Maccy + Figma: Clipboard Types, UTIs, and Design Workflow Deep Dive (2026)

Published: June 24, 2026 · 11 min read

Figma writes multiple clipboard types for every copy operation, and each type produces different behavior in Maccy and in the destination app. Knowing which types each Figma copy action produces determines which workflow gives you Maccy thumbnails, what you can search for, and what happens when you paste back.

Figma clipboard types by copy method

Inspecting what Figma puts on the clipboard

# After any Figma copy, immediately run:
osascript -e "the clipboard info"

# Typical output for Command+C on a Figma frame:
# {com.figma.pasteboard.2, 8420},
# {public.tiff, 245760},
# {public.utf8-plain-text, 0}

# For Copy as PNG:
# {public.png, 182440}

# For Copy as SVG:
# {public.svg-image, 3820},
# {public.utf8-plain-text, 3820}

# For Copy as CSS:
# {public.utf8-plain-text, 240}

# The number is bytes. Compare to see the relative sizes.

# Extract the raw SVG XML from clipboard after Figma Copy as SVG:
pbpaste | head -5
# 
# ...

# Extract the Figma proprietary type raw bytes (size check):
osascript -e "length of (the clipboard as data)" 2>/dev/null || 
  pbpaste -Prefer public.tiff | wc -c

Optimal Figma workflow for Maccy thumbnails

The only Figma copy action that produces a Maccy thumbnail with visible content is Copy as PNG. The shortcut varies by platform:

# Figma shortcuts that produce Maccy-visible thumbnails:
# Edit > Copy as PNG  -> public.png -> thumbnail in Maccy

# Figma shortcuts that do NOT produce thumbnails (proprietary format):
# Command+C (standard copy) -> com.figma.pasteboard.N -> no thumbnail

# Recommended alias if you copy-paste Figma frames frequently:
# System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts > App Shortcuts
# Add shortcut for Figma: "Copy as PNG" -> assign Command+Option+C

Searching Figma content in Maccy

After copying from Figma, search Maccy history using fragments specific to each type:

Figma + Maccy: design system workflow

A practical design-system workflow using Maccy’s history as a staging area:

1. Open the design file. Open the style guide reference.
2. In the style guide, copy each hex value from the color panel: Command+C on the hex field. Maccy captures each as a text entry.
3. Copy component instances you need: use Edit > Copy as PNG for reference images.
4. Switch to the target Figma file. Open Maccy with Command+Shift+C.
5. Paste the PNG references in order with Command+1, Command+2, Command+3.
6. Retrieve specific hex values by typing the first characters in Maccy’s search field.
7. Pin the five most-used brand hex values with Option+P at session start.

The PNG copies provide visual reference thumbnails. The hex copies are searchable text. Both live in the same Maccy history panel, accessible from one shortcut. More about Maccy features at maccyapp.com.

Frequently asked questions

Why does a Figma copy not show a thumbnail in Maccy?

Figma’s default Command+C writes the selected content in Figma’s proprietary pasteboard type (com.figma.pasteboard or similar, version-specific). This type contains serialized Figma graph data for paste-within-Figma reconstruction. Maccy stores the raw bytes but cannot decode the proprietary format into a visual thumbnail. Only standard image types (public.tiff, public.png) generate thumbnails. Use Edit > Copy as PNG in Figma to force a public.png write with a visible Maccy thumbnail.

What UTI type does Figma Copy as SVG produce?

Figma writes the SVG XML source code as a text payload with type public.svg-image or as a plain UTF-8 string depending on the Figma version. Maccy captures it as a text entry. You can search for it in Maccy by typing any distinctive tag or value from the SVG: ‘viewBox’, ‘stroke-width’, ‘d=\”M’, or a specific path coordinate.

Does Figma’s Export to Clipboard differ from Copy?

Yes. Export (via the Export panel with copy destination) produces a file-oriented export that writes to NSPasteboard as public.png or public.svg-image data depending on the chosen format. Copy (Command+C or menu) writes the proprietary Figma type plus a raster preview. Export produces cleaner, more specific output and always generates a Maccy thumbnail for image formats.

Can Maccy capture Figma color hex values?

Yes. Color values copied from Figma’s color picker (clicking the hex field and pressing Command+C) write as plain text to NSPasteboard.general. Maccy captures them as text entries. Searching for ‘#3b82’ finds any color starting with those hex characters. Pinning brand hex values with Option+P keeps them at the top of Maccy’s history permanently.

How does Maccy’s paste interact with Figma’s paste behavior?

Maccy’s direct paste (Option+Enter) writes the selected history item to NSPasteboard.general and simulates Command+V. Figma receives Command+V, reads from NSPasteboard, and pastes according to the available types. If Maccy restored a proprietary Figma BLOB, Figma reconstructs the layer. If Maccy restored a public.png, Figma places it as a raster image. The behavior matches what Figma would do with a fresh paste of that type.