest-leverage things you can do for your design-to-code workflow. Once connected, your AI assistant can read your actual designs -- not screenshots or descriptions -- and generate code that matches pixel for pixel. The setup takes about 15 minutes and works with Claude Desktop, Cursor, and VS Code.

If your projects also involve AI-generated media like images, video, or talking avatars, check out Hypereal AI for a unified API that handles it all.

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