How to skew in Figma?

Figma is powerful for UI and vector design, but one tool it doesn’t offer natively is skewing (also known as shearing). Designers coming from tools like Adobe Illustrator might wonder how to create that slanted, italicized, or perspective effect. While Figma doesn’t include a built-in skew option, there are smart workarounds to achieve the same result.

🧰 What Is Skewing in Design?

Skewing (or shearing) is a transformation that slants an object along the X or Y axis. It’s often used to create a stylized, italicized, or dynamic look in logos, shapes, and text.

🧭 Method 1: Skew a Shape Manually Using Vector Points

Figma doesn’t support skew as a transformation, but you can manually adjust vector points after flattening a shape.

Steps:

Draw a shape (rectangle, polygon, etc.).
Select it and click “Flatten” (Ctrl + E or Cmd + E).
Now the shape becomes a vector path.
Select the shape, then enter vector editing mode (Enter key).
Drag anchor points left or right to simulate a skew effect.

💡 Pro Tip: Hold Shift to constrain angles if needed.

📝 Method 2: Skewing Text (Using Outlines)

To skew text in Figma:

Type your text using the Text tool.
With the text selected, choose “Outline Stroke” (Shift + Ctrl + O or Shift + Cmd + O).
The text becomes a vector group.
Enter vector editing mode, and skew it by dragging top or side anchor points.

This lets you create italic or perspective-style text even though it’s no longer editable as text.

🧩 Method 3: Use a Figma Plugin (Optional)

Several Figma plugins simulate skew effects or transform shapes in more advanced ways. A few to try:

“SkewDat” – lets you skew vector elements by degrees
“Angle” – useful for applying mockup-style skewing or 3D-like angles

To install:

Go to the Figma Community tab.
Search for a skew plugin.
Click Install, then run it from the “Plugins” menu.

🧠 When to Use Skew in UI Design

While skewing isn’t common in standard UI layouts, it’s useful for:

Custom logo treatments
Stylized buttons or containers
Background effects and dynamic illustrations

Just remember that text becomes non-editable after outlining—so keep a copy of the original.

✅ Final Thoughts

Figma doesn’t have a dedicated skew tool, but with a little creativity, you can still pull off skewed designs using vector editing or plugins. Whether you’re transforming a logo or giving text a bit of edge, the workaround is quick and effective. It’s another reminder that Figma’s flexibility makes it possible to do more with less.