How do you restore one component from Figma version history?

WHAT THIS TESTS: This question checks whether you understand that Figma version history operates at the file level, not the layer or component level. It also checks if you know the practical workflow for extracting a single artifact from an old state without destroying work that happened after it.

A GOOD ANSWER COVERS: First, access the version history by clicking the file name menu in the toolbar and selecting Show Version History. Second, locate the autosaved checkpoint from roughly one hour prior; Figma creates these every 30 minutes. Third, since restoring that version would overwrite everything done since, you should instead duplicate that specific version to create a separate file. Fourth, open the duplicated file, copy the component you need, return to your current file, and paste it into place. Fifth, mention that naming versions manually makes this easier in the future.

COMMON WRONG ANSWERS: The biggest red flag is saying you would restore the previous version directly in the current file. Since restoring replaces the entire file with the snapshot, you would lose every change made after that checkpoint. Another red flag is suggesting you can cherry-pick a single component from history within the same file without duplicating or viewing the old version separately.

LIKELY FOLLOW-UPS: An interviewer might ask how you would handle this if the component had been changed in multiple commits over the last hour. They might also ask how you would communicate this recovery to teammates who are working in the same file, or what permissions are required to restore or duplicate versions. The reference notes that only people with Can edit access can create, name, remove, or restore versions, though anyone with Can view can browse history.

ONE CONCRETE EXAMPLE: Say you are refining a navigation bar and accidentally flatten a button component while also updating ten other screens. You open version history, find the autosave from 45 minutes ago, duplicate it, open the duplicate in a new tab, copy the intact button component, switch back to your current file, and paste it onto the navigation bar. You then delete the flattened button and continue working without losing any of the other screen updates.