# Assign a DESIGN.md to frames and recolor them

> Save the document, select frames, and click Assign. The layers are linked to the DESIGN.md and take on its palette; Reset assignment brings the old colors back.

## Goal

Connect frames or components to the DESIGN.md that describes them, and preview them in its colors.

## Before you start

- A saved DESIGN.md in your library with colors in it.
- The frames or components you want to link, selected on the canvas.

## Steps

1. **Save first** Open the document and click Save. A document that was never saved cannot be found again from the layers.
2. **Stay on the Raw tab** Assign uses the text in the Raw tab, so switch from AI back to Raw before you assign.
3. **Select and assign** Select the frames on the canvas and click Assign. The status says, for example, "Assigned to 3 node(s) and applied theme to 3." If the document has no colors it can read, the layers are only linked.
4. **Reopen it from a layer** Select an assigned layer and click Edit DESIGN.md in Figma's right panel. The plugin opens that document from your library.
5. **Undo it** Select the assigned layers and click the Reset assignment arrow next to Assign. Their original colors come back and the link is removed.

## Tips

- The document-level Open DESIGN.md button in Figma's right panel opens the library.

## Result

Frames linked to their DESIGN.md, shown in its colors, with a one-click way back.

## If something goes wrong

- **"Select at least one node to assign a variant."** -> Nothing was selected. Select the frames first, then click Assign.
- **Edit DESIGN.md opens only the library.** -> The document is not in your own library: it was assigned before it was saved, or a teammate assigned it from theirs. Save it and assign again.

## Common questions

### Does assigning change my frames permanently?

It recolors them, which you can reverse with Reset assignment, or with Undo right away.

### Can teammates open the DESIGN.md from an assigned frame?

Only if the same document is in their library too, because each person's library is stored on their own computer. Send them the DESIGN.md file to import.

## Related guides

- [Create a DESIGN.md file from your Figma design](https://raiken.io/kb/design-md/design-md-create): Click + New and start from your selection, the current page, your variables, an empty scaffold or a built-in example, then edit and save it.
- [Import DESIGN.md files and share them with others](https://raiken.io/kb/design-md/design-md-import-share): Drop .md files onto the plugin to add them to your library, decide what happens with duplicates, and download a DESIGN.md from the Design system panel to pass it on.

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Source: https://raiken.io/kb/design-md/design-md-assign (design.md help centre). Reviewed: 2026-10-30.