I don’t know why, but ever since I started using Figma, I’ve always used the web version. It’s really easy, and I can have my other Jira tabs or calendar tab right next to it for quick switching. Chrome has this tab group function that makes it even easier to organise different design projects with Jira and Figma together.

I tried using the desktop app, but it just adds an extra step for me to switch back to Chrome and look for the relevant documents again.

But it seems like every other designer is using the desktop app. Am I missing something?

i have a potato laptop, i wanna know if i would be missing out on the desktop version

Is it better to use Figma from web, or from desktop, and why?

I'm curious to know how many of you are using Figma to prototype complex, native desktop apps instead of mobile/web apps. I've been working on a huge project for a couple of years now, which was started in XD and later transferred into Figma, mainly due to performance issues. I have to say the switch was definitely worth it, even with such a big project Figma doesn't even sweat.

But I've never seen one post on a native desktop app and although it's probably because of all the web technologies out there now, there has to be more people out there like me - prototyping for native desktop apps. In my case it's Windows.

I would like to know what has been your experience like.

Unfortunately I'm unable to share anything about this project as per company policy. ☹️

Edit-1: Added "instead of.." part to first sentence

I am literally speechless. I've been working in Figma for some years now. Used to run totally fine but just recently at my company I started having extreme performance issue. This happens in multiple Figma files but I mostly work in one file, usually alone. This has been going on for for 2-3-4 months now so I had several software updates for Figma and MacOS too.

Some symptoms:

• low fps while moving around (below 10-20 fps so extremely laggy)

• screen freeze for seconds every few minutes

• screen freeze while moving around or switching pages, even 5-30 seconds long complete timeout

• completely freezes and need to re-launch

• touching and making changes to some of the local components also causes fps drop and/or screen freeze for 5-30 sec

We use our own libraries, which is partly a copy of the Google Material 3 community kit and nothing more complex than that, so I assume our assets are still not outstandingly complex that could cause the level of performance issues.

Now the crazy part: It is uncomparably better in Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge, no fps drop, no lag, tothe point of almost being perfect, load times are also far better.

(I noticed that even on Figma Config, presenters often present from a browser Figma, and not the desktop app, although that can have multiple other reasons too I suppose...)

Some details on my setup:

• MBP 2021 (M1 Max, 32GB, 1TB) Sonoma 14.4.1

• I do have company certificates setup (MS intune) but no VPN and I have most rights

• Figma Desktop App version 116.18.6 (like i mentioned, the issue was going on previous versions too)

Figma document stats:

• total memory: 23.1%

• total layers: 176k (i have files that had 5x layers and run perfectly smooth)

• page content: 18.9%

• imported components: 4.2%

What I have tried:

• deleting figma cache ("clear cache and restart")

• deleting figma and cleaning figma temporary folders then reinstalling it

• prayers and thoughts

Can there be a reason on my end that causes this issue? Or is it just simply that the document is too complex? Why is it far better in browser but the desktop app is garbage? I cry