Carrier Pigeon

Less clicking between an idea and the canvas.

What it is for

Carrier Pigeon brings your AI assistant into the Figma file you are working on. Describe a change in Claude Desktop and let it help with the repetitive parts, right on the canvas. Your components, your context, your judgement.

Use it to explore layout or copy variations, tidy up layers, apply consistent styling, or understand how an existing screen is put together. It is a small bridge between a conversation and your design, not another place to move your work.

You stay the designer. Give it a clear brief, review what changes, and decide what belongs in the final work.

Getting started

You need Figma Desktop and Claude Desktop on macOS or Windows, with permission to install local extensions and development plugins. No terminal commands or separate Node installation are needed for this setup.

Download the plugin and fully unzip it into a folder you will keep.
Open carrier-pidgeon.mcpb with Claude Desktop and confirm installation. If it does not open directly, use Settings > Desktop app > Extensions > Advanced settings > Install Extension. Older versions may show Extensions directly in Settings. Claude manages the local bridge for you.
In Figma Desktop, open a design file. Choose Plugins > Development > Import plugin from manifest and select plugin/manifest.json from the unzipped folder.
Run Plugins > Development > Carrier Pigeon Bridge. Leave it open; its connected badge means the bridge is ready. Keep the plugin folder in its original location.
Start a conversation in Claude Desktop, enable the Carrier Pigeon tool if prompted, and select something in Figma. Begin with a small, specific request.

Tell me what is in the selected frame before changing anything.

Then try a change that is easy to review:

Create three headline variations for this card. Keep the original untouched and use its existing text styles.

If it does not connect

Check that Claude Desktop is running and the Figma plugin is still open, then restart them. If you previously set up Carrier Pigeon manually, remove only its old manual server entry from Claude before using the installer. Your other integrations should stay unchanged.

The installer is unsigned. Only approve it if you trust the source; your organization may require administrator approval. Installing it in Claude does not automatically install the Figma plugin.

A good way to work together

Start small. Select a frame, explain the goal, and name what should stay unchanged.
Use your system. Ask for existing components, styles, and spacing rather than a fresh visual language every time.
Make room to experiment. Work on a duplicate before changing important or shared designs.
Review the result. AI can make mistakes. Check content, layout, accessibility, and component choices before sharing.

When working across files, be explicit about the intended file and selection. Close the plugin when you no longer want the assistant to access that file.

Privacy & Figma terms

The bridge connects locally on your computer and does not need a Figma API key. Local does not mean the whole workflow is offline: your AI application may send prompts, design content, and tool results to its provider, according to your account settings and that provider's policies. Only use files you may access and share, and follow your team's AI and data rules.

Carrier Pigeon is an independent tool, not made, approved, or endorsed by Figma. It works through Figma's documented Plugin API in a development plugin you start yourself; it does not patch the Figma application or connect to its official MCP server. This local setup does not use Figma REST API tokens or OAuth.

Using the Plugin API is not a blanket guarantee of compliance. Your use must follow the current Figma Terms of Service, Acceptable Use Policy, and your organization's agreement, including the Software Services Agreement where applicable. Do not use the tool for unauthorized scraping, bypassing access controls or fees, or using other people's content without permission. This is a practical note, not legal advice or a compliance certification.

Credits & licensing

Inspired by Figma Console MCP by Southleft. Its Security & Privacy documentation describes the local bridge and plugin-sandbox approach that informed this project. That documentation describes its architecture, not a Figma-issued approval or guarantee of ToS compliance. Carrier Pigeon is a separate project, not an official Southleft integration.

Figma Console MCP is MIT licensed; that license covers its software, not permission to disregard Figma's terms or use third-party brands. Dependencies retain their own licenses.

This site uses the free, self-hosted Libre Franklin typeface under the SIL Open Font License 1.1. The frog/Friedolin artwork and Figma names remain the property of their respective owners; no trademark rights are granted.