Comments and Mentions in Figma
Comments and Mentions in Figma are collaboration features that help designers, developers, product managers, testers, and other team members communicate directly inside a design file. Instead of using separate messages or documents for every design discussion, team members can leave comments on specific areas of a design, reply to existing comments, mention teammates, ask questions, provide feedback, and track design decisions.
Comments are especially useful during UI/UX reviews, design handoff, usability testing, client feedback, design-system discussions, and team collaboration. Mentions make communication faster by notifying a specific teammate when their attention or response is required.
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1. What Are Comments in Figma?
A comment is a message attached to a particular location or object within a Figma design. It allows a team member to provide feedback without changing the actual design immediately.
For example, a designer may receive a comment such as “Increase the spacing between these buttons” directly on a mobile app screen. The designer can review the feedback, make the required change, and reply to the comment.
Example
Designer:
"Can we increase the spacing between these two buttons?"
Developer:
"Updated. The spacing is now 16px."
Designer:
"Looks good. Thank you!"
2. What Are Mentions in Figma?
A mention is a way to specifically notify another person inside a comment or collaboration message. A teammate can generally be mentioned using the @ symbol followed by their name.
Mentions are useful when feedback requires action from a particular person.
@Rahul Please review the checkout screen.
@Priya Can you confirm the final color?
@Amit Please check the developer handoff details.
3. Why Are Comments Important in Figma?
- They keep design feedback close to the design.
- They reduce unnecessary communication across separate applications.
- They make design reviews more organized.
- They provide context for feedback.
- They help designers understand exactly which element needs attention.
- They improve communication between designers and developers.
- They support client and stakeholder reviews.
- They help track questions and design decisions.
4. Comments and Mentions Workflow
Select Design Area
↓
Open Comment Tool
↓
Place Comment
↓
Write Feedback
↓
Mention Team Member if Required
↓
Team Member Receives Notification
↓
Reply / Make Changes
↓
Resolve Comment
5. Adding a Comment in Figma
To add feedback to a design, use Figma's comment functionality and place the comment near the relevant layer, frame, component, or area of the canvas.
- Open the required Figma design file.
- Navigate to the frame or object that requires feedback.
- Activate the comment tool.
- Click the relevant location on the canvas.
- Enter your feedback or question.
- Mention a teammate if necessary.
- Post the comment.
6. Writing an Effective Comment
A good comment should be clear, specific, actionable, and connected to the design element being discussed.
Weak Comment
This looks wrong.
Better Comment
The button feels too close to the input field.
Can we increase the vertical spacing to improve readability?
7. Commenting on a Specific Design Element
Comments become more useful when they are attached to the exact area that needs attention. Instead of saying “Fix the login page,” identify the particular element.
Login Page
├── Logo
├── Email Input
├── Password Input
├── Forgot Password Link
├── Login Button
└── Social Login Buttons
For example, a reviewer can place a comment specifically on the Login Button rather than creating a general comment for the entire screen.
8. Mentioning a Team Member
Mentions are useful when feedback is intended for a particular person. Start typing the @ symbol and select the relevant teammate from the available suggestions.
@Designer Please check the spacing.
@Developer Please confirm whether this interaction is possible.
@ProductManager Please confirm the final requirement.
9. When Should You Use Mentions?
- When a specific person needs to respond.
- When assigning attention to a design issue.
- When requesting technical validation.
- When asking a product manager for clarification.
- When requesting client approval.
- When following up on an unresolved design decision.
10. Replying to Comments
Comments can become conversation threads. A team member can reply to an existing comment instead of creating a separate comment for the same topic.
Comment:
"The card needs more spacing."
Reply:
"Should we use 16px or 24px?"
Reply:
"Let's use 24px for desktop."
Reply:
"Done. Updated the component."
11. Comment Threads
A comment thread groups the original comment and its replies together. This keeps related communication organized and makes it easier to understand the history of a design discussion.
| Thread Element | Purpose |
| Original Comment | Starts the discussion. |
| Reply | Responds to the comment. |
| Mention | Notifies a specific teammate. |
| Resolution | Indicates that the issue has been addressed. |
12. Resolving Comments
After a comment has been addressed, the thread can be resolved. Resolving a comment helps separate completed discussions from active issues.
Example Workflow
Issue identified
↓
Comment added
↓
Designer reviews feedback
↓
Design updated
↓
Reviewer confirms change
↓
Comment resolved
13. Unresolved vs Resolved Comments
| Unresolved Comment | Resolved Comment |
| Requires attention | Issue has been addressed |
| Usually part of active review | Usually part of completed review |
| Needs follow-up | Does not normally require further action |
14. Comments During Design Reviews
Comments are extremely useful during design review sessions. Reviewers can identify problems directly on the design instead of describing the location separately.
Typical Review Areas
- Layout
- Spacing
- Typography
- Colors
- Components
- Interactions
- Accessibility
- Responsive behavior
- Content
- Brand consistency
15. Comments for UI Design Feedback
UI designers can use comments to discuss visual improvements.
Example:
"The heading hierarchy is not strong enough.
Can we increase the heading size or font weight?"
"Please align the CTA with the content container."
"The card radius is different from the design system."
16. Comments for UX Feedback
Comments can also be used to discuss user experience problems rather than only visual issues.
"What happens when the user enters an invalid email?"
"Should the user receive confirmation after submitting the form?"
"Can we provide a loading state here?"
17. Comments for Developer Handoff
Comments can provide useful implementation context during developer handoff. Designers can clarify interactions, states, responsive behavior, or special requirements.
Developer Note:
"The mobile navigation opens as a drawer."
"Use the disabled button state when required fields are empty."
"Show the error message below the input field."
18. Comments for Client Feedback
Comments make it easier for clients or stakeholders to provide feedback directly on the relevant design screen.
Example
Client:
"Can we use the brand blue for this button?"
Designer:
"Yes. I will update the primary CTA."
Client:
"Approved."
19. Comments for Design Approval
Comments can also support approval workflows. Stakeholders can communicate whether a particular design direction is accepted or requires changes.
Review:
"Homepage layout approved."
"Pricing section needs revision."
"Mobile version approved after spacing update."
20. Mentioning Multiple Team Members
When a design decision involves several people, multiple relevant team members can be mentioned. However, mentions should be used carefully so that only people who genuinely need to participate are notified.
@Designer Please update the component.
@Developer Please confirm implementation feasibility.
@ProductManager Please confirm the requirement.
21. Avoiding Unnecessary Mentions
Do not mention large groups of people when the comment only requires one person's attention. Excessive mentions can create notification noise and reduce productivity.
Good Practice
@Amit Can you verify the API state for this screen?
Avoid
@Everyone @Everyone @Everyone Please check this.
22. Comments for Design System Feedback
Comments can help identify inconsistencies in components, typography, spacing, colors, and other design-system elements.
Comment:
"This button uses 12px radius, but the primary button
component uses 8px. Should we use the shared component?"
23. Comments on Components
Component-related comments can help teams identify problems with reusable UI elements.
- Incorrect component variant
- Incorrect spacing
- Wrong typography
- Missing state
- Incorrect color
- Incorrect icon
- Missing responsive behavior
24. Comments on Auto Layout
When working with Auto Layout, reviewers can leave comments about spacing, padding, alignment, sizing, and responsive behavior.
Example:
"The horizontal padding should be 24px."
"Please check whether the content expands correctly
when the text becomes longer."
25. Comments on Prototypes
During prototype reviews, comments can identify interaction and navigation issues.
"The button should navigate to the checkout screen."
"The back interaction is missing."
"Please add a loading state before showing the result."
26. Comments and Design Iterations
Designs usually go through multiple iterations. Comments provide a record of feedback and help teams understand why certain changes were requested.
Version 1
↓
Review Comments
↓
Design Update
↓
Version 2
↓
Additional Comments
↓
Final Design
27. Comments for Usability Testing
During usability testing, observations can be recorded directly on the relevant screen or interaction.
Observation:
"Three users failed to notice the filter button."
Design Feedback:
"Consider increasing the visual prominence of the filter control."
28. Comments for Accessibility Reviews
Accessibility issues can be documented through comments so designers can correct them during the design process.
- Low color contrast
- Small text
- Unclear labels
- Missing focus states
- Ambiguous icons
- Insufficient touch target size
29. Comment Best Practices
- Be specific.
- Keep comments concise.
- Explain the reason when useful.
- Identify the expected action.
- Mention only relevant people.
- Avoid emotional or unclear language.
- Use replies for continuing discussions.
- Resolve completed discussions.
30. Good Comment vs Bad Comment
| Bad Comment | Good Comment |
| This is bad. | The heading needs stronger visual hierarchy. |
| Fix this. | Please align this field with the form container. |
| Wrong color. | Can we use the primary brand color defined in the design system? |
| Doesn't work. | The prototype does not navigate when the CTA is selected. |
31. Comment Naming and Language
Use professional and neutral language when communicating with team members. A comment should focus on the design problem rather than the person.
Prefer
"The spacing appears inconsistent with the design system."
Avoid
"You made the spacing wrong."
32. Comments for Product Managers
Designers can mention product managers when a design decision depends on business requirements, product behavior, or feature priorities.
@ProductManager
Can you confirm whether users should be able to edit
their address after placing an order?
33. Comments for Developers
Developers can be mentioned when a design requires technical validation.
@Developer
Can we support this animation on the current platform?
@Developer
Please confirm whether this empty state is required by the API.
34. Comments for Designers
Designers can use comments to discuss visual consistency, component usage, layout decisions, and design-system rules.
@Designer
Should this use the existing Card component?
@Designer
Can we keep the same spacing as the dashboard layout?
35. Comment Notifications
Comments and mentions can generate notifications depending on the collaboration and notification settings of the Figma workspace. Team members should review their notification preferences so important feedback is not missed while unnecessary notifications are minimized.
36. Managing Comment Notifications
- Review important comment notifications regularly.
- Respond to comments that require action.
- Use mentions only when necessary.
- Keep conversations inside the relevant thread.
- Resolve completed discussions.
37. Comment Review Process
1. Open Design
2. Review Unresolved Comments
3. Understand Each Issue
4. Make Required Changes
5. Reply to Important Comments
6. Request Confirmation
7. Resolve Completed Comments
38. Comments and Team Collaboration
Comments create a shared communication layer between designers, developers, product managers, researchers, testers, and stakeholders. This makes collaboration more contextual because discussions remain connected to the actual design.
39. Comments and Design History
Comment threads can provide useful context about previous decisions. Before changing an important design element, reviewing related discussions can help understand why the original decision was made.
40. Comments and Design Handoff
During handoff, comments can clarify implementation details that may not be obvious from the visual design alone.
| Area | Example Comment |
| Spacing | Use 16px spacing between fields. |
| Interaction | Open the dropdown when the field is selected. |
| State | Show the disabled state when the form is incomplete. |
| Responsive | Stack the cards on smaller screens. |
41. Practical Example: E-Commerce Website
Suppose a team is designing an e-commerce checkout page.
Comment 1:
"Please make the shipping address section easier to scan."
Mention:
@UXDesigner
Comment 2:
"Can we show an inline validation message for invalid postal codes?"
Mention:
@Developer
Comment 3:
"Please confirm whether guest checkout is required."
Mention:
@ProductManager
42. Practical Example: Mobile Banking App
Comment:
"The transfer button is too close to the bottom edge.
Please verify the mobile touch area."
Mention:
@UXDesigner @AccessibilityReviewer
43. Practical Example: Dashboard Design
Comment:
"The chart labels are difficult to read at smaller sizes.
Can we improve the hierarchy or provide tooltips?"
Mention:
@Designer @Developer
44. Practical Example: Design Review Meeting
Review Meeting
↓
Team Opens Figma File
↓
Reviewer Adds Comments
↓
Relevant Members Are Mentioned
↓
Designer Updates Design
↓
Team Reviews Changes
↓
Comments Are Resolved
45. Common Mistakes When Using Comments
- Writing vague feedback.
- Creating multiple comments for the same issue.
- Mentioning unnecessary people.
- Ignoring existing comment threads.
- Leaving completed comments unresolved.
- Using comments for unrelated conversations.
- Writing comments without enough context.
- Using aggressive or personal language.
46. Best Practices for Comments and Mentions
- Place comments close to the relevant design area.
- Use clear and actionable language.
- Explain why a change is required when appropriate.
- Mention the person who needs to act.
- Use replies instead of creating duplicate threads.
- Keep discussions focused.
- Resolve completed comments.
- Review unresolved comments before final delivery.
- Use professional language.
- Keep important design decisions documented.
47. Comments and Mentions Checklist
- ☐ Is the comment attached to the correct design area?
- ☐ Is the feedback specific?
- ☐ Is the requested action clear?
- ☐ Is a teammate required to respond?
- ☐ Have unnecessary mentions been avoided?
- ☐ Is the discussion in the correct thread?
- ☐ Has the design been updated?
- ☐ Has the reviewer confirmed the change?
- ☐ Has the completed comment been resolved?
48. Comments and Mentions Interview Questions
Q1. What are comments in Figma?
Comments are collaboration messages attached to a design or specific location that allow team members to provide feedback, ask questions, and discuss design decisions.
Q2. What is a mention in Figma?
A mention is used to specifically notify or involve another team member in a comment or collaboration discussion.
Q3. Why are comments useful in design projects?
They keep feedback connected to the actual design and make design reviews, communication, and issue tracking more organized.
Q4. Why should you use comment threads?
Comment threads keep related questions, responses, and decisions together instead of scattering the discussion across multiple comments.
Q5. When should you mention a teammate?
A teammate should be mentioned when their input, approval, technical validation, or action is specifically required.
Q6. Why should completed comments be resolved?
Resolving completed comments keeps the workspace organized and makes it easier to identify active issues.
Q7. How can comments help developers?
Comments can clarify interactions, responsive behavior, component states, spacing, validation rules, and other implementation details.
Q8. What makes a good design comment?
A good comment is specific, concise, respectful, contextual, and actionable.
49. Learning Path for Comments and Mentions
- Understand Figma collaboration.
- Learn how to create comments.
- Learn how to reply to comments.
- Learn how to mention teammates.
- Understand comment threads.
- Practice resolving comments.
- Use comments during design reviews.
- Use comments for developer handoff.
- Use comments for accessibility and UX reviews.
- Develop professional feedback practices.
50. Key Takeaways
- Comments provide contextual design feedback.
- Mentions bring specific teammates into a discussion.
- Comment threads keep conversations organized.
- Specific feedback is more useful than vague feedback.
- Comments can support UI, UX, accessibility, and development discussions.
- Resolving completed comments keeps projects organized.
- Professional communication improves team collaboration.
- Comments can support the complete design-review and handoff workflow.
51. Conclusion
Comments and Mentions are essential collaboration features for professional Figma workflows. They allow teams to communicate directly within the design context, provide precise feedback, ask questions, request approvals, clarify implementation details, and document design decisions. By using clear comments, relevant mentions, organized threads, and proper resolution practices, teams can make design reviews faster, reduce communication gaps, and improve the overall quality of the final product.
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